ARK Skincare – 5 Products Tried & Tested

My skin has been all over the place this past month, I think because I’ve been trying to use up so many things, and using up the clutter from my collection. Something just hasn’t been agreeing with my skin at all and I’ve been unable to pinpoint what it is. I picked up a few items from ARK Skincare last month as part of a beauty box, and on the few tries that they have had so far (in between using up all that clutter), I’ve been really impressed with the quality of the line.

When Ideal World* offered me the chance to try out some more items from Ark Skincare to celebrate its launch with Ideal World of course I said yes. Ark specialises in age aware skincare with ranges targeted for different age groups, each of which is formulated to focus on skin problems and preventing signs of aging. Ideal World stock the lines most suited to the 30-40 and 50-60 demographic, as well as some items suited and formulated for all skin ages. I do have pieces from their Teen & 20s line too, so the option is there for those who are younger.

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So let’s talk basics, the line is certainly not the cheapest and falls into the higher end category – but for me, and as a lot of people will say, the place to invest your money is in your skincare. I love the simple packaging of the line, it looks clean and simple – with the exception of the serum, the line is packaged in high quality plastic – which still feels sturdy, but is lighter and more practical for travel, a big tick from me as my holiday is looming!

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The items I received were from the Age Defend line, designed for those for those in their thirties and forties it’d designed to maximise collagen production for keeping the skin naturally plump, providing a hydration boost and defending against oxidative stress. Although I’m not quite at 30 yet, I’m starting to “get there” and around my eye area I am starting to see some very, very fine lines coming in.


AgeDefend Conditioning Cleanser – £24 for 30ml – Formulated for 30s-40s

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Formulated to remove impurities and makeup, gently exfoliate, boost collagen production, defend against moisture loss, boost elasticity and decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles -what more could you want from a cleanser?

For use both in the morning and evening, ARK suggests repeating the process of massaging their cleanser onto a damp face and removing with warm water and cloth twice. The formulation sits somewhere between a cream and gel tackling the removal of makeup and excess oil with ease.

My skin is left feeling very clean without being dried out. The pump on this dispenses the perfect amount of product for working around the face which means you’ll get the most out of this which creates no waste.

SkinEssentials Hydrating Toner – £24 for 150ml – Formulated for all ages

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I’ve been using the toner following the cleanser in the evening as well as refreshing my skin in the morning before applying makeup. This completely soothed my skin – with aloe vera and wild water mint to combat and protect dryness, this added slight cooling effect too. I use a couple of sprays on a cotton pad to make sure all makeup and oil has been removed by the cleanser before applying serums on top. For me a toner will often dry out patches of my skin out If I use one every day, this just leave my skin feeling refreshed without becoming dry.

SkinPerfector Hydrating Serum – £42 for 30ml – Formulated for all ages

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Whilst at first glance this seems quite a high price tag, but I can’t imagine how long this little bottle will last. Needing just a few small drops – handily dispensed with the pipette, a little of this will go a long way and last a very long time.

 Serums are still something that are relatively new to my routine. I apply a few drops of this before the moisturiser, even with a few small drops this does have a tendency to feel a little greasy (although I think a lot of that feeling comes from having combination skin – and that slightly oily residue being linked to negative feelings in my head), the feeling is balanced up after using the moisturiser. Described as “Cocooning skin in a veil of hydration” this provides an “intense burst of moisture” to smooth out roughness, defend against dullness and the effects of ageing by plumping fine lines and re-hydrating deprived thirsty skin.

AgeDefend Replenishing Moisturiser – £30 for 50ml – Formulated for 30s-40s

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Firstly, let’s just talk about the packaging of this for a moment – with a lid which you just press down on a lid to dispense the product means you get the perfect amount of product, a swipe of the finger over this leaves no residue left behind – destined to dry out and gunk up a lid. The moisturiser feels quite thick initially but massages into the skin with ease, leaving my face feeling hydrated without it feeling heavy and like it’s clogging up my pores.

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Skin Protector Primer with SPF30 – £36 for 30ml – Formulated for all ages

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Who doesn’t love a product which merges two steps into one? A primer which has the added benefit of also containing a high SPF, arguably the most important thing when it comes to protecting the skin against aging and damage – and a step I always forget to do.

With oily skin, I dislike the feeling of putting layers and layers of different products on before my makeup so the fact this combines the two gets a big plus from me. Whilst very creamy this doesn’t feel heavy on the skin at all, my makeup glides on effortlessly on top of this and leaves a very natural finish to my foundation.


I’ve been exclusively using ARK Skincare for a week, and I’ve seen a massive change in my skin. The breakouts which I was having have all but disappeared and I’ve noticed that my skin is barely getting oily through the day. I frequently suffer with quite red cheeks and I’ve seen over the course of the week that it seems to be reducing. Overall my complexion looks clearer and brighter, I’ll be continuing to use my Ark Skincare and hope to see continued improvements, I’ll keep you posted.

The line as a whole has a very pleasant, subtle herbal scent – I find it very relaxing there’s something there to make it feel luxurious without it being too much. I had a friend stay over this weekend who has sensitive skin and asked her to try these out and she didn’t find she had any problems with the line or scent irritating her skin.

For those like me who are trying to lead a more chemical free life, you’ll be happy to know that the range contains no parabens, sulphates, alcohol, formaldehyde, mineral oil, artificial fragrance or colours. Plus something which I find increasingly rare in the world of beauty, it’s made in the UK.

Ark Launches with Ideal World today Tuesday 8th, with a show on the television at 5pm to watch the products being used and demonstrated. Ideal World has exclusive 4 piece collections containing the moisturiser, serum, cleanser and toner for £69.99 (Total Value of £120 if purchased separately). You can browse Ideal World’s Ark Collection here . With the opportunity to spread the cost with 2 interest free payments and 14 days to try out the product, now is the time to test out ARK if you’ve been considering it or be wanting to invest in some high quality skin care.


rachael

Instagram: @helplesswhilstdrying  |  Twitter: @helplessdrying

Helpless Whilst Drying

Email: helplesswhilstdrying@gmail.com

*Regular readers will know that I do work at Ideal World from past products I have reviewed. I have no obligation to write a positive review about anything I try or buy. Review and opinions will always remain 100% my own, on my blog.

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13 Comments

  1. September 8, 2015 / 10:02 am

    I love that it is creamy and doesn’t feel heavy. I will try it 🙂

  2. September 8, 2015 / 1:33 pm

    Looks like a nice range! I really like the packaging of that AgeDefend Replenishing Moisturiser! More companies should do that – first time I ever saw that was with Emma Hardy stuff.

  3. September 8, 2015 / 3:43 pm

    I am so in agreement about the feel of layering on my face. I cannot stand a heavy feeling on my face. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You’re gorgeous, Rachel. Love your face! <3

    • September 8, 2015 / 6:18 pm

      Aww micki! Don’t make me blush! That’s my least favourite feeling, makes me feel all clammy, not nice! Hope you’re having a good day beautiful 😘

  4. kim.colette (@kcolette_)
    September 8, 2015 / 10:18 pm

    Toners ALWAYS dry my skin out (and I don’t need any help with that.) Might just have to check ARK out…
    Also wanted to let you know that I’ve been reading your blog since I started myself, and have nominated you for the Liebster Award! If you wanted to take a look at the questions/answer them yourself and nominate others, check out my post here Can’t wait to see your answers!

    kim.colette
    xx

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