Oil be Gone: Simply Pure Oil Balancing Serum from Superdrug

For a while I have had a vague awareness of the negative associations between parabens (preservatives) used in lots of products and of the unknown health implications.  Therefore, I would like to try and discover some good paraben free products.  Superdrug have gone to some effort to make this easy to achieve.

On a morning I sometimes use, from Superdrug’s Simply Pure range, the Simply Pure Oil Balancing Serum, priced £3.99.  In case you aren’t familiar, the Simply Pure range promotes itself as suitable for combination skin and free from oil/fragrance/parabens and is hypoallergenic and dermatologically approved.

The claims: leaves combo skin hydrated and mattified without clogging pores.

The science: formulated with zinc gluconate, natural willow bark, and Alpine willow herb extracts which work to help prevent blemishes, regulate sebum production and minimise pore size.

Directions: Use alone, or before applying the moisturiser, from the same range.

I have used this serum alone, or with a light translucent powder after cleansing.  I have mainly favoured alone, as was keen to discover the short term impacts of using paraben free skincare products and have used this product since its launch in February.  I understand the limitations of using one paraben free product as my skin is still influenced by the other products not screened for parabens. 

The serum is a pearly white colour, is really easy to apply and blends into skin effortlessly.  Skin does feel instantly hydrated, in the same way a moisturiser feels on the skin.  Overall, it is very unobtrusive as it is non-sticky, has no fragrance on application and doesn’t react when layered with a powder.  It does not irritate blemished or broken skin. 

To consider the claims of Simply Pure; skin is less shiny at the end of the day, it’s not 100% shine free but is better than without.  Pores are not influenced; they’ve not worsened or improved.

I have repurchased this product as I feel it is uniquely light, gentle and hydrating.  I use this instead of a moisturiser.  It also has a 12 month use after opened guideline, which I was not expecting.  I would like to try more from this range.