Ari's In Wonderland: Benefit Cosmetics Instant Comeback Facial Serum*

An increasingly 'must have' product in many women's skin care regime is a serum. For those who aren't too familiar, serums are basically potent little potions that address specific skin care needs. There are serums for those who frequently suffer from acne or redness. There are serums that promise to shrink or minimize the appearance of dark spots and pores, and there are serums that are supposed to whiten skin overall. If there's a skin care concern, there's most likely a serum for it. Compared to your average moisturizing cream or gel (which you apply after, by the way), serums tend to have more concentrated ingredients.

Now that I'm nearly 30, I prefer serums that have anti-aging claims. These tend to work best for me as I have dry skin and most anti-aging products are highly moisturizing since young looking skin is all about the abundance of hydration in it. One of my favorite beauty brands, Benefit Cosmetics, knows that very well as their skin care line is all about moisturizing and refining skin. One of the stars of this particular line is their Instant Comeback Facial Serum which I'm reviewing today.

Benefit says...
Hey tired, dehydrated skin…this is your chance to start over!

Instant Comeback Age-Defying Booster Serum instantly boosts the youthful look of skin. The fast absorbing formula with tri-radiance complex helps protect against visible signs of aging. Tired skin looks plumped and hydrated and feels firmer, smoother…energized. Dramatically boosts the effectiveness of any skincare routine.

Just like the outer packaging, the bottle the serum is contained in is equally as pretty! I particularly love the faux-looking cork cap and metallic sheen of the bottle. The color scheme is just lovely too, especially with the box. Benefit is known for its quirky and cute packaging after all!

The bottle is made of thick, coated glass, if I'm not mistaken. It's pretty durable, but it's still best to handle it with some care as dropping it on a hard floor can possibly crack it.

This particular product came with a handy pump which I appreciate. I don't mind serums that use pipettes and the like, but this is undeniably handier to use and prevents the serum from accidentally spilling or leaking out.

Ingredients:

Punching the ingredient list through CoSDNA, I was pleased to see that there were a lot of Moisturizer-type ingredients packed into this serum. It also contains Hyaluronic Acid, which is great at retaining moisture. There's also the likes of Butylene Glycol, Polyglycerin-3, and Sorbitol, amongst others, which are all classified as humectants - a substance that helps keep things, in this case your face, hydrated.

Things to watch out for:

Methyl Gluceth-20 - Fine to use on any skin type, but it can be irritating if you have any injuries or inflamed skin on your face.
Butylene Glycol - This has a flip side because CoSDNA gives it a "1" on the Comedogenic scale meaning it has a very low but still possible risk of the serum blocking pores and causing acne and/or blackheads.
Carbomer - An emulsifier. Ranked "1" (very low) on the CoSDNA 1-5 Irritant scale.
Algin - A fragrance. Ranked "4" (high) on the CoSDNA 1-5 Irritant scale. It's best to do test the serum on a small patch of skin first if your skin is sensitive or if you're particularly sensitive to fragrances in products.
BHT (Dibutylhydroxytoluene) - A preservative. Ranks high on the CoSDNA Safety scale meaning it has potential hazards that come with long-term use of the product.
Tocopheryl Acetate - "Tocopheryl" is also known as Vitamin E and is an antioxidant, but the addition of Acetic acid, making it "Tocopheryl Acetate", can cause potential skin irritation.

I highly recommend going through the ingredient list HERE which I uploaded on CoSDNA for this product and take note of the Safety, as well as Irritant and Comedogenic, rankings for the other ingredients I didn't mention.

My experience:

I used this product twice a day, morning and night. I apply it after my toner and before my moisturizer, which is the usual order that serums are best used. Thanks to all the moisturizing ingredients it really did give my skin that extra boost of hydration which is good as makeup, no matter what kind, tends to highlight the driest areas of my face. Since it's lightweight, it also absorbs fairly quickly, especially if you gently pat your skin all over like I do after applying to promote absorption. It does leave my skin a little tacky though while undergoing the process and even afterwards, but fortunately I don't mind. Once it absorbs fully, 99% of the stickiness is gone for me, even if I re-apply it to the drier areas of my face. It also doesn't promote extra shine on my t-zone or anywhere else, really. However, since my skin is not just dry but sahara-desert dry, the serum wasn't a miraculous skin saver by any means. It's without a doubt quite hydrating and does make my skin smoother and look more supple and refreshed almost instantly, but it didn't help rid me of my cursed dry patches. Like I mentioned though, it does add that necessary boost or dose of hydration, so this product isn't a fail by any means. If I use it in addition to other more hydrating or moisturizing products, then this fits in quite well with my skin care regime. I can't vouch for any anti-aging claims yet for obvious reasons, but because of all the moisturizing ingredients this has, I have confidence that it'll more or less hold up to those claims since the key to keeping skin looking young and refreshed is still moisture.

Alas, I do want a serum that can give me more than just a 'boost', if you will. I want a serum that can either be the answer to my dry skin prayers on its own, or at least with the right combination of other products. Of course, if it had anti-aging benefits as well it would certainly make it my HG serum of choice. If you were blessed with more of a normal or oilier skin type, do try out this serum because it might just work wonderfully for you! As for me, I'll continue my quest to find the perfect serum for me so that I can also hopefully perfect my entire skin care routine.

WHAT I LIKE:

Lightweight and absorbs fairly quickly. Perfect for those living in hot, humid climates and/or with oily skin.
The floral scent. Not too strong and it fades as the serum is absorbed.
The beautiful packaging.
Doesn't promote shine/oil production.
Packed with a lot of moisturizing ingredients.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE/WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED:

I want a serum that's more hydrating/moisturizing. If you have very dry skin like me, you'll need to make sure to use a good moisturizing gel or cream after.

ANYTHING ELSE: