New In- Institut Esthederm Skincare Review

Institut Esthederm is quickly becoming one of the skincare brands that I have come to love especially after being introduced to them this year. I have tried a good number of products from their various ranges and I have spoken about them here, here and here. I was very kindly sent two products to add to my skincare routine and I have really enjoyed them so much because I have seen a visible difference in my skin. I was sent the Lightening Buffing Mask* and the Intensive Retinol Oil Serum*. I have been using these products for such a long time so I have had more than enough time to share a full review on them.  You may have seen them on my Instagram as I share more photos on there so make sure you are following me there (Fashstyleliv). I have already spoken about Institut Esthederm as a brand in another post so you can check it out if you want over here. Without rambling too much, I would just jump right into the review.





Institut Esthederm Lightening Buffing Mask* //£25 //Link
The first time I saw the name I was thinking I hope it does not contain any bleaching or lightening ingredient. Thankfully, it does not contain any such ingredients and I feel like the name brightening or radiance would have been more suitable. However, it is such a great product so I guess one can just overlook the name. Institut Esthederm describes it as a grain free scrub designed to provide an even and luminous complexion. I don't think I have ever used any mask with a similar texture as this one is really unique.





It feels like a very rich cream and applies so smoothly into the skin. I can layer and layer it on because it feels really luxurious on the skin. It is recommended to leave it on for a few minutes before proceeding to scrub the skin, rinse and dry. It does not tingle at all which is great. When you leave it for a few minutes it looks like it is absorbed but believe me,  it is still there. I have tried massaging/scrubbing it into my skin using my fingers, a flannel and sometimes my FOREO Luna Mini and all methods work well. When I use my fingers, I notice it gets removed in layers (almost like a peel off mask but not quite the same). I hope the pictures show what I mean because it is hard to explain.


Once I am done, I rinse off with warm water and I am ready for the rest of my skincare. It leaves my skin feeling very soft as if all the dodgy/dry/dead layers have fallen off with the mask. I don't know is that's the case for sure but my skin really does feel smoother and softer. I also noticed my complexion seemed quite radiant after using this mask and this has been the case with consistent use. Whenever I want to look really good or my face needs to feel perked up, this is my go-to mask because I know it works well in exfoliating my skin. I am really impressed with it and I have never tried any product that feels and works in the same way as this Institut Esthederm Mask. I highly recommend checking it out if your skin is in need of some radiance.




Institut Esthederm Intensive Retinol Oil Serum* //£49 //Link
I am such a huge fan of Institut Esthederm's Intensive range because they deliver what they promise. I have completely finished the Intensive Hyaluronic Serum which says a lot about the product because I hardly ever finish any skincare unless I love it to bits. You can imagine how delighted I was to try another product from the Intensive range- The Intensive Retinol Oil Serum. I am not new to Retinol but I don't think I have tried a Retinol-in Oil formula so I was curious to see how it will perform.





Retinol is notorious for irritating the skin so beauty developers have found various ways to bypass this irritation using other formulas while still trying to maintain the efficacy of Retinol. Institut Esthederm have created the Oil Serum Hybrid which contains 0.3% Pure Retinol. It is looks like a dry oil so it gets absorbed quickly and does not feel very oily on the skin. I won't classify my skin as sensitive but I do get breakouts if I use certain products. However, I am so glad that the Institut Esthederm's Retinol Oil Serum did not break me out or irritate my skin. I believe this is because the active ingredient is in an oil formula so it preserves its integrity while preventing it from irritating the skin. I tend to use this oil mainly at night because that's my preference when it comes to using oils and it is actually recommended to use it in the evenings. I also have to mention it has a lovely subtle scent which you may not notice if you are not looking out for it. I love subtle fragrances in my skincare and that's why I noticed it. If you don't like fragrances/scents in your skincare, I don't think this is one that will annoy or irritate your skin.





Although it is a dry oil, I can still feel it on my skin which can be a good and bad thing. During summer, it felt slightly heavier than other dry oils I have tried.  Now that  the weather is colder, I have fallen all over in love with it because it just keeps my skin radiant. It helps seal in my skin's moisture and I always wake up with softer skin. If you have dry skin, I think you would absolutely love this product all year round. If you have combination/oily skin, I think you would still love it because it helps regulate the oil balance of the skin. In terms of my hyper pigmentation, I did notice a slight improvement especially around my cheeks which is where I have majority of my dark spots.


As with many skincare products that help with hyper pigmentation, the newer dark spots improved faster than the naughty older ones. I am reaching for this product more this Winter and totally loving it.  I do have to mention that it is quite expensive for £45 because you are getting 15ml as opposed to the regular 30ml (for many oils/serum). However, it is quite an intensive and concentrated amount of Retinol in this formula and it works really well for many skin types. Most importantly, only a tiny drop is enough for my entire face so I see this bottle lasting for at least three months even if you use it every night. I do think it is worth the splurge if you are looking for a non-irritating Retinol formula that also doubles as a face oil.

Where to buy //Link
Institut Esthederm products can be purchased directly from their website here. They are also sold in other retailers such as Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, Feel Unique, Beauty Bay, Space NK, etc. If I find any offers, I will add them into this post. I know for sure majority of the retailers will offer free shipping on orders above £15 so at least you won't have to pay for that. I know there are some Black Friday offers still on as of the time this post is going live so it is worth checking them out.


Overall Thoughts
I am so glad I am finally sharing my thoughts on these amazing products from Institut Esthederm. I have been really impressed with majority of the products I have tried from this brand. I particularly love their Intensive Range because they work so well.  If I had to choose one product, I would choose the Lightening Buffing Mask because you see results faster with it. However, the Intensive Retinol delivers longer term results and helps resurface the skin. Have you tried any products from Institut Esthederm?
*PR Sample + Affiliate Links used, read my full disclaimer here.