Finally an Acid for Sensitive Skin Types?

Main Image – Live That Glow

Sometimes a product comes along that is both so pretty and holds the promise of such glowy results that I just can’t ignore it (however non-budget friendly it may be…).

And that was definitely the case with Farmacy Beauty’s Honeymoon Glow AHA Resurfacing Night Serum, a blend of acids promising to brighten skin to dewy perfection.

 

The Brand

Launched in 2015 by skincare addict Mark Veeder, farming expert Robert Beyfuss, and lab owner David Chung, Farmacy Beauty’s ethos is ‘farm-to-face skincare’.  

While it may have an emphasis firmly on natural ingredients, Farmacy shows its lab-based background, throwing in a twist of science-based technology at the same time.

With fully recyclable packaging and ingredients sourced from select farms across the world, the brand is all about the quality and sustainability of its products.  Each one is also cruelty-free, as well as paraben-free, synthetic fragrance-free, phthalate-free and mineral oil-free.

Farmacy’s combination of minimalist packaging, yummy-sounding product names (Daily Greens Oil-Free Gel Moisturiser, anyone?) and real results has earned it something of a cult following in the short 5 years since its launch.

So how did I get on with one of the brand’s classic products?

 

Farmacy’s Honeymoon Glow

Containing a mixture of fruit, flower, citric, lactic and salicylic acids, this honey-based chemical exfoliant is designed as a gentle acid product, suited to most skin types.

 

 

Gentle because despite the multiple acids here, the addition of hyaluronic acid, grapeseed oil, honey extract and meadowfoam seed oil add a shot of hydration and moisture.

WebMD says that “there are many uses of grapeseed oil for the skin, especially on the face. Because it contains high levels of vitamin E, this oil may contribute to better skin and reducing UV damage.”

As for meadowfoam seed oil, Healthline states that it “acts as an emollient when applied to your hair or skin, according to a 2017 study.“

“Meadowfoam seed oil has several traits that may make it a good choice to include in your skin care routine. It contains more than 98 percent long-chain fatty acids that give it one of the highest stabilities of any vegetable oil and a long shelf life — without losing its effectiveness.

“Plus, meadowfoam oil doesn’t leave a greasy feeling when applied to your skin like some other emollients do,” it adds.

 

The Full List of Ingredients

Water/Aqua/Eau, Lactic Acid, Propanediol, Jojoba Esters, Glycolic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Honey Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugarcane) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Coco-Glucoside, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Gluconolactone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, T-Butyl Alcohol, Glucose, Calcium Gluconate, Citral

 

How to Use it

Designed to be used at night, Farmacy recommends using one or two pumps on clean skin two or three times a week before building up to more regular use.

I personally use around a pump of this after toning (with something gentle and non-acid-based like Fresh’s Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner), before following with my regular moisturiser afterwards to counteract any potential drying.  And the amount I use it varies according to the season/what my skin is doing that particular day too; with one night some weeks and every other day others.

 

On the Skin

On my skin- despite the noticeable acid smell when I apply this, and some initial tingling- I tend to wake up with the same glow I get from having used any other acid the night before, but without any dryness or tightness that I might sometimes have with other products.

Is that immediate glow better than the one I get from other products though? No, not for me anyway.

In fact, I think this actually offers a slightly more subtle result designed to improve overuse, rather than the instant results of perhaps a stronger acid.

And although that may sound like a criticism, for me this is actually where Honeymoon Glow beats many of my other acid products- because in a product market often about immediate results (which can sometimes be at odds with the needs of sensitive skin types) this almost feels intentionally geared at those looking for a gentler, longer-term approach.

But that’s not to say it’s just sensitive types that can benefit from this- because the blend of various acids which target different concerns (for example lactic acid to gently brighten skin and salicylic acid for pore unclogging) means that I would think most types would be able to make use of this.

The Takeaway

Overall I’m a fan and loving the high level of natural ingredients. I also like that this could be a great option for sensitive skin types who’ve struggled to find a strong acid that doesn’t dry their skin.

I only wish this wasn’t £55. For a gentle acid alternative (although more basic and sadly without salicylic acid) I also like The Ordinary’s Lactic Acid 10% + HA.

Great for: Fans of an acid which won’t dry skin too much.

Not-so-great for: Budgets as this is a really expensive product compared to others.

Farmacy’s Honeymoon Glow is £55 for 30 ml, Cult Beauty UK and $58 for 1 oz/ 30 ml, Sephora US