Super-Charged Skincare | Alpha-H

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of skincare that gives impressive, immediate results and Alpha-H's strapline is 'Concentrated Skincare', making their product range right up my street. They also happen to be Brand of the Month for October over on Cult Beauty, meaning free worldwide shipping on everything from their range - yay! Stay tuned to find out if the products I tried wowed me as much as I was hoping for...


Liquid Gold* | £33.50 | Let's start off with the cult classic, the product you've probably heard about, the one that so many people swear by. This is a glycolic acid toner - if you're unfamiliar with how these AHA products work, they're essentially exfoliants without the scrub that are derived from natural ingredients (here it's sugar cane). You simply put a bit of this on a cotton wool pad and run it over your skin after cleansing. Afterwards you can honestly see the dead skin cells on the cotton wool, which is actually quite satisfying! The results are that you get an instant boost of radiance to the skin with dry patches eliminated and the texture far softer and more even. In the long-run this also helps clear up the scars left behind from old blemishes and acne (as a WOC, mine often become hyperpigmented and one little scar from a spot last year can end up becoming a dark patch on my skin that's hard to budge) and just gives your skin a more even tone. This definitely isn't for the faint-hearted - as I'd advise with all Alpha-H products (the clue is in the strapline of 'Concentrated Skincare') it's probably not going to be for people with sensitive skin. This is best utilised by those of us who have tried other low-concentration AHAs and want to graduate to something more punchy.

Essential Cleansing Balm | £27.50 | I love having a cleansing balm on-hand to remove makeup gently at the end of the day - you simply massage this into the skin and over the eyes then remove it (and your makeup) with a damp cloth. You can use this as a morning cleanse if you so desire, but I personally tend to prefer it for makeup removal - it just depends on your preferences really. This comes out as a semi-transparent gel-balm and I do appreciate this packaging! This is a pretty understated product - it does the job effectively without stinging my eyes and also hydrates my skin (with fatty acids) without leaving a film or excess on the surface. You can even use this as a mask, leaving it on for 10 minutes for plumper, softer skin. A product like this is never the one you're going to tell everyone you know about because it's so life-changing but it's definitely an essential for me! 

Liquid Gold Intensive Night Repair Serum* | £51 | This blend of Vitamins A and E plus glycolic acid is aimed at strengthening the skin and encouraging collagen production so your skin looks younger and feels healthier. This is the one product of the bunch I think I'll have to do an update on to see if it's worth splashing out on because I haven't been using it that long as I didn't want to test this at the same time as, say, the cleansing cream because otherwise it would be hard to tell which product was giving what results! It has a light gel-like texture and dries down quickly on the skin - I apply it before my night cream. I have noticed already that it fades any blemishes quickly, helping to soothe the redness and irritation. I do also find my skin is soft and smooth after use. We will have to see what else it does in the long-term!

Vitamin E* | £29 | Ok, so this is a total standout for me! I've been a bit 'here, there and everywhere' during October, which inevitably involved eating and drinking out a lot and a lack of sleep. My skin was spotty, I had a fair amount of redness and things just looked tired and dull when I finally had the time to put some effort into my routine again. This has really turned things around for me; it's so hydrating and plumping, helping reduce redness and just giving my skin that healthy, dewy look that I love for this time of year. I absolutely love this and recommend it for any skin type!

Instant Facial* | £37 | If I'd had this product when I photographed for last week's skincare post, I'd definitely have included this! This is the product I've been reaching for in the morning when things have been looking a bit lacklustre. It contains a blend of glycolic acid, aloe, chamomile, barley and cypress, which is perhaps why I find it a little more gentle than Liquid Gold. This really helps with redness, which I've been suffering with lately, due to the aforementioned lifestyle hecticness and probably just with the changing weather. It gives in instant perk-up to my skin so it looks healthier and clearer.

Liquid Gold Resurfacing Cleansing Cream* | £36.95 | This contains glycolic acid but also lactic acid (another AHA but one that's derives from milk), meaning the effects are kicked up to the next level. I've tried acid exfoliator cleansers before and they're normally a little less heavy-duty because they don't sit on the skin like a toner, however you can feel this one working! This definitely isn't a cleanser to remove your makeup with as you shouldn't put acids anywhere near your eyes (though it can get rid of any remnants and excess oils as a second cleanser), so I've tended to use it in the morning. It's pretty much a do-it-all skin perfector; my complexion has been clearer, more even and more radiant since I started using this. It is quite intense, so won't be suitable for sensitive skin, and I don't use it every day but it's amazing when I need that extra something.

Have you tried any Alpha-H products / will you be doing during the Brand of the Month promo?

Don't forget to follow me on:

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram

Disclosure - products marked * were sent to me for consideration however all opinions remain my own.

Read more posts from this series here!