5 TO TRY FROM OLE HENRIKSEN

 

- Advertisement information: this post discusses items gifted to me with no obligation to share them (marked *). In addition I have / have had a brand relationship with Boots (paid advertorial content). My blog has Skimlinks and RewardStyle installed to automatically monetise purchases of products I link on my blog, therefore this post may contain affiliate links. All opinions remain my own and please refer to my Disclosure Page  for further detail -  

Ole Henriksen is one of those brands that just didn’t really exist here in the UK until a couple of years ago, then it was suddenly in Boots and accessible to most people. They stock a pretty vast array of products so today I thought I’d narrow it down to 5 favourites as a starting point if you’re interested in this line or you’ve seen it around and wondered what it’s all about...

As a bit of background on the brand itself; Ole is a Danish cosmetic chemist turned celebrity spa-owner in the US who launched his own skincare line in 2005 with Sephora. The goal of the line is to combine the experiential elements of visiting a spa (such as how the product looks, feels and smells (aside so if you don’t like fragrance in your skincare, this isn’t the brand for you)) with effective ingredients and visible results. It took a while to get here but the line is now available at Boots UK.

Diving into my product picks, the first thing I have to mention is a newer launch: the Barrier Booster Orange Ferment Essence* | £36. I personally love an essence; if you're not familiar with this product type, it originated in South Korea and the key features of essences are that they're generally a little weightier than a toner, they're very hydrating and they usually contain nutrient-rich fermented ingredients. This milky formula not only feels hydrating on the skin and gives it that immediate juicy glow (with water-attracting humectants like hyaluronic and polyglutamic acid), but it also contains ingredients that will do the work in the background to improve your skin's quality. There's niacinamide in here, which is a great all-rounder to balance oil production in the skin, boost its ceramide stores (this is a fundamental component of the skin's lipid barrier, which is what keeps it strong and free of dryness / sensitivity) and helps prevent the spread of discolouration in the skin. There's also 3-O Ethylated Ascorbic Acid, a derivative of Vitamin C that offers antioxidant benefits (protecting the skin from free radical damage) without the instability and irritation associated with the pure form of the ingredient. There are moisturising oil-based ingredients to keep the skin soft and lock in hydration, plus those all-important fermented and microbiome-boosting ingredients. It's a great, quick-to-apply formula that packs in a surprising amount to give you skin that glows from within.

A product I absolutely love (it even came with me on a packing-light backpacking trip for almost a month recently) is the Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturiser* | £42. This is such a perfect texture for my skin during the summer months because it's kind of a gel-cream. It has the substance in terms of natural moisturising factors (topping up your skin's supply of naturally-occurring goodness), mango butter and fatty alcohol also bolster the nourishment factor and there are ceramides in here to help strengthen the skin barrier. This also features our favourite multi-tasker niacinamide, plus obviously peptides. Peptides are short-chain amino acids which can hydrate and plump the skin but could also boost collagen production to help preserve the fullness and bounce of our skin. The fact they cram all this good stuff into one moisturiser I could use just alongside my sunscreen in the morning made this a holiday staple for me, as it negated the need for separate serums. This works under makeup and sunscreen and also alongside facial oils, and it's suitable for my skin AM or PM. It delivers on sofy, hydrated skin whilst keeping the texture nice and light.

Next, I have a bit of an underrated one; I rarely hear the Wrinkle Blur Bakuchiol Eye Gel Creme* | £46 | shouted out, so I'm doing it in this post! I'm always cautious when it comes to eye treatments and definitely manage my expectations when it comes to results; I know they won't transform my eye area but if they keep further fine lines at bay, help a little with dark circles, keep things hydrated and prevent puffiness, that's all I can ask. First and foremost, I actually just love the texture of this product; a gel-cream swirled together like this in pump packaging provides the perfect balance of moisture and weightlessness. It melts right into the skin without being at all heavy (so there's no risk of milia or making your eye area greasy) but still provides lasting hydration. It's formulated with peptides and glycerin, as a humectant, plus bakuchiol; this is often touted as the plant-based alternative to retinol, and whilst I wouldn't go that far, it's a powerful antioxidant that can also help discolouration (and if it does indeed help with fine lines on top of that: even better!) We also have soothing panthenol in the mix and licorice extract, which helps to treat discolouration. All in all, this formula has a great texture with plenty of ingredients to help dark circles in a really gentle, eye-friendly way.

I also really rate the Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum* | £58. This milky-lotion serum is formulated with 15% 3-O Ethylated Ascorbic Acid, the same derivative we talked about from the Essence, alongside a PHA. PHAs are the gentle sibling of AHAs; they're chemical exfoliants with a large molecular size for slower absorption and less irritation. They have hydrating and skin-smoothing properties whilst also helping the Vitamin C better penetrate the skin. Vitamin E is in here too, beefing up the antioxidant benefits of the Vitamin C. This is all topped off with moisturising plant oils for soft skin and humectants to really pull that hydration into the skin's layers. Overall, this is a great option for a Vitamin C derivative with a bit more and negates the need to add an exfoliating step into your routine. It feels moisturising and hydrating, it makes my skin glow and gives it that healthy luminosity and it's doing the background work to protect it from environmental aggressors.

Finally, let's talk about the Strength HydraBarrier Nourishing Face Oil* | £45. This was a pleasant surprise to me because once again, I've just not heard people talk about it! Not everyone's a facial oil person and obviously not every needs to use a facial oil, but I personally enjoy them as a final step in my evening skincare routine, just to ensure I wake up the next morning with extra soft and glowing skin! This formula combines ceramides with oil-soluble peptides, Vitamin E and plant oils such as rosehip seed, blackcurrant seed, squalane and cloudberry. This isn't heavy or greasy and it meshes well with all of the skincare products I enjoy using in my routine. This is definitely one of the nicest, lightest, most skin-softening oils I've used in a really long time!

Let me know - have you tried anything from Ole Henriksen before?

Don't forget to follow me on:

Bloglovin | Instagram

Read more posts from this series here!