| Review | Herbal Face Food The Serum II

| Review | Herbal Face Food The Serum II

I have been a dedicated user and fan of the Herbal Face Food range. I started out with The Serum I (full review here) and The Cure X (full review here) to treat my skin repair journey. If you don't know what this potent serum does, it is a powerful antioxidant concentrate that helps repair sun damage, texture, wrinkles, other signs of aging, and other signs of damage. You will want to start with the least concentrated formula because these are very very concentrated and your skin needs to adjust to using it. I highly recommend reading my The Serum I Review and staring with this formulation first. If you are curious or interested in moving up in your serum potency, keep reading. 

The Herbal Face Food The Serum II retails for $65.00 USD for 50ml, $145.00 for 30ml, and $190.00 for 50ml and is available at Herbal Face Food. Use code: LIZ20 for 20% OFF your order. 

These serums are housed in beautiful deep cobalt glass bottles with a dropper applicator. They look and feel very luxurious. I have gone through many bottles of these products and have not has any issue with the packaging. The packaging is clearly labeled so, you can tell which bottle you're picking up. The dropper is very high quality and pulls in the perfect amount of serum to cover the face and neck. 

FORMULA 

The formula, like all the other serums, is comprised of ONLY PLANTS! Not just derived from plants but they ARE plants that are known to be repairing and concentrated into this formula. This means this formula is truly and genuinely clean! There is no cleaner formula! This often raises concern as clean or natural beauty is often not associated with being potent, powerful, or effective. However, this formula actually is MORE EFFECTIVE than some chemical filled competitors I have tried!  I'm not saying this because I believe clean products are superior, I'm genuinely impressed with the results that this product delivers. 

Just like The Serum I, this formula is an antioxidant concentrate that blows vitamin c serums out of the water! Trust me, because this formula does so much more than brighten and correct the skin, you will want to ditch your vitamin c serum for this one! Vitamin C is just one source of antioxidants and this formula is a blend of the most potent sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants fight signs of aging by countering the effects of oxygen and oxidization, which is a process that happens daily as we consume oxygen. It happens to all living creatures and it is the reason apples brown when you cut them and leave them out. 

This serum repairs and treats ALL skin damage and even skin conditions! Including: 

• Dryness/Oiliness

• Wrinkles

• Acne/ Breakouts

• Pigmentation

• Brightness / Radiance

• Fine Lines

• Firmness

• Skin Tone

• Large Pores

• Redness

• Smoothness

It may seem hard to believe but after going through several bottles of The Serum I and a bottle of  The Cure X over the past two years, I can vouch for the results that this serum delivers! My skin is normal to dry but often runs on the dry side most days with the occasional oiliness through the center of my face. This serum really does balance out the face by really hydrating dry areas and reducing oil production in others. I know this because this is one of the very few products I can use on its own and I don't feel the need to slather on moisturizer. It really works as both a treatment and a moisturizer without being heavy or greasy. 

It makes my skin feel hydrated but not greasy or oily at all. It does have a fairly strong herbal smell but it isn't bothersome and does go away fairly quickly. Although the serum has a rich orange color and tone, it absorbs into the skin invisibly. You may feel tingling or a slight burning sensation, this is normal. I didn't experience this when using Serum I but I am used to using a lot of peels and abrasive products. With the Serum II, I noticed the burning sensation immediately and it persisted for about 3-5 minutes but then fades. The more I used the serum the less it tingled my skin but I still feel a slight tingle. The burning sensation is strongest after you exfoliate so, I would be very careful using a potent chemical exfoliator and following up with this product. I recommend a day in between, just to limit your skin's sensitivity to the serum. 

The varying potency of these serums is not necessarily a system but a spectrum. You can move up in potency, if your skin allows, or you can stick with the same potency and continue to receive great results! Some people will find that their skin is too sensitive to handle the higher potencies or they don't need a higher potency. I had been using The Serum I for about two years now and I have seen some incredible changes! You can read more about the serum that started my skin repair journey here. You may also find that if you take a break from using the serum, you may want to backtrack to Serum I to build your tolerance because your skin will really feel that healing burn from Serum II. It may be too intense for some people. 

After upgrading to Serum II, I have seen significant improvements in the overall texture, smoothness, softness, and wrinkles in my skin! Specifically, when it comes to texture, my pores are smaller and much more refined. Also, the milia (little bumps) around my eyes have significantly reduced! Some of which, have completely disappeared! This is actually what sold me on this formula because I had tried just about everything but I couldn't get my milia to go away. Since milia is a type of damage to the skin, this formula truly repairs extreme damage! My milia aren't diminished only from the serums, I use the serums in conjunction with the intense spot treatment, The Cure X, you can read my review on it here. 

