Anti-Aging Hydrating Serum with Natural Mango Micro-beads, Vitamins E and C, Natural and Organic Plant Extracts, Paraben-Free, 30 ml, Made in France, Phytema

When I first looked at this Phytema Anti-Aging Hydrating Serum, I thought it looked so weird for a serum, and then, when I put a little on my skin, I wasn’t so sure I was going to like it at all. My first reaction was that I didn’t want to use it. Not only did it feel a little thick and sticky, there were those micro-beads in there that felt strange for a serum. I honestly thought, at first, that maybe I’d received a facial wash with scrubbing beads, but when I added water to it, it didn’t lather or foam.I looked up the product online and found the French company who makes this serum and other beauty products. I was a little reassured so I decided to give it another try.I applied a little of the serum on the back of my right hand. What amazed me is that once it sinked into my skin, the skin of my right hand took on a glow. I’m a skeptic when it comes to beauty products—the claims companies make don’t often pan out or are exaggerated—but I could see it, and still do, that glow/illumination on my right hand versus my left hand, and over 30 minutes later it is still there. I love that glowing aspect of it.As for softness, I really don’t see any difference from this product and others but that doesn’t bother me. What I am interested in is how it is illuminating my skin as advertised. As for what other claims the company says the serum does, that’s a little more difficult to determine except with continued use over time, but if I like how a serum feels and if it gives my skin that glow, then I’m happy enough to try it and see what happens.There is no irritation to my skin, no burning, itching, redness.The beads do soften onto the skin as you apply it. Here’s what the company says about how to apply (which is kind of a weird different way to apply it-I still want to do the circular thing!): ‘Apply with the flat of the hand, without making circular motions, but starting from the middle of the face towards the outside of the face, to explode the jojoba micro-beads and to release the vitamins E and C on your skin.’It is a little difficult to apply a serum onto your face with the flat of your hand, but I did try patting it with my fingers and that worked better.It will feel sticky when you first apply it, and you can feel those beads. However, the stickiness goes away and the beads do melt onto your skin.The price isn’t shown on Amazon. I looked up the price on the company’s website and it’s $49.90 Francs (I am assuming it’s Francs), and that’s only about $8 in American dollars. So I don’t know what the final price will be here on Amazon or how they’ll do that. I’d pay a decent price for this serum just for that glow.It is advertised to be partially organic and mostly natural. The company’s advert reads: ‘99.85% natural ingredients of which 28.79% organic. Phytema ™ Skincare Radiance Serum is an ultra-concentrated anti-aging, anti-radical & anti-stain active ingredient. All the effectiveness of white mulberry, cucumber and bearberry, to prevent and fade pigment spots. Natural smoothing agents provide an immediate tightening effect to your face. No phenoxyethanol, no silicone, no paraben.’I’m willing to give this serum a try, and this company I’ve not heard of, Phytema, a try.

I am passionate about skin care and know the importance of a product performing as expected. The anti-aging and hydrating serum by Phytema is designed to fade pigmentation spots and tighten the skin. It has an instant tightening effect which I've seen nearly immediately and much sooner than 15 minutes or hour promised. The product description claims that is is very moisturizing but I find that I need a moisturizer to go alongside the serum because of the tightening effect. There are little white microbeads in the serum that are designed to merge into the skin when applied. They do not go into my skin quickly and I am left with little beads on my face, hairline, and decolletage. They eventually fade and this does not bother me much but I could see how this could be bothersome. I do not know the long term benefits of the product and these are my initial impressions. I am unsure if I will order again based on the tightening effect alone because this could just be the vitamin C in the product causing my skin to tighten. The color is also a rusty orange which may be the natural mango but could also be the vitamin C decomposing. It also has an aged smell and that is not always a good sign in skin care. There is part of me that likes this product because of the instant tightening effect but am not sure if there are any long term benefits and that is what I am looking for. I will update with time as needed.

This anti-aging, hydrating facial serum Made in France with Vitamin E and C, is one I can't recommend as one sniff of the product had me coughing. Let me explain.I am not allergic to many things, but it appears I may be sensitive to something in this product. Before trying it on my face I decided to open it, give it a sniff and use some on the back of my hand. I'm SO glad I did that! My one and only sniff of the product from the bottle caused me to cough - I didn't like the scent either. Then I took a half a dropper full (per the box) and put it on the back of my hand. **Dry skin is needed per the box - not freshly washed or damp skin.Rubbing it into the skin on my hand I did not get any redness or irritation, but I continued to cough. The serum was gritty and oily, and when rubbing it into my skin it foamed slightly, but eventually was absorbed and left my skin feeling and looking hydrated. The grittiness went away as the product was rubbed into my skin.I washed my hand and yet there was a residual odor from the serum on my skin. Unpleasant is the best I can offer to describe it. Sort of like old Vitamin E? Maybe the product I received was past its prime? I don't know.I don't like this product for the way it made me start coughing and the residual off-putting odor. It does seem to have good stuff in it, but I can't use it.

The one thing I've noticed with Vit C skin serums is you never, ever know what you're going to get. Will it be thick and sticky, will it be hard to absorb, will my face be sensitive to it? I get a different answer with each bottle I've received and I've tried many. This one goes into the hard to smooth and a bit tacky for me category. I also hate for my facial products to have any fragrance. It's like my focus completely goes to that because I am so sensitive to them. I need a little softer serum, probably one that doesn't have the beads and smoothly spreads over my skin. I do think it is healthy and beneficial because of the C and E, but I think I can find slightly better ones more suited to my face.