Designed to deliver the highest concentration of active ingredients, serums are often the most expensive product you can add to your skincare routine. So, finding one on a budget, let alone one that makes a visible difference to 40-something skin like mine, is no mean feat.
But surprisingly, I’ve done it (with a little help from the internet). Enter: Anua niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 serum. After seeing the ‘pink serum’ (as it’s often dubbed) from the Korean beauty brand get so much love on socials, I wanted to see for myself whether the hype was justified.
With a lack of radiance that’s natural to skin ageing, stubborn dark spots and dryness, the serum sounded like it would do wonders for my complexion with its brightening actives. Spoiler alert: I was not wrong.
Coming in at just £22, which is cheap for a serum that’s as potent as this, I’ve awarded it the top budget serum out there at the moment in our guide to the best serums for mature skin. Keep reading to find out why.
Read more: Best moisturisers for mature skin, tested
Anua niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 serum
Why we love it
- Fades the look of discolouration, pigmentation and dark spots
- Reduces the look of pores
- Reasonably priced for a serum
Take note
- Watery serum, so be careful not to overuse
- Will go off if stored in sunlight
The formula
With a quick label inspection, it’s easy to see why this works so well on my mature skin. It’s packed with 10 per cent niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3. If you’re not familiar with the super-skincare ingredient, it seems like there’s nothing it can’t do for the skin.
The powerhouse is an antioxidant: protecting the skin from premature ageing, but it also helps boost hydration; plumps the skin; strengthens the skin barrier; reduces redness and the look of pores, texture and congestion; and supports collagen production, leading to smoother lines and wrinkles.
But what niacinamide is particularly great for at a higher percentage, like in this serum, is targeting uneven skin tone, such as pigmentation and sunspots. This is because it promotes skin cell turnover, bringing new, brighter skin to the surface improving skin tone and texture.
It’s been complemented further with 4 per cent tranexamic acid and 2 per cent arbutin to reduce melanin production that causes discolouration, for a trio of pigmentation, age spots and melasma blitzing. All in all, it offers a lot of beauty bang for your buck.
Higher percentages of niacinamide could irritate the skin if you’re on the sensitive side, but I didn’t see any. I think it’s because, to make sure skin stays comfortable, hydrated and healthy-looking, Anua has even crammed hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid to boost moisture levels and ceramides, to strengthen the skin barrier.
The application
Looking nothing like a purse-friendly serum, the formula is housed in a glass bottle with an easy-to-control pipette applicator – simply drop into the palm of your hand and press into skin. The brand doesn’t specify how many drops to use, but I found 3-4 covered my face well.
When applying, do be careful, as it does have a watery consistency, which does make it easy to overuse. But it makes up for that by absorbing almost instantly, leaving skin feeling comforted and glowing.
I applied it both morning and evening for the quickest results, after cleansing and before moisturiser. Plus, I didn’t see any piling when leaving it on for a minute to really sink in.
The result
Nothing about this product screams budget, from its glass packaging to its comforting silky texture that feels luxe on the skin, but especially not when it comes to the benefits of use.
For instant gratification, it makes my complexion feel softer, calmer and more comfortable from the very first use, and within days of my skin drinking up the serum, it felt renewed, bouncier and better hydrated.
I’ve seen it really work on my skin tone and texture too. I’m perimenopausal, so have seen blemishes break out around my chin from hormonal changes, but as a result of using this niacinamide-enriched serum they’ve cleared much quicker than in the past.
But the real difference this has made to my skin came around the 4-5 week mark when skin cell renewal had taken place. I could see a real luminosity to the skin, as the actives had worked their skin-brightening magic and my sunspots looked less noticeable.
Key specifications
Buy now £22, Boots.com
Is the Anua niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 serum worth it?
I’m here to add to the hype of the viral Anua niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 serum. It gets my vote for being the top budget anti-ageing serum, as you get a high concentration of skin-brightening actives for its reasonable price. It quickly gets to work topping up moisture levels for a smoother, plumper complexion, but give it longer, and you’ll see a more even skin tone and a radiance renewal you normally expect for a luxury serum.
How I tested the Anua niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 serum
I’m an experienced, 44-year-old beauty editor with all the common signs of skin naturally maturing: fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores and dullness. I put this budget serum to the test for six weeks in my morning and evening skincare routine, and looked at the following:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Sabine Wiesel is a beauty journalist in her 40s who specialises in mature and anti-ageing skincare and beauty products. She’s reviewed everything from the best neck creams to retinol eye creams to find the best-value products that actually make an impact on fine lines and pigmentation. Sabine has experience speaking to long-standing dermatologists and aestheticians, and is familiar with brands both high-end and affordable.
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