Shani Darden Body Reform Serum Is Made to Treat Aging Skin
Like serums for our face, body serums are efficacious treatments that can really change the quality of your skin. They go above the basic hydrating and moisturizing duties of lotions and creams to target more specific concerns like crepey skin and dark spots. I am a great candidate for body serum and since the pandemic revamped my body-care routine, I’ve used them religiously. Lately, I’ve been hooked on celebrity aesthetician Shani Darden‘s Body Reform Serum. Here’s my honest review.
The Benefits of This Body Serum
There are hydrating body serums and there are resurfacing or treatment body serums. This one falls into the latter category and is especially helpful for crepey skin and rough skin texture or keratosis pilaris (KP). I have all of the above in some shape or form. Crepey skin above the knees (the worst!) and KP all over my legs. I’ve been told that eating sugary foods makes KP worse, but I’m not ready to give up my sweets. Instead, I’ll rely on the help of products like this one. In addition to crepey skin and KP, Darden says it also brightens dark spots and helps fade stretch marks. If you’ve ever tried Darden’s Retinol Reform serum for the face, which this formula was inspired by, you get the hype.
In an independent consumer study on 39 participants, 93 percent said their bumpy skin appeared smoother and 91 percent said the serum improved the look of their KP. Additionally, 87 percent said it made their skin look and feel firmer. The key ingredients backing these claims include 2% Granactive Retinoid, which helps reduce the appearance of lines, wrinkles and crepiness on thicker body skin, and Hydronesis, which is a conditioning agent known to help with KP. There’s also vitamin C (THD) in the formula for brightening, and amino acids for smoothing and hydrating.
How to Use It
Apply an even layer to any areas of concern from the neck down, including the arms, legs and/or back. Follow with a body lotion or cream for additional moisture. This body serum contains a retinoid, so you should only apply it at night. Retinoids can increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun, so it’s smart to also use sunscreen during the day on any body parts exposed to UV rays. Like retinol serum for your face, start using it every other night at first. Then, add a night each week, building up to as often as your skin can tolerate.