This serum is truly a super serum that heals, prevents, and corrects all varieties of damage! Think of it as a vitamin c serum on steroids! It is so packed with potent antioxidants that it actually reverses damage caused by sunlight and the environment! I have truly NEVER come across a formula that is even remotely close to this one. Nor, have I tried anything close to as powerful!

You can see how much my skin has improved in the images below. The texture around my eyes has significantly reduced and my sun spots are much lighter. I have no complexion makeup on in these images, just lipstick. 

SERUM I VS. SERUM II

When I upgraded from Serum I to Serum II, I immediately noticed a much stronger tingling and burning sensation than when I used to use Serum I. The burning sensation lasts a bit longer than Serum I, as well but this is a good thing because this is how you know the serum is working. The very potent serum will almost always cause a burning sensation on the skin. If you have very sensitive skin and you don't tolerate strong sensations well, I would recommend sticking with Serum I. 

I decided to switch to Serum II because after about a year and a half of use, I don't feel any sensation with Serum I anymore. Also, I tend to use pretty potent products and my skin is very accustomed to aggressive and potent products. Like I said, when I started using Serum II, I got to feel that sensation of it actively working again. I still felt like I was getting the results I wanted from Serum I but, I wanted something more potent to accelerate my progress. 

With the Serum II, I also felt about an hour into wearing the serum, my skin feels significantly softer! It also feels very hydrated throughout the day, even more so than the Serum I! I have always used these serums alone because they are so hydrating but this one is even better for my drier skin type. It feels much more hydrating, nourishing, and gives my skin a very luminous glow. It doesn't feel oily or greasy, just nourishing. 

You will notice an immediate improvement in your skin after using this serum but the real magic comes from consistent and constant use. The Serum II is definitely much more potent and accelerates my skin repair. I've noticed that my texture has diminished much faster than before. This serum makes my skin very supple and significantly increases my skin's elasticity. It gives you the healthy bounce you want in your skin. 

I am very impressed with how Serum II is continuing to encourage the healing of my damaged skin. I continue to be impressed every day I use it because I continue to see results day after day! I don't think you can say that about any other serum! This is what makes this serum so special and so worthwhile! 

Serums from left to right: Serum I, Serum II, The Cure X

Serum I vs. Serum II - You can see how much darker and more concentrated Serum II is than Serum I.

INGREDIENTS 

The Herbal Face Food serums are made of 100% plants and nothing else! Take a look at this very straightforward ingredients list with no filler ingredients, no preservatives, and no junk! Just high quality, clean plant extracts! 

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Helichrysum Stoechas Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustipolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Origanum Vulgaris Flower Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Leaf/Cell Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Vetiveria Zizanioides Root Extract, Cananga Odorata Leaf Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Extract, Santalum Album Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Citrus Nobilis, Citrus Medica Limonum Leaf Peal Stem, Cymbopogon Flexuosus Leaf Oil, Boswellia Carterii, Croton Lechleri, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Ormenis Mixta, Rose Damenscena, Leptospermum Scoparium Leaf Extract, Callitris Intratropica, Vanilla Planifolia Bean Extract

Their products are backed by A TON of research! I mean so much research it will take you some time to read! You can check out all their research and sources here. After reading several articles myself and from my personal experience, I feel very comfortable saying that these products work! I had no idea that plant extracts could be so powerful but I'm a convert after trying these products! 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

The Serum II is phenomenal and the much-needed next step in my skincare routine from Serum I. You still need to start with Serum I to build your tolerance for the product but after more than a year of using it, I was ready for the next step in my skin repair routine. This upgrade was much needed and I couldn't be happier with the results I have been receiving since I upgraded my serum! This formula works so much better for my skin because I needed more potency and I love that this formula is more hydrating than the Serum I. This is one of the very few skincare products that I feel works best on its own without any other products because it is so potent! It really does treat every skin ailment, imperfection, and issue! From wrinkles to pigmentation, to texture to sun damage, this formula DOES IT ALL! I can attest to this because I have been using this range consistently for a year and a half now and I don't plan on stopping. When you're getting incredible results from your skincare and it has only natural ingredients, why would you ever change! While the serum is pricey, it is no higher than some of the high-end beauty brands out there. The biggest difference is that Herbal Face Food doesn't include any filler or synthetic ingredients. They have truly developed a formula is incredibly unique and niche. You won't find a damage repairing serum like this one anywhere else! I can't recommend this product enough! If you are interested in trying this serum or any other products from Herbal Face Food, you can get 20% OFF your order with code LIZ20.