The dualist oil-serum review

Although I love facial oil, I’ve only used one at night because I find it leaves my face too oily for the day. I prefer a more matte look, and especially when layering skincare, SPF, and makeup, an oil can counteract that blurring effect. But I love the way an oil makes my skin feel-more hydrated and supple- I am more and more attracted to the booming oil-serum category. Could this be the thing that bridges the gap?

It’s possible, I discovered it in recent months thanks to The Dualist, a new skincare brand debuting with an innovative oil serum that I use day and night for instant benefits and results long-term. Founded by Mariah Summers, former business editor for the Financial Times and BuzzFeed News and obsessed with skincare, her mission as someone with naturally dry skin, chronic cystic acne, and rosacea was to create a hyper-hydrating product that could provide instant radiance. ‘an oil with long-term barrier strengthening. benefits of a serum. The other vital element? Make sure it’s decidedly non-greasy compared to what was out there.

“Every oil I tried was too heavy and didn’t offer the long-lasting hydration that a water-loving ingredient like hyaluronic acid could,” she explains. “I thought, ‘What if we could combine the antioxidant-rich hydrating power of botanical oils with the deep hydration of hyaluronic acid?’ For most professionals in the skincare world, this would be like mixing oil and water.

But that didn’t stop Summers from trying. After diligently searching for the right cosmetic chemist, she got to work and spent four years on countless formulations before landing on her perfect elixir that, above all else, would create the opportunity for “those traditionally without oil to try a skin care product. skincare product that contains oil and unlock the benefits they have been missing.

As one of them, I can say that she accomplished her mission. It all comes down to The Dualist’s unique formulation, which can be distilled into three components. The first is its trio of anti-free radical ingredients: pataua oil, prickly pear seed oil and jojoba oil, rich in oleic acid (omega-9) and antioxidants which form a barrier protective around the skin. “The combination of these powerful protective ingredients working together means your skin literally has armor against free radicals, which can lead to issues like uneven skin tone, dark spots, age spots, wrinkles and fine lines and sagging skin. It protects you all day long and leaves your skin both nourished and strengthened.

Next comes low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, the secret sauce to “bounce back,” because it “acts as a humectant, meaning it draws water into the skin which the formula’s more occlusive oils then help to remember “. Finally, there’s emollient avocado oil, the key to smoothness. “Avocado also acts as an occlusive agent, locking in all the moisture provided by the hyaluronic acid without clogging your pores, like a moisture seal for your skin that also lets it breathe, which is so hard to find! ” she says. If you notice a theme of hardworking, multitasking ingredients, that’s precisely the point. As Summers says, “Every ingredient should have at least a dual function, hence our name.”

After testing The Dualist over the past few months, I have been delighted with the results. While keeping my rosacea soothed and my skin ever softer, smoother (including the dry, uneven areas around my nose and chin) and more radiant, I know I can layer it under anything without it pesky reflections don’t show through. This is a huge development for me, and I know it also has big appeal for people with oilier skin. Plus, it streamlines my routine in that I know I have a hybrid product — and a gorgeous one at that — that I can rely on for all of my targeted serum needs. This speaks to the “less is more” skincare philosophy that Summers and I share.

“I think skincare, in general, is extremely complicated and the vast majority of us overdo it,” Summers says. “I’m a big believer in the skinimalism movement, which is choosing something that has multiple benefits in one package. You can do two things at once, and your products should be able to do that too. To which I say, preach!