Superdrug Naturally Radiant: First Impressions
Unlike most trends, it seems that a perfectly radiant complexion is one trend that is here to stay. Over the years, I've tried more products than I care to remember in search of a goddess like glow. Some have worked: some have not. One of the items that worked for me was The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution. At just £6.80 for 250ml, the fact that it works makes it a must have for me. Sadly, I'm 99% sure it's everyone else's favourite too and as a result it's forever out of stock. I used up the last of mine a week ago and lo and behold it was still out of stock.
I've struggled to get hold of it before, so it was time to try something new. Something that I could actually get my hands on; and might work too. I'm not unfamiliar with the Naturally Radiant Line from Superdrug but it's taken until now for me to pull the trigger and actually make a purchase.
The range promises to 'revive skins radiance and even out skin tone': I'm all in. And even better, the products are affordable and vegan. If they're as good as people say they are in the long run, I doubt I'll be going back to The Ordinary. I'm currently one week into my little trial: so are they any good?
I've been using Glossier's Milky Jelly Cleanser (£15) morning and night for months now. I'm still enjoying it, but I wanted something more heavy duty for the evenings. Many moons ago, hot cloth cleansers were my go to for evenings, so it made sense to give their Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser (£5.99) a go (plus Sali Hughes loves their Vitamin E version). It contains the ranges signature extracts (Kiwi Fruit and Mulberry) and promises to cleanse and gently exfoliate: I'm in.
It's been a week and a half at this point and so far I'm thoroughly impressed. The formula is decadently rich; has enough slip for a decent massage and leaves my skin clean, comfortable and not at all irritated. Lately my skin's been fairly reactive to scent (rose water I'm looking at you), so to have my skin be completely unbothered by this is something of a triumph.
With that being said, here are a few red flags for some of you. The formula does contain cocoa butter, so if your skin doesn't get along with it, I'd probably stay away. Another ingredient that may cause a reaction in some of you is the added fragrance. It does have a fairly strong scent, especially compared with the rest of the products in my routine. As I said earlier, my skin's going through a funny time with fragrances and hasn't yet reacted badly to this. I can't guarantee the same will be true for you, so maybe give it a try in store before you commit to purchasing. I will also be sure to let you know if anything does change.
Otherwise, it's a really great cleanser and I'm loving the results. Why I put off trying this line for so long is beyond me right now.
Another success story is the Glycolic Overnight Peel (£5.99). I've read many great reviews of this product and I'm pleased to say that so far it's been brilliant. I've used it three times and each morning, my skin's looked brighter and any marks have faded a little too.
Prior to this, the only other peel type product I've used was The Ordinary's 30% AHA/BHA Peeling Solution (£6.30). It was fantastic but inevitably it did cause a bit of irritation due to the high level of AHA's in it. I can't comment on the percentage in Superdrug's offering but I will say that the results are very similar and my skin seems much happier with this one.
The only issue I can possibly pick with this product is that the high alcohol content could make it quite drying. Again it's not something I've experienced just yet, but if you've got a drier complexion I'd maybe use it one or two times a week instead of the suggested two to three.
Last but not least is perhaps the most talked about addition to the range: the Glycolic Tonic with 5% Glycolic Acid (£5.99). I say most talked about because I've seen so many posts testing to see whether this is a good dupe for the Pixi Glow Tonic (£18). As far as I'm aware, the only thing they have in common is the 5% glycolic acid content. With that, I think it's only fair to judge it for what it is and try not to compare too much. For those of you who were wondering; yes I've tried the Pixi offering and no I was not a fan. It did absolutely nothing for my skin and the scent didn't thrill me either, so I honestly don't get the hype.
As with the rest of my purchases, I'm really enjoying this one too. At full price, it's definitely not value for money when compared to The Ordinary's offering but when it's on offer, it's a steal.
Performance wise, they perform fairly similarly too. I say this because it has a lower concentration than The Ordinary's one so it's not quite as good, but that does have its benefits. I love my skin the day after using The Ordinary's offering but for a good hour or so after use, my skin is quite flushed and stings. This is completely normal of course but now that I'm using something gentler, I can appreciate how angry my skin was during that brief period. For reference, the Naturally Radiant one has a subtle tingle and doesn't flush my skin at all.
First impressions wise: well done Superdrug. Most of the time when I pick a few items from the same range, there's at least one dud. Of the three I've tried so far, they're all products I would probably repurchase at this stage. As I mentioned earlier though, it's only been a week and a half so I'll be sure to keep you updated. Safe to say I've got high hopes for my trio of glow givers.
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