'I Tried Out Ingredient-Led PSA Skincare and Here’s My Review'
Between the shiny, millennial-centric brands delivering fresh drops through your letter box, the more established, cult buys and the indie outfits selling a fine line in 'natural and organic' products, the beauty landscape has never felt more cluttered.
To help you to navigate this brave new world of retinol, AHAs, jade rollers and double cleansing, WH beauty editor, Perdita Nouril, is here to try and test the new drops that are making their way into her (very full) bathroom, via her new column, Beauty Dispatch.
Here, she'll share the freshly released heroes that she loves: ready to let you know where to spend your skin and hair care cash. This time around she tries PSA Skincare – the little sister and budget-friendly brand to Allies of Skin.
If, like me, you're a massive fan of brands like The Ordinary, The INKEY List and Q+A skincare, then you're honestly going to love PSA skin.
Standing for 'Purposeful Skincare by Allies', it's the little sister brand to Allies of Skin and since launching in the UK, has been flying off the beauty shelves at ASOS, BeautyBay and Lookfantastic.
Now, I'm a long time lover of Allies of Skin (their hyaluronic acid serum is honestly the dream) but, I won't lie to you, it's also pretty pricey. This is why I wanted to see if welcoming PSA skin into my bathroom cabinet was a good shout. So, to that end, I tried the entire range. Stay tuned for my honest thoughts...
But first...what is PSA skin?
With prices starting at £20, PSA skin is a more affordable way of getting those clinically proven, cruelty-free and extremely potent ingredients from Allies of Skin – just with a smaller price tag.
To keep things ultra-clear, the skincare range is divided into steps: 1: cleanse, 2: mask and tone 3: serums and 4: moisturise - so you know exactly which products to use, and when.
Step 1: Cleanse
PSA Reset: Acai & Manuka Honey Nourishing Cleanser
This has to be one of the stand out products from the range. I'm all about cleansers that leave my skin so super soft and dewy looking that I can ghost my moisturiser if I want to. Granted, it doesn't remove all traces of make-up but I'm a fan of double-cleansing with bioderma micellar water anyway.
It does contain oil, but it's grapeseed oil, which has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it friendly for acne-prone skin types.
Step 2: Mask and Tone
PSA Light Up: Vitamin C & E Flash Brightening Mask
OK, this is one mega sticky mask that does feel a tad uncomfortable on the skin, but all is forgiven once you see the results.
The texture of my skin felt more refined and after a few weeks you can see the vitamin C ( 11% L-ascorbic acid to be exact) starting to work its magic. Remember, consistency is key with skincare, don't expect results over night but if you stick with it, expect your glow to brighten over time.
PSA Heroine: Mandelic & Licorice Superfood Glow Toner
Acids are your hero friend if you want to banish dullness because they rev up skincell turnover at lightening speed. This in turn allows the bright and shiny new cells to make their way to the surface and reflect the light.
The combo of mandelic and lactic acid in this toner work wonders at exfoliating skin gently, while niacinamide slows the flow of excess oil production, reduces the appearance of enlarged pores and dials down spot related redness.
If your routine is one that aims to tackle acne, this serves as a brilliant bolt on. Simply douse onto a cotton pad and sweep across skin three times a week. It worked wonders for me when I had a hormonal breakout along my jawline and when maske made an appearance a few weeks later. Just don't forget your SPF come morning.
Step 3: Serums
PSA The Most: Hyaluronic Super Nutrient Hydration Serum
Ok, so this serum did it's job admirably and my skin's thirst was left suitably quenched. However i won't be giving up Allies of Skin hyaluronic serum any time soon. It's just that little bit better, which i think is down to the potent blend of antioxidants that save my skin from the onslaught of London pollution.
PSA Goals: Multi Acids & Probiotics Perfecting Night Serum
For me, Sunday Riley's Good Genes sets the bar unbelievably high when it comes to the best glycolic serum. But i have to admit, this is definitely a worthwhile contender. It sinks in instantly and does a stellar job at brightening skin and refining pores all thanks to an impressive line up of glycolic, lactic, pyruvic, BHA and PHA, as well as nourishing probiotics, niacinamide and tamanu oil. Goals couldn't be a better name for it.
Step 4: Moisturise
PSA Midnight Courage: Rosehip & Bakuchiol Retinol Night Oil
Plant-based backuchiol has found fame for usurping 'king of actives' retinol because it does the same job minus the irritation, redness and flakiness.
PSA have teamed it with hydroxypinacolone retinoate, which is a less irritating version of retinol and together, they gently nudge the skin into producing those bright and shiny skin cells, while minimising fine lines.
The end result? A clear and bright complexion. I loved this product but couldn't use it at the same time as the acids as it was overkill for my skin. I'd recommend this for those in their 30s who want to dip their toe in the retinol pool (again, SPF is paramount the following morning).
A final word though, the texture is quite thick and oily so if you're acne-prone, I'd stick to a retinol serum instead.
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