It makes compelling reading and without doubt will have you fumbling for your purse to pull out your bank card and order the lot! I started using NIOD last year and am deeply impressed with how well my skin looks and feels as a result. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm a massive The Ordinary and Hylamide fan already. I am, by my own admission, a definite Deciem Super Fan. In the same way that Brandon chats at length about each of his revolutionary skincare products, I too can audibly hear eyes rolling as I launch into the benefit of each bottle and tube from this dynamic company. Why use one sentence when you can use eleventy million?! This is what comes from being a beauty nerd. (I would like to thank my friend Emma for bestowing that title on me. Emma has, for a long time now, introduced me to folk thus 'This is Claire, she's a total skincare nerd'. She's actually not wrong, I am and I'm proud to be that geek)
In my effort to remain silky skinned for as long as I possibly can, I have been exploring more of Deciem's skincare ranges. Having fallen hook line and sinker for The Ordinary Buffet and Hyaluronic Acid combined with Hylamide SubQ Anti-Age and SubQ Eyes I have pushed the skincare regime a little further.
As a beauty and skin therapist I am firmly in the habit of double cleansing my face most especially at night to remove make up and the last bits of grime from the day. For this I have been using a cleansing oil purchased at my local French 'Pharmacie'. The French take skincare pretty seriously and there are literally dozens of different cleansers to choose from. I have spent more money on trying many different ones than I dare think about before finally finding 'the one'. I was, until I began my Deciem journey, happy with my choice and thought it did a decent job of keeping me squeaky clean. It was one evening after finishing my double cleanse with my cleansing product du jour that I spied from the corner of my eye the sturdy black NIOD box waiting to be opened. 'Darn it' I thought, 'I wanted to give that a whirl tonight'. Not having the patience I should, I prised open the box revealing a large bottle of NIOD Low Viscosity Cleaning Ester (LVCE). Interested to see how it felt and worked on my skin I tipped a small amount on to my finger tips and massaged it onto my face and gently across my eye area. The silky smooth oil worked beautifully across my skin and when I easily removed it with a clean wet cotton pad I was genuinely gob smacked to find traces of the day's grime staring me back from the cottonwool cushion. How? I mean, how could there possibly be anything left to swipe away from my already awesomely cleansed cheeks? Evidently, my much admired cleanser was just not as effective as the Low Viscosity Cleansing Ester, I was genuinely shocked. Furthermore, my skin felt smooth and hydrated. Total convert right there and then!
The next day with my super dooper clean as clean visage I plopped myself down at the dressing table to embark on my next experiment. Combatting turkey neck has become my focus. I was seduced by NIOD Neck Elasticity. Another super smart, squat brown bottle filled with a burnt umber gel that smells sort of funky ( I can't lie, but then none of Deciem skincare products contain perfumes) but which has a really light consistency. Following the directions to apply to the neck area twice daily I smeared it around until it absorbed fully. It's not sticky, and no longer smells odd and my dry and slightly crepey neck looks instantly hydrated and healthy. Bouyed by this I made sure that I committed to the twice daily ritual and two months later.. wow! My skin is looking rejuvenated and I am thrilled with the results.
My next forray was into the intriguing NIOD Voicemail Masque which sadly I am only allowed to use twice a week. I am sad because I want to bathe in this stuff every hour of the day. Applied at night, after my usual skincare routine, and massaged onto my face for a good 30-40 seconds until it is all absorbed I am then invited to sleep in it and await the results in the morning. There are simply not enough words to describe my total devotion to this product. The day long glow from the use of this is awe inspiring. After my morning facial cleanse not only does my face glow with health but I am sure it is turning the clock back for me.
As if this is not enough I have the cutest spoon to ladle the Neck Elasticity and the Voicemail Masque out of their containers. I do love this touch of glamour.
So allow me to share my nerdy world with you in plain English, well, in Brandon's own words. Below are non sciency, easy to understand descriptions and user guides to the NIOD family of skincare products.
CAIS – Copper Amino Isolate Serum
- If you’re going to use one product from NIOD, use this one.
- It focuses on skin health and not lines/wrinkles or specific signs of age.
- It has a very high long-term value to the skin.
MMHC – Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex
- If you’re going to use two products from NIOD, MMHC should be the second one.
- It shows visible results faster than CAIS.
- It provides visible anti-aging value quickly and in the long-term but, unlike CAIS, its long-term value to skin health and quality is limited, if any. Basically MMHC is a much more advanced version of Hylamide HA Booster.
HV – Hydration Vaccine
- Use only if skin has lost hydration. I do not believe in hydration when it’s not a necessity.
- Seals in supplemented and naturally-present NMF (Natural X Moisturising Factors) instead of “hydrating” the surface.
- Is a very pro-silicone product. Silicones are extremely misunderstood, extremely underrated and are extremely advanced today. The silicones in HV are very advanced and cost many times more than many active peptide technologies used in skincare.
FECC – Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate
- Is not meant to targets signs of eye aging that are common to the rest of the face. For these signs, CAIS and MMHC should be used under the eyes as well.
- FECC focuses largely on eye-area-specific aging including puffiness, darkness and fine dynamic lines. Deeper lines cannot be fixed topically except when they’re static which MMHC will help with. Hollowness also cannot be fixed topically (except with temporary topical filling-type spheres which offer very minimal improvement for a very short time).
- Is low in viscosity. NIOD is absolutely against eye creams. They do not absorb well and actually cause water retention/puffiness.
ELAN – Ethylated L-Ascorbic Acid 30% Network
- Is not part of the core NIOD regimen. It should be used at nighttime only.
- Is for those who are educated and users of topical Vitamin C.
- It’s 30% Vitamin C in a stable antioxidant network that is more advanced and 5% more concentrated than Hylamide C25.
LVCE – Low Viscosity Cleaning Ester
- Dissolves impurities instantly without water.
- It’s ideally wiped and rinsed to allow for a single-step cleaning.
- Leaves a comfortable ester cushion on the skin. This will not clog pores and will help everything applied to penetrate better. If left alone without other topical treatments on top, this cushion will disappear and actually balance (not trigger or reduce) natural sebum production.
NIOD in conclusion:
- All you really need is CAIS for skin health and quality. The other products are basically better forms of skincare but CAIS is care for the skin’s health.
- If you use everything, the order should be:
- AM: LVCE, CAIS, MMHC, FECC, HV
- PM: LVCE, CAIS, MMHC, FECC, ELAN (If extremely dry skin, follow with HV)
Ta-daaahh! Explained in simple terms from the man himself.
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