Reviewed by Jean
While I’m always excited to test a product for TIA, I was a bit hesitant to test another brightening serum since the last one I tested failed to deliver. Fortunately, my pessimistic side was proven wrong after testing Elena Rubin’s Lighten Up Serum ($69)! I took before and after photos of my décolleté, the most sun-damaged part of my body, and there was a significant difference over the course of six weeks. The product description claims to be a powerful blend of tyrosinase, inhibitors that lighten pigmentation within one to three weeks.
To begin, I am 41 years old with very fair skin. I did not use sunblock on my chest area until I was in my mid-30s. So, I have accumulated a decent amount of sun damage on my décolleté. Since using Lighten Up, my skin tone has greatly improved and there are a lot less freckles/spots across my décolleté. I even showed my husband the photos (see below) and he agreed that there was a significant difference in the “after” photo. The larger freckles/sun spots are faded, some of the smaller ones have disappeared, and the other areas look evened out.
The usual brightening ingredients are all present: Alpha-Arbutin, Kojic Acid, Bearberry Leaf Extract, Nonapeptide-1, and various citrus oils. There is also Lactic Acid, an AHA that mildly exfoliates. The second ingredient is witch hazel, which provides a noticeable scent to the serum. I don’t mind it, as I prefer products without added fragrance.
In addition to brightening, the texture of my skin looks a lot better too – actually, I was semi-shocked by the difference. Now, to be fair, I did continue to use a moisturizer on top of the serum. In the morning, I used Snowberry Nourishing Rich Day Cream ($96 in the shop) and at night, I used Osmosis Immerse ($44 in the shop). I can’t say that either of those wasn’t responsible for the texture difference. But, I do think the lactic acid in the Elena Rubin serum played a part.
I was pleasantly surprised at my results! This serum retails for $69 for 0.5 fl oz. I’m just at the end of the bottle after six weeks of use. That might be considered a bit pricey for some, but the results sure seem worth it.
Ingredients for Elena Rubin Lighten Up: Aqua (Water), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Alpha-Arbutin, Alcohol, Glycerin, Kojic Acid, Lactic Acid (L), Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Flower Extract, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Carnitine (L), Nonapeptide-1, Morus Alba (Mulberry) Bark Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi (Bearberry) Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Rumex Occidentalis Extract, Citrus Aurantifola (Lime) Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil*, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone
*Certified Organic
Ingredients for Snoberry Nourishing Day Cream: Aqua (Demineralised), Coffea Arabica (Coffee Bean) Oil, Cetearyl Wheat Bran Glycosides & Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol & Cetearyl Glucoside, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Algae Extract & Pullulan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Inga Edulis (Inga) Seed Extract, Plukenetia Volubilis (Inca Inchi) Seed Oil, Pfaffia Paniculata (Suma) , Arachidyl Alcohol & Behenyl Alcohol & Arachidyl Glucoside, Xylitylglucoside & Anhydroxylitol & Xylitol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Aqua & Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Hydrolysed Hazelnut (Hazelnut Oligopeptides) Protein, Glycine Soya Protein Oxido-reductase, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Soyabean Lysophospholipid, Glucose & Glucose Oxidase & Lactoperoxidase, Ubiquinone, Palmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuacu) Seed Butter, Glycine Soya Seed Extract & Ceramide-3, Rubius Chamaemorus (Cloudberry) Seed Oil, Cetyl Palmitate & Sorbitan Palmitate, Fragaria Ananassa & Rosmarinus Officinalis, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Palmitoyl PG Linoleamide, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Margaritifera (Mother Of Pearl Extract) Powder, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Podocarpus Totara, Fragrance, Parfum, Rhizobian Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Corallina Officinalis Alba (White Coral) Extract, Polydecene & Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Extract, Sleletonema Costalatum Extract & Caprylic Capric Triglycerides, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol (mixed) & Beta-Sitosterol & Squalene (Sunflower), White Peat Extract, Galactaric Acid, Rewarewa Honey (Knightia Excelsa Mel), Phytic Acid, Kinetin & Cocos Nucifera
Ingredients for Osmosis Immerse: Dromaius Novaehollandiae (Emu) Oil, Calendula Oil, Lemon Essential Oil, Blueberry Seed Oil, Mixed Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Lavendula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot) Oil