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Still reeling from last week’s The White Lotus finale? Because, same. As a die-hard fan of the show *and* long-time beauty editor, what kept the post-season-three depression at bay was perusing the Instagram account of the show’s makeup designer, Rebecca Hickey. Fortunately for me (and fellow beauty enthusiasts also obsessed with the show), Hickey isn’t shy about sharing the on-set beauty staples she used on the cast while filming. Thanks to her, I now have an even longer list of products on my “To Try” list.
One serum in particular that caught my eye in her lineup was Mother Science’s Molecular Hero Serum. “I’ve tried a lot of different skincare products,” she said in an Instagram post. “I really like [the] Mother Science Molecular Hero Serum. It’s one of my favorite products that we used all last season in Thailand. It fades age spots, sunspots, fine lines, and wrinkles while overall just brightening the skin. I used [the] serum on leading actresses Aimee Lou Wood and Natasha Rothwell, and it helped even out their skin tone for dramatically brighter skin.”
I’d also heard many good things about this innovative serum amongst my fellow editor friends because it provides all the benefits that a vitamin C serum does, but it doesn’t actually contain any vitamin C. This is a plus for all the sensitive skin-folks out there who can’t tolerate vitamin C formulas, which are notoriously irritating. The serum’s hero ingredient is called malassezin, a naturally occurring molecule that’s already found on the skin.
“Malassezin is naturally made by the skin microbiome and is a potent antioxidant,” says Mother Science co-founder Ann Marie Simpson-Einziger. “This molecule, which naturally occurs on skin, has the unique ability to target hyperpigmentation, improve the skin’s moisture barrier, provide potent antioxidant protection for powerful benefits without irritation.”
I decided to give the serum a go for myself for a few weeks because I do have pretty sensitive, reactive skin and wouldn’t say no to finding a vitamin C alternative. First, I really liked the texture of this serum. It’s really hydrating and creamy but isn’t heavy at all. As someone who usually breaks out using anything new, I appreciated how lightweight and non-pore-clogging it was. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is also a big concern for me, so I was curious to see how it would stack up against vitamin C.
Mother Science Molecular Hero SerumAccording to Simpson-Einziger, malassezin is superior to vitamin C because it has benefits beyond those seen in traditional vitamin C products. Vitamin C is often used primarily for skin brightening, which malassezin can help with, but malassezin also offers benefits like strengthening skin barrier cells through an increase in essential proteins that make up the barrier. It improves their linkage, boosting lipid production for superior water retention and activating the skin’s antioxidant defenses against the most damaging free radicals related to skin barrier breakdown.See At Mother Science$89
I applied this serum during the day as my protective antioxidant serum and noticed an overall brightening effect after about only four or five days of using it. It’s also infused with other glow-boosting and hydration-sustaining ingredients, including squalane, alpine rose extract, and glycerin. Most impressively, thanks to its relatively simple formulation (it’s not brimming with hard-to-pronounce additives and fragrance), it didn’t cause any new breakouts. The fact that my skin remained clear and unbothered further proved that the formula is an excellent option for acne-prone folks struggling to find a good antioxidant serum that doesn’t break them out.
While I noticed that it faded many of my dark spots after a few weeks, I wouldn’t say it tackled hyperpigmentation at lightning speed. Granted, any serum takes time to work (four to eight weeks is the gold standard for antioxidant serums), and dark spots will definitely continue to fade over months of use.
The formula retails for $89, and while there are cheaper antioxidant serums on the market, this irritation and acne-prone-friendly formula is pretty reasonable given its innovative star ingredient and, for me, zero side effects. Plus, unlike many vitamin C serums, this one actually fortifies the skin barrier, another thing many acne-prone folks struggle with. Overall, if you’re about to give up on vitamin C serums once and for all, give Mother Science’s Molecular Hero Serum a chance before throwing in the towel once and for all.
The post Scouted: I Got ‘The White Lotus’ Glow Courtesy of the On-Set Makeup Designer’s Favorite Serum appeared first on The Daily Beast.
