I first became aware of ALASTIN Skincare sometime in 2018 before I went to the New Beauty Beauty Report Live event in New York. They are a physician dispensed line or medical grade skincare as you may call it. The neck cream was what I first heard about. I was actually a non-believer in neck cream until I tried that one. My first overall impressions of the brand are HERE. Everything in the brand uses TriHex Technology® which is a blend of peptides and botanicals designed to work with the skin and support the removal of aged collagen and elastin fibers followed by the rebuilding and replenishing of new collagen and elastin. Their products work really well with those receiving procedures & treatments but the products also help those who are not getting in office treatments. Recently I was able to get on a Zoom meeting put on by Harben House to learn more about Alastin. I loved hearing more details about the brand and their technology. I'm excited I have three new items to talk about.
Renewal Retinol comes in two strengths 0.25 & 0.5. I of course picked 0.5 as I'm a seasoned retinol user. Beginners should choose 0.25. Details per Alastin:
Renewal Retinol should be used nightly to help smooth skin texture, improve skin tone and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Benefits
- Diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Smooths skin texture and helps improve skin tone.
- Anti-irritants and antioxidants calm sensitive skin.
- Potent hydrators protect against skin dehydration.
Directions Gently apply 1 pump to the desired areas on the face each evening. Avoid getting in eyes. If contact occurs, rinse thoroughly with water. Begin using two to three evenings per week, increase gradually until tolerated nightly.
Key Ingredients
- Retinol encapsulated in a solid lipid – Improves delivery of retinol while aiding the skin’s natural ability to produce collagen.
- Oat Extract – Calming properties.
- Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone – Potent antioxidant that supports natural hyaluronic acid levels.
- Silver Mushroom – Significantly more hydrating properties than hyaluronic acid.
- Co-enzyme Q-10 – Antioxidant that helps protect activity of retinol.
Ingredients
Water/Aqua/Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Heptyl Undecylenate, Niacinamide, Polyacrylate-13, Glycerin, Retinol, Ubiquinone, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Bisabolol, Ceramide-3, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Betaine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Palmitate, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Trideceth-6 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyisobutene, Sodium Hydroxide.
The texture is a light cream and it has a yellow color from the retinol. The retinol is encapsulated in a solid lipid which helps it go deeper into the skin. During the Zoom call they mentioned this delivery system makes their retinol more potent. I would agree. This feels like a 1% not a 0.5%. The goal was to have a powerful retinol with no irritation and I think they did it. This felt quite powerful (once you try a bunch of retinols you just know) and yet I never had any major irritation. I started at 3x a week and maybe I should've started at 2x a week. In the end I was able to use this 4x and sometimes 5x a week but I thought it was just fine around 4x a week. I did more acids on the non-retinol nights. I think you're just going to have to listen to your skin on this one. I never had any redness or peeling maybe just a hint of dryness like any more powerful retinol. For the price point of $60 this retinol was actually really quite good. I think it's a stellar product and I would most definitely repurchase. The formulation does have soothing oat extract, antioxidants & hydrators as well but not the TriHex Technology, it's purely a retinol product. I like that as I prefer my retinol separate so I can use it when and how I need to and keep using my anti-aging formulations nightly on their own.
The Restorative Eye Treatment is a light gel cream textured eye cream. Details per Alastin:
Restorative Eye Treatment with TriHex Technology® should be used daily to reduce the appearance of puffiness, dark circles and fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes.
Benefits
- Reduces the appearance of dark circles.
- Helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
- Diminishes puffiness.
- Promotes even skin tone.
- Works with the skin to clear out damaged elastin and collagen.
- Supports the production of new, healthy elastin and collagen.
Directions Apply 1 pump to the area around the eye, morning and evening. Can be placed directly on the upper eyelid. Avoid getting in the eyes. If contact occurs, rinse thoroughly with water.
Key Ingredients
- TriHex Technology® – A blend of active peptides and key ingredients that works with the skin to clear out damaged elastin and collagen and support the skin’s natural ability to produce new, healthy elastin and collagen.
- Mimosa Tree Extract & Darutoside – Helps improve the appearance of skin firmness.
- Green Tea & Oak Leaf Tea Extracts – Helps reduce the appearance of dark circles.
- Niacinamide, Tetrapeptide-30 – Helps brighten and even skin tone.
- Cross-polymer – Polymer microsphere intended to produce immediate light diffusing benefits.
Ingredients
Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Jojoba Esters, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tetrapeptide-30, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Gallyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Darutoside, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Ornithine, Phospholipids, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Extract, Glycolipids, Betaine, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Beta-Glucan, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Silica, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Squalane, Polysorbate 20, Polyacrylate-13, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyisobutene, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Propyl Gallate, Ethylhexylglycerin.
