Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Gel

I've been using this for a couple of years and love it, though it is pricey. It's got AHA in it and you can feel the acids working when you apply: there is a very light tingle. If your skin is really sensitive to exfoliation you might find it strong, but I find it's fine for everyday use. I've been exfoliating all my life and most people think I'm 15 years younger than I am, so I am not messing with success. I use much heavier peels 2-4 times a month but this is for every day. It has a very light scent that is fresh and not cloying, and it feels tightening on the skin, so a bit of light moisturizer on top is a good idea (i typically use Ole's Sheer Transformation, but I sometimes use others). I gave it a low rating for packaging because the new blue pump bottles seem to clog up all the time. The old green bottles did not. It was rebranded a few months ago and I much preferred the older packaging. This product never makes me break out and it gives me a nice glow in the morning. It seems to tighten skin as well. I use this every night and I use Truth Serum a few times a week. Note this is now called INVIGORATING NIGHT TRANSFORMATION GEL.

Since the re-packaging, I think that the new Invigorating night cream's review should be added to this page. I just purchased a full sized jar of this and so far I am happy. When I buy a new night cream, this is the mental checklist I go through to see if I'll buy it again in order of priority for me:

1. Does it pill and rub off over my other layers of skin care products? NO, this cream is a very light gel that absorbs easily into my skin and plays nice with my serum, face oil and retinol treatment.
2. Does this irritate my eyes? Given the AHA content in this, I didn't put it anywhere near my eyes, so I can't assess this one.
3. Does this evaporate overnight in my sleep? No, this cream continuously seems to hydrate and protect my face until morning.
4. Does my skin feel more hydrated in the morning? Yes, I face feels dewy and soft in the morning.

It's passed all my internal checklists, I would purchase this again. I haven't used it long enough to see if it does anything for my hyper-pigmentation, but for hydration this works for me. I do wish that it came in a pump bottle instead of a jar though.

I've been using this as part of the 3 little wonders skin care regimen, along with the Find Your Balance cleanser. I love it-- my skin looks and feels cleaner and brighter. I'm not sure which product is contributing the most to the improvement of my skin, but I love all of the products. I love the consistency and smell of each product.

I'm going to assume this is the Invigorating Night Transformation gel that now comes in a blue pump bottle after the re-branding (this one: http://imgur.com/YReXd9L).

As soon as I smelled this, I knew it was basically a glycolic acid diluted in gel form. Glycolic acid varies in strength depending on how you dilute it and basically helps to lift dry and dead skin cells better than exfoliation alone, revealing the newer skin underneath. I've been using it on it's own for years, and this gel is a really easy, convenient way to use the product.

Some things to note. If you have ANY open blemishes on your face, this is gonna sting pretty dang bad for a few seconds. Also (and it mentions it on the package too I believe), because the acid is a pretty strong exfoliant, the new skin is going to be sensitive to sun and may burn faster than normal, so maybe up your usual facial SPF a bit if you use this gel on a regular basis.

Since glycolic acid works to help lift the dead skin cells, it's really best to exfoliate between using this and applying makeup. So if you use it at night, it's best to exfoliate in the morning before putting on makeup. I generally don't like exfoliating in the morning, as it makes my face pretty red and then I end up having to use more makeup than I actually need to even it out. I like to apply this an hour or two before bed and then exfoliate before going to bed and apply a normal moisturizer.

With regular use, I've found it has helped to slowly fade some old acne scars, likely due to it helping to slough off the blemished surface skin, speeding along the renewal process. I'm assuming that's why it's also good for fine lines, helping to remove the layers of skin that make them look deeper and more visible.

If you like the results you get with this but hate the price (it works well and I like it, but the price can be daunting for a single face product when I usually use two or three others too on a daily basis), you can actually buy pure glycolic acid from a lot of beauty supply shops and then dilute it with water and apply it with a cotton pad and get similar results. Just make sure it's diluted enough. I usually mix mine to be about 35% strength (I buy 70% acid and mix it half and half with water), but those with dry, sensitive skin probably shouldn't be using anything more than 10-15%.

