Minimalist Serum Review – Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, and Alpha Arbutin

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Is Minimalist Serum good? Is Minimalist a Good Brand? I get this question so many times and I totally get it. Minimalist is The Ordinary of India and it gained trust pretty fast amongst the Indian market. I have been trying Minimalist Salicylic Acid 2%, Minimalist Niacinamide 5%, and Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% serum for over a month now and I am all set to share my experience with you all.

I received these as a PR during the first few days of December 2020 and I decided to try these serums for at least 40 days. The moment I thought alright, I am all ready to write a blog post on these serums, the Sun decided to go on a long holiday, and it’s been over 10 days since we haven’t seen Sun. It’s so rainy, dark, and gloomy here all day long. Why I am telling you this because if you follow me on my Instagram, you know I click my photos in natural sunlight only.

But because there is no sign of sun, I didn’t want to delay much so here I am with my Minimalist Serums Review.

Review – Minimalist Clean Skincare Serums

Available at Nykaa, Amazon, and at Minimalist Website.

In case you want to jump directly to the reviews-

• Minimalist Salicylic Acid 2% Review
• Minimalist Niacinamide 2% + HA 1% Review
• Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA 1% Review

About Minimalist Serums

Minimalist is committed to bringing ‘transparency in beauty’ by using CLEAN formulations only. Products are free from well-researched toxins and do not sensitize your skin – irrespective of their natural or naturally derived tag.

Is Minimalist an Indian Brand?

Yes. Minimalist is an Indian Brand focusing on clean, transparent beauty. Here is what the Brand Minimalist has to say –

“Everything is a chemical – water is a chemical – therefore, chemical-free products don’t exist.” We wanted to address this issue of lack of transparency through a range of products that are straightforward, honest, and do what they claim to do. No unnecessary marketing fluff. And this is how Minimalist was born.

Packaging: They all come in a glass bottle with a dropper lid. The label has a clear and bold Active Name printed on it with a color-coded strip so that you can easily differentiate between them. The bottle itself comes in a simple yet beautiful black box with all the required information on it.

Texture and Consistency: Because they all have a transparent base, I decided to click 1 photo for the reference instead of all 3 which will eventually look the same.

All these serums I have, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, and Alpha Arbutin are transparent runny serums with Aloe Juice as their base.

At first, I was actually worried because in the past aloe vera hasn’t worked best for me but then I also thought it might be because of the brands I have used. Either they weren’t of good quality or they weren’t pure or something, I don’t know.

But with minimalist, chances were pretty less that they will compromise with aloe juice quality as I feel they are really into providing the best skincare than just existing in the market for the sake of it.

How to Use

Instead of directly dropping the serum onto the face, I like to take one pump onto my palm, rub it between my hands, and gently tap all over the face making sure the product is evenly distributed.

My Experience

Now before I move on with my experience, let me tell you how I incorporate Minimalist Serums into my Skincare routine.

• Step 1: Facewash
• Step 2: Actives
  • Salicylic Acid 2%
  • Niacinamide 5% + HA 1%
  • Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA 1%
• Step 3: Eye cream and Moisturizer

I only incorporated this routine for 2 weeks and later I reduced the frequency of the serums to two times a week.

In case you don’t want to start with all 3 at a time, here is something that I did when I first started with Minimalist Serums.

In the morning routine, it was Niacinamide followed by Alpha Arbutin and in the nighttime routine, it was Salicylic Acid followed by Niacinamide. No matter what, my sequence remained the same i.e, Salicylic Acid, then Niacinamide, and then Alpha Arbutin.

Also, If you are wondering, my skin didn’t go through purging.

Minimalist Salicylic Acid 2%

Price: Rs.549/- for 30ml

Purpose – For Acne and Breakouts

When I was a teenager, I remember my skin doctor prescribing me salicylic-based treatment for my acne conditions so I was pretty sure that it is going to work for my pimples and acne and it straight up worked.

The Packaging is actually very similar to The Ordinary. The Brand Minimalist itself is a complete alternative to The Ordinary in India. From Niacinamide to Alpha Arbutin, Minimalist got all the actives. Pretty good, right?

I take one pump, rub it between my hands, and gently tap on my face to evenly apply the serum. It didn’t feel sticky at all and within a few seconds it was all absorbed by my skin I followed up with a moisturizer.

Within the first week, I noticed huge results. There was no new pimple or any red painful cystic acne and the one which was already there, dried and popped super fast.

Also, Read: Minimalist Toner PHA 3% + Biotic Review

During the whole month, I didn’t get any painful cystic acne except for one or two during those times which got healed within a maximum of 2 or 3 days. Salicylic Acid worked amazingly on pimples.

