Extreme Skincare: Line-Fighting At-Home Facial with IMAGE Ageless

When you have been using highly-active, cosmeceutical skincare for a while, your skin has settled into a routine. Just like with us hoomans, this is a good thing. However, from time to time, we want to pack a punch and work out our skin to facilitate even greater or more instantaneous results when our skin has become a bit sluggish, such as after the deserved and worthwhile over-indulgences of the Christmas season.

Giving it a kickstart may take a potent combination of powerful ingredients together, as close to a salon treatment that you will get at home. Be warned, what we are about to describe is not for the faint of heart nor is it for those who have just started to use glycolic acid or retinol. The pairing we are about to suggest is for those whose skin can handle anything, for those who cannot go without their glycolic and are looking for J-Lo-esque levels of skin perfection.

Alone, the IMAGE Ageless Total Anti-Aging Serum (new to The Skin Nerd store) & IMAGE Ageless Overnight Retinol Masque are heavy-hitters but together, they are a line-fighting duo like no other. Oh.. and they’re 20% off on The Skin Nerd store for the month of January. 

Psst... these are super potent products and thus need to be recommended specifically for you or a Nerd or Nerdette. Get in contact with us or ask about them during your follow-up consultation to find out if they're right for you.

Let’s get nerdie about the ingredients and benefits of each:

IMAGE Ageless Total Anti-Aging Serum (RRP €80.00, € 64.00 for the month of January)

This isn’t your simple brightening or hydrating serum. It goes by total and it is total. It contains a 10% blend of glycolic, lactic and malic acid for continuous exfoliation without irritation. It provides you with antioxidant protection in the form of resveratrol and vitamin C (tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate) which also tackles pigmentation and evens skin tone. On top of that, you’ll find Matrixyl Synthe, a patented peptide that promotes the skin’s production of collagen, thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles and plumping the skin.  

If you’ve been recommended this, you’ll know that it is to be introduced slowly and that you may feel a bit of a tingle.

Who is it for?

This is for those with normal skin or oily skin. It doesn’t pose a problem for those who get the occasional spot but those who are prone to breakouts should probably avoid it, as some find that glycolic acid simply continues to bring up lumps and bumps. It’s particularly fabulous for those with sun-related pigmentation (sun spots, age spots).

IMAGE Ageless Total Overnight Retinol Masque (RRP: €90.00, €72.00 for the month of January)

The IMAGE Ageless Total Overnight Retinol Masque uses microencapsulated retinol. This means that the retinol reaches the skin in a stable form that is less likely to cause irritation, giving you the best result you can get from a retinol.

IMAGE have nailed the technology that allows ingredients to be released onto the skin slowly, meaning prolonged and consistent hydration and benefits, rather than the possibility of all of your fantastic ingredients simply evaporating off. Marine collagen and GAGs (glycosaminoglycans, natural moisture factors that exist in the skin) are introduced to the skin via microspheres meaning lasting moisture throughout the night.

In terms of plant extracts, there are some interesting leaves that you’ll find in the Ageless Total Overnight Retinol Masque. You have lemon leaf cell extract which stimulates your skin’s fibroblasts, the very cells that are responsible for the production of collagen, as well as plantago lanceolata leaf extract (plantain leaf extract), which helps to protect your skin’s proteins, such as collagen and elastin, from degrading.

Who is it for?

Normal skin types (those who ain’t too dry and ain’t too oily), pigmented skin and, naturally, mature skin.

When used by themselves, each of these products is phenomenal. However, for an advanced approach, you can mix them together to create a cocktail of retinol, glycolic acid, two peptides, antioxidants and hydrators. This is something to do once a week as an occasional boost, a home treatment almost like a peel that will bring about a whole host of skin renewal in one fell swoop.  

How to mix them for your line-fighting at-home facial 

After cleansing (and applying your AVST and other serums), mix one pump of the IMAGE Ageless Total Anti-Aging Serum with one pump of the IMAGE Ageless Overnight Retinol Masque in the palm of your hand and apply across your face, neck and decolletage. Do this 1 or 2 nights per week leaving 2 or 3 nights between usage. 

As this is such a potent combination, we would recommend patch testing if you have any qualms by applying a small dot of the blend behind your ear and leaving it for 24 hours. 

Words to the wise and nerdie

These particular products are not for those with redness, rosacea, inflamed skin or an impaired barrier. If the products you’ve been recommended are for the purpose of bringing your skin back to health, then these are down the line for you but not for right now. Those sensitive around the eye area should keep these products away from 'em! 

Go slow and do not overuse. It may be tempting but skin health is a marathon, not a race. Over-exfoliation is a cardinal skin sin that will result in an impaired barrier, irritation, redness, dryness and even breakouts. It is imperative that you’re using a high SPF whilst using the IMAGE Ageless range as exfoliating ingredients can photosensitise the skin if you are not protecting it.