Slightly irritating and significantly drying (even with a good moisturizer afterward), which emphasizes my fine lines instead of helping them disappear, so this was self-defeating. Dries a bit tacky but I didn't mind that. Would not recommend for dry skin and probably not for sensitive skin. Might be a good AHA for oilier skins.

I'm going to be pretty blunt about this because my experience with this product wasn't stellar. The only reason I was interested in this product was because there were many positive reviews about how great this was on fading acne scarring. However, there weren't many describing the reaction your skin may have upon use. At first I thought it was a food allergy, or that I was having an eczema outbreak, but no, it was this night treatment. With that being said, On days I don't exfoliate, I experience a bearable tingling sensation when I use this product. On days that I do, the tingling sensation is an unbearable burning sensation which then transitions into my face being itchy around my mouth, cheeks, jawline and neck. On a sidenote, it leaves a sticky residue on your hands after application, so it's a must to wash them afterwards (unless you're into that).

The only positive comments I can make about this product is that when I wake up in the morning my skin looks and feels smooth, any breakouts from the previous day look significantly smaller when this treatment is applied during the night, and I have noticed a slight change in the appearance of my acne scarring, but I'm not convinced that it's from this product single handedly (for reference, I've been using this in combination with the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum and the Sheer Transformation moisturizer daily since Sept of this year.). I have sensitive skin, so I'm not sure if that plays a role in regards to my tolerance level with this products. But even so, it clearly states on all three that they're suitable for ALL skin types.

I purchased this as a part of the "Three Little Wonders" kit from Sephora for $80-86. I don't have any issues with the packaging, it serves it's purpose. Anyways, I'm halfway through the bottle so I'm going to continue to use it until it's finished. As for repurchasing, I doubt I would. I'm looking into trying the Lemon Flash Peel from this company or the Facial Radiance Intensive Peel from First Aid Beauty after my kit is done to target my scarring.

I was given a sample to try, and fell in love with it after the second use. The texture is a lightweight gel dries rather quickly on the skin. Even though it does contain moisturizing ingredients, it can be drying for dry skin types, like me. I sometimes use it on its own in the summer, but advise following this with a moisturizer!

I am assuming that this is the same product as the invigorating night treatment. I was in sephora browsing their skincare section looking for a product that would help me with my acne, uneven skin texture and blocked pores. I had been suffering from a bad breakout due to hormones and needed something that would help clear my pores and stop breakouts. The SA at sephora who was helping me had amazing skin and I asked her what she used. She said that she swears by the invigorating night treatment to keep her skin clear and even. I was a bit concerned with spending money on a product without trying it out first as I have very sensitive skin and it is pretty pricey product so I got a sample from her to try out. I used the sample for 2 weeks and saw such amazing results that I immediately went back to purchase the full sized bottle. The product evened out my skin texture, cleared out my blocked pores especially on my cheek area and helped keep my skin clear and acne free. I am already on my second bottle of the product and could not live without it. When I ran out after my first bottle, I noticed a big difference with my skin. My pores started to get congested and my skin looked blotchy and acne kept popping up. Would highly recommend this product to anyone!

I love this product. What I want out of an AHA or retinol is nice, clear, blemish free skin. An added bonus would be diminished lines and pigmentation!
This one keeps breakouts & clogged pores away, adds a nice glow and (I think) may be reducing forehead lines.
As others noted, it is sticky/tacky to apply, but that doesn't bother me, nor does the smell (which i don't notice, really) It does feel a bit tingly for a few seconds, not painful.
i DO wish that it came in a pump or tube rather than a pot.
Having used strong prescription retinol in the past, and expensive clinic retinol creams, I can honestly say this stuff works just as well if not better.

This gel works wonders. It goes on a little sticky, but once it dries and you put moisturizer on top, it doesn't really feel any different than any other gel or serum.
Where the difference is is what my skin looks like when I wake up. People always talk about skin "glowing" after using certain products, and I never understood what they meant until this stuff! It is amazing.