Back with another dupe alert. Or attempted dupe I should say. I’ve actually really wanted to get my hands on this particular product. I’ve read reviews and those with dry and dehydrated skin have said the addition of this has helped. But at $215 my credit card wouldn’t exactly enjoy that. Like most people I simply don’t have the budget to be able to drop that kind of cash on a serum when I still have the rest of my skincare routine to consider. So 70% off the original $215 price tag gives me $150.50 to work with. That is totally doable. For an overview of the effects of honey in skincare check out my last post: Honey in Skincare
So first lets check out the ingredients list for this. Taken directly from Guerlain’s website:
AQUA (WATER) • GLYCERIN • ALCOHOL • PROPANEDIOL • BUTYLENE GLYCOL • MEL (HONEY) • ISOTRIDECYL ISONONANOATE • CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE • SQUALANE • ROYAL JELLY • DECYLOXAZOLIDINONE • LAUROYL LYSINE • POLYACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER-6 • PEG-8 • PENTYLENE GLYCOL • DIGLYCERIN • PHENOXYETHANOL • PARFUM (FRAGRANCE) • GLYCOLIC ACID • DIMETHICONE • STEARETH-2 • STEARETH-21 • SODIUM HYDROXIDE • AVENA SATIVA (OAT) KERNEL EXTRACT • CARBOMER • PPG-26-BUTETH-26 • LACTIC ACID • SODIUM MAGNESIUM SILICATE • CITRIC ACID • XANTHAN GUM • SODIUM HYALURONATE • TETRASODIUM EDTA • PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL • ALBIZIA JULIBRISSIN BARK EXTRACT • SODIUM BENZOATE • HYDROLYZED SOY FLOUR • ADENOSINE • ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF EXTRACT • CARAMEL • BIOSACCHARIDE GUM-2 • LIMONENE • BENZYL SALICYLATE • OPHIOPOGON JAPONICUS ROOT EXTRACT • GERANIOL • MALVA SