Have you heard of ARK Skincare?
It’s a British skincare brand on a mission to help women celebrate their age, no matter what that is. I like that. You can turn the clock back, but you can always look your best – at any age.
But I’m not sure I agree with how ARK Skincare is going about it. They’ve created 3 ranges, each for a different time in your life:
- Protect for your teens and 20s
- Defend for your 30s and 40s
- Defy for those over 50
I totally get the reasoning behind it. For most women, skin does become drier as they get older. I know because it’s happening to me right now. But what about those whose hormones get so out of whack, their skin turns oily and may even suffer from acne for the first time ever?
Friendly reminder: choose products based on YOUR unique concerns, not your age.
But if your skin is getting drier as you get older and you’re looking for a rich night moisturiser that also has some anti-aging properties, ARK Skincare Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment is totally worth checking out:
- What’s In ARK Skincare Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment?
- Texture
- Fragrance
- How To Use It
- Performance & Personal Opinion
- Who Is This For?
- Who Is This NOT For?
- Packaging
- Does ARK Skincare Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment Live Up To Its Claims?
- Price & Availability
- Do You Need It?
- Dupes & Alternatives
What’s In ARK Skincare Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment?
GLYCERIN TO HYDRATE SKIN
Let’s start with the basics. Glycerin is in pretty much ALL skincare products for a reason.
It’s a wonderful humectant: that’s a fancy way of saying it draws moisture from the air and locks it into your skin. Once there, this extra moisture softens, plumps, and brightens your skin.
That’s the base you want to build the rest of your skincare routine on.
Related: The Complete Guide To Glycerin In Skincare
SHEA BUTTER TO MOISTURISE SKIN
Shea butter is a godsend for dry skin. Derived from the nut of the Shea tree, this fat is rich in moisturising fatty acids and antioxidants.
Fatty acids are what makes it work so well: they create a protective barrier on the skin that slows down water loss. Moisture is now forced to stay into the skin, hydrating it from within.
FYI, shea butter is even more moisturising than mineral oil (what derms consider the gold standard for moisturisation). Its effects lasts for up to 8 hours, if not more!
Related: Why Shea Butter Is The Best Moisturiser For Dry Skin
Need help creating the best skincare routine for your dry skin? Sign up to the newsletter below to receive the “Dry Skincare Routine Cheatsheet” (it includes product recommendations, too!).
KIWI SEED OIL TO MOISTURISE AND FIGHT AGING
Like all oils, Kiwi seed oil is very moisturising. Oils create a barrier on the skin that slow down water loss, helping to keep skin soft and hydrated for longer.
But Kiwi is also an excellent source of antioxidants, including Vitamin C, carotenoids and polyphenols. They all help protect your skin from pollutants and fight off free radicals before they can wreak their damage and give you wrinkles and dark spots.
Related: How Do Antioxidants Work In Skincare?
Texture
Rich, yet fast-absorbing on dry skin. It leaves no residue behind. Unless you apply too much. A little goes a loooooong way here.
Fragrance
Herbal. Subtle. Lovely.
How To Use It
In the AM, in between serum and moisturiser. At night, it’s the last step of your skincare routine.
Performance & Personal Opinion
I didn’t expect to love ARK Skincare Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment as much as I do. The texture is on the richer side and isn’t that a recipe for grease and pimples?
Nope. Now that my skin’s more on the dry than oily side of combination, it laps it up within a minute or so – unless you apply too much.
I made that mistake the first time I used it. I didn’t think the pump had poured out enough product, so I went in for a second pump… and that was too much. A little goes a long way here. I like that.
Once absorbed, my skin instantly feels so incredibly soft to the touch. It’s hard to describe it, so I’ll just say this: I can’t stop touching my face (don’t worry, I wash my hands well beforehand!).
It’s also plumper, which in turn makes my fine lines and wrinkles look smaller. When I wake up in the morning, I just look fresh and hydrated.
Although it’s a night cream, it can be used during the day, too. I don’t because a hyaluronic acid serum + moisturising sunscreen gives me all the hydration I need. But if you need something extra, this works, too.
Related: Do Your Morning And Evening Skincare Routines Have To Be Different?
Who Is This For?
Dry skin.
Who Is This NOT For?
- Acne-prone skin
- Oily skin
- Sensitive skin
Packaging
A sleek white tube with a pump applicator. It releases just the right amount of product you need (it may seem small to you, but a little goes a looooooong way).
Does ARK Skincare Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| A night treatment cream for use in your 30s and 40s. | True. But anyone with dry skin can use it, no matter their age. |
| With active ingredients to aid the natural repair process that occurs when we sleep, and to combat the signs of everyday stress which tends to be at its peak at this age. | Notice how vague this claim is. What active ingredients? What natural repair process? Without more details, it’s impossible to either prove or disprove. |
| The formulation supports the skin’s natural defence system through its enhanced antioxidant and free radical scavenger activity. This in turn helps reduce the appearance of skin aging and wrinkle formation | It does help reduce free radicals. Plus, anything that moisturises skin makes wrinkles instantly look smaller. |
| Ingredients include anti bacterial and anti inflammatory properties to help with rosacea and acne; detoxifying properties to help repair dull tired skin; conditioning agents to hydrate and relieve dryness whilst boosting elasticity; and protective properties to help with over sensitized skin. | Another carefully-worded claims. It claims it has ingredients with these properties, not that the cream can do this. But it’s true it can hydrate and relieve dryness and protect sensitive skin. |
| In addition an anti-fatigue and radiance promoter is included to promote a visible reduction of dark circles, under eye bags, dull complexion and drawn features. | It may be true that this vague radiance promoter is included, but nothing can reduce dark circles and puffy eyes. |
Price & Availability
£42.00 at Look Fantastic
Do You Need It?
If you have dry skin and are looking for a very moisturising cream with some antiaging properties to boot, this is a great option to consider.
[penci_review]
Dupes & Alternatives
- Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream ($60.00)
- Paula’s Choice Clinical Ultra-Rich Moisturiser ($31.00)
Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii(Shea) Butter, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Passiflora Edulis (Passionfruit) Seed Oil, Albizia Julibrissin (Persian Silk Tree) Bark Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Candelilla Cera, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Nymphaea Coerulea Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phytic Acid, Parfum (Fragrance), Alcohol, Lecithin, Limonene, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Benzoate, Geraniol, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, Sorbic Acid,Ubiquinone,
Tocopherol, Citric Acid.