It also controls the excess oil so my skin felt a bit dry after 10 days of usage. That is when I decided to reduce the frequency to 2 times a week or during weekends only.

I also made sure to focus on moisturization as Salicylic Acid has a tendency to dry out the skin. If you too are starting on actives, make sure to never skip the moisturizer.

Also Read: Aveeno Skin Relief Lotion Review

Talking about if it actually works on blackheads, then for the first 2 weeks, I didn’t notice any change. My deep forever-stuck blackheads were still there as it is. When I stopped using it daily and reduced the frequency, my blackheads were 50% reduced and I had no idea what just happened there.

It was like it worked as a treatment during those 2 weeks and when I gave my skin a break, there was this huge visible result. My blackheads are not 100% gone and are still here but they are much reduced than before.

What Salicylic Acid couldn’t do in my case was treat tiny oil heads. My face is full of tiny colorless oil heads and no matter what, they don’t go. From exfoliation to masking to extracting, I tried everything and they are still here. I think their Lactic Acid is the one that will work on tiny oil heads.

Minimalist Salicylic Acid 2% worked great in controlling pimple and acne formation and also worked on the existing ones. If you are someone who suffers from cystic red painful acne, Salicylic Acid can help you.

Minimalist Niacinamide 2% + HA 1%

Price: Rs.599/- for 30 ml

Purpose: To treat pigmentation and Hydrate the Skin

Niacinamide suddenly gained hype and this was the first time I tried Niacinamide in my skincare routine.

Niacinamide basically works on hyperpigmentation resulting in even-looking skin. I was confused about whether to go for 10% or 5% because I have got super sensitive skin and they mentioned on their website that if you are facing dryness, you can start with 5% because it has Hyaluronic Acid as well. And now I think 10% would have worked fine as well.

Within the first two weeks, it faded the unevenness around my nose. I wasn’t expecting much from the 5% but surprisingly it did work. My skin looked even after a whole month of usage, especially around the nose and chin.

Also Read: Aztec Indian Healing Clay Review India

Either it’s in the nature of niacinamide or because it has Hyaluronic Acid in it, it felt a bit sticky as compared to others but it all settled down within a minute.

What it couldn’t work on this deep dark hyperpigmentation mark I have in a corner of my lips. It is still here as it is with no change.

Can you use Minimalist Niacinamide Serum Daily?

Yes, of course. If in doubt, start with the 5% variant and slowly move to the 10% variant. I am a sensitive skin person and I incorporated all the Minimalist serums every day into my skincare routine.

Minimalist Niacinamide 5% + HA 1% worked effectively on minor pigmented areas such as around the nose and the chin but it couldn’t do much on strong hyperpigmentation marks such as lip corners. I think the 10% variant will be much more effective in treating major hyperpigmentation marks.

Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA 1%

Price: Rs.549/- for 30ml

Purpose – To treat acne and pimple marks

This is the one that did wonders in fading away acne marks. Acne and pimple marks are something that really bothers us. Sometimes, I don’t even care but sometimes is like how much longer you going to be here.

Within 20 days, it faded away all the tiny acne marks I was having on my cheeks and on my nose. There was this group of deep acne marks on my chin which is now 80% reduced. It is still here and it is going to take more time considering the intensity but the way alpha-arbutin worked in fading away these marks, is amazing.

Also Read: 8 Natural Oils That Are Good For Your Skin

I am impressed with the way Alpha Arbutin has worked on marks. After a whole month of usage, there is visible clarity on my face.

If you are looking for a solution to your acne marks, Alpha Arbutin is for you.

Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA 1% worked amazingly on acne marks. It effectively faded away minor acne marks around the cheeks and nose giving clarity to the whole face. It reduced the deep acne marks on my chin by 80% and my skin looked clear after a whole month of usage.

Which Minimalist Serum is Best for Face?

There can not be a definitive answer to this as it will depend on your skin and requirement. If you are facing acne issues then the salicylic one would be the best. If your concern is dryness, then the Hyaluronic Serum would be the best choice.

Summing Up

Minimalist Serums are a great investment for your skincare. The actives effectively target the area giving noticeable results within a month. They worked for my sensitive skin without any reactions or purging. Salicylic Acid was able to treat my acne, Niacinamide was able to work on pigmentation, and Alpha Arbutin effectively worked on acne marks. Impressed.

Pros

• Visible Results
• Suitable for Sensitive Skin
• No Purging (In my case)
• Worked on Pimples, Pigmentation, and Marks
• Overall Clarity after a month of usage

Cons

• None

So this was it for today. I hope you have enjoyed reading the Minimalist Serums Review Helpful. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Have a Good Day!

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