'Lippy in London' tried out our Age Defend Cleanser & Moisturiser and here is what she thought!

"I had wanted to try ARK Skincare for quite a while so I'm really happy I've had the opportunity to try a couple of products over the past few weeks. Cruelty Free, vegan-friendly and utterly joyful to use, these two have been a welcome addition to my skincare stash but before I get into the details, here's a little bit about ARK."

"The cleanser and moisturiser both contain Kiwi and Passion Fruit lipids which are rich in Omega 3 and help to retain moisture levels in the skin. Blue Lotus also features in both products. Touted as the 'sacred flower of anti-ageing', Blue Lotus is an effective antioxidant which helps to maintain firmness and elasticity."

"The award-winning Conditioning Cleanser is designed to cleanse, nourish and aid the skin's natural exfoliation process via a soothing gel formula. The cleanser contains Moringa Oil which is naturally rich in Vitamin C and A to help create a radiant, glowing complexion as it cleanses away makeup and dirt. 'Conditioning Cleanser' is a spot-on name for this formula as it's very comfortable to use - skin feels nice and clean but not tight or stripped. The Conditioning Cleanser also rinses away easily (this isn't necessarily a washcloth job) and is just really pleasant to use overall. It's worth mentioning that it also smells incredible - sort of herbal and both invigorating and relaxing at the same time. I realise that makes very little sense but you're just going to have to trust me on this."

"First and foremost, I really, really rate this moisturiser. From the packaging through to the finish of the formula, I'm very impressed! A cream formula with a slight gel consistency, the moisturiser has a Shea Butter and Olive Oil base enriched with Co-enzyme Q10 and skin plumping peptides including Matrixyl. Along with the aforementioned Kiwi and Passion Fruit lipids and Blue Lotus, the Replenishing Moisturiser also contains Retinal Parmitate which is gentle enough for sensitive skin and works to increase collagen production and help to keep skin plump and resilient. Like the Age Defend cleanser, this moisturiser smells pretty amazing, which is always a bonus when it's going on your face."

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Read the full blog post HERE

Shop our Age Defend range HERE

       I've always felt that if you have a large sized skincare range, you should be sure to outline the target audiences for each product line. Make it easy for us so we have minimal excuses as to why we don't currently have a skincare routine. Ark Skincare are such a brand that have highlighted their range for each age group.

 

I've been using the cleanser and moisturiser from their Age Protect range which is aimed at people in their teens and 20s. My skin is very different to how it was in my teens so I was curious to see whether it would be an effective option for me. My teen skin was very oily and acne prone. Now, at the age of nearly 25, my skin is dehydrated, with minimal hormonal blemishes and most of the oiliness is gone. 

The Age Protect Skin Clear Cleanser* was up on my bathroom shelf as soon as this package arrived. You know I love a good cleanser and it's been awhile since I've had a gel formulation in my routine so I was looking forward to using this in the mornings. It's a soap free cleanser that doesn't really foam up when massaged into damp skin so I wasn't worried about it being stripping or overly drying. It also contains oat amino acids which are created from oat proteins. They're a conditioning ingredient so I think this helped to prevent over drying. This is such a refreshing face wash to use on mornings especially if I've slathered my face in oils the night before. It just re-balances my skin and is so quick to use which I love first thing! I think this will be a great Summer cleanser if the weather gets hot and sticky. I also enjoy using this on some evenings after a really sweaty work out. It's a very light gel texture so it doesn't leave my skin feeling heavy or clogged. 

  

  

This is going to sound strange but I've always wanted to have a moisturiser in the type of packaging where you press the top and the product comes out! Although it's a bulky design, it's so fun (always the little things, eh?) and more hygienic than a pot. Luckily, the Age Protect Skin Vitality Moisturiser* was equipped with such a nifty design. This one has a nice selection of nourishing ingredients that I was happy to get onto my skin. Avocado, peach lipids and olive oil are set to replenish and keep skin hydrated whilst also balanced. It also contains marine algae (this is my ingredient of 2016) to help protect the skin from environmental damage. There's been a lot of emerging research on the effects of pollution on our skin so introducing skincare like this to people from a young age is so important.

 

This moisturiser looks thick when it oozes out of the pot but it's actually a very light and refreshing formulation. For me, this isn't rich enough on its own for my dehydrated skin. I mix it with a facial oil and it applies beautifully. The combination doesn't leave a greasy finish on the skin but more of a fresh look. Unfortunately, it doesn't leave me skin as plump and nourished as it is when I use my other usual moisturisers. If you have combination to oily skin though, I think this would be a good fit.

  

The biggest thing I've taken away from having these in my routine is that I really wish I had these products when I was a teenager. They're so much more caring, gentle and nourishing on the skin than an intense scrubby face wash from Boots that depletes all of the oils in your skin and leaves it feeling tender and sad. I'll be passing these on to a family member who's skin suits it a lot better.

 

I've been exploring and their serums look interesting (especially the De-Stress Serum) and also that Hydration Injection Mask which is suitable for all ages, they just direct you on how long you should leave it on for - clever!