The eye cream has a gel cream texture. I have super dry eyes so this isn't really a night cream for me, but I love it as a day cream. Normal eyes will be able to use this day and night. This does have the TriHex Technology plus green tea, niacinamide & Tetrapeptide-30. This eye creams goal is to reduce lines, dark circles & puffiness, improve collagen, elastin & firmness plus hydration. This does hydrate lightly plus it firms, plumps and reduces fine lines pretty quickly actually. It's ok on the depuffing and dark circles. I say this every time I review an eye cream-my dark circles are genetic in addition to lifestyle related (kid, staying up too late). Not much fixes my dark circles so when I say this didn't fix my dark circles take it with a grain of salt. It may work for you. I hear this is one of their best sellers. I think the light hydrating gel cream texture with line reducing and plumping effects make this a strong product. I would use this for me as a line reducer and plumper for the most part. Essentially keeping my eye area healthy, firm and happy. I think that's a great thing to expect and get from an eye cream. I also like the slight illumination it gives the eye area which is also why I particularly like it for days. It's not exorbitantly priced at $85 but yes it's definitely higher end. I liked it enough to try again one day.
The Restorative Skin Complex was the item I was most excited to try. A regenerating and repairing serum and as always, serums are my weakness. Details per Alastin:
Restorative Skin Complex with TriHex Technology® is the flagship product of the Restore and Renew line. It is a restorative skin care treatment that helps maintain skin health for a vibrant, youthful appearance. Emollient formulation with key ingredients to help volumize and lift aging skin. Synergistic ingredients help to combat all visible signs of aging.
Benefits
- Improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Helps restore volume to thinning skin.
- Works with the skin to clear out damaged elastin and collagen.
- Supports the production of new, healthy elastin and collagen.
- Helps to improve skin elasticity.
- Potent antioxidants help protect the skin from further damage.
- Helps even skin tone.
Directions Apply 1-2 pumps to the face twice a day (each morning and evening). Avoid getting in the eyes. If contact occurs, rinse thoroughly with water.
Key Ingredients
- TriHex Technology® – A blend of active peptides and key ingredients that works with the skin to clear out damaged elastin and collagen and support the skin’s natural ability to produce new, healthy elastin and collagen.
- Phosphatidylserine – Helps support the skin’s ability to maintain healthy collagen levels.
- Palmitoyl Depeptide-5 – Aids in maintaining the structural support of the skin.
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-38 and L-Ornithine – Supports healthy adipose tissue resulting in more youthful volume.
- Phytoene, Phytofluene and Niacinamide – Potent antioxidants that also address pigmentary concerns.
Ingredients
Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Palmitate, Polyacrylate-13, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-38, Phosphatidylserine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Swertia Chirata Extract, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Ornithine, Ceramide NP, Ergothioneine, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Phytosterols, Phospholipids, Glycolipids, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Betaine, Squalane, Lecithin, Caprylyl Methicone, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Polyisobutene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethan
This has a gel serum texture that hydrates and sinks in well. It plumps from the moisture but also plays nicely and layers with other products well (no pilling). All their products have no fragrance which I enjoy and I know many will as well. This product is meant to preserve procedure results, improve collagen & elastin, even skin tone, plump up thinning skin, hydrate and protect against future damage. I think of it as like a peptide and growth factor style product as far as effects on the skin. Think plumping, firming, volume & elasticity (bouncy skin) increase. In general peptide and growth factor products are longevity products. What do I mean by that? They work best by really giving them consistent use twice a day beyond one bottle. I think it can be really hard to give a full judgement to a product like this when you only use one bottle.
Now considering it costs $195 a bottle (it has a high percentage of their TriHex Technology) yes like you I would feel there should be some sort of miracle after one bottle. Over the years I've learned that skincare doesn't work like that (and honestly never to expect miracles in skincare no matter the cost). Sometimes peptide style products really do best with a three month texting period versus one bottle. Now after one bottle I noticed some increased firmness & elasticity as well as a slight volume increase. It was only ok for the lines & wrinkles after one bottle. Now that being said I did actually buy a second bottle and honestly I wish I had bought another (nice Harben House discount after the Zoom meeting) as I really would like to give it a go for more than one bottle back to back.
I thought the retinol and this paired well together. I love the interesting technology, I know they have studies and data to back up their claims and I feel this product has promise. It just needs the proper amount of time to use it. I think I would get more amazing results if I stuck with it and used it longer than one bottle, that's just the feeling I get from it. Overall I do really love the brand, I think they do a great job. The Hydratint Pro Mineral & Restorative Neck Complex are major favorites from the brand. I just added Renewal Retinol to the list. I want to do another run on the Restorative Skin Complex and I see why the Restorative Eye Treatment is so popular (it's just a bit light textured for my very dry eyes). Alastin is new at Harben House this year which is one of my favorite retailers.
*Products gifted by brand not Harben House (I just like them and enjoyed the Zoom meeting). All thoughts are my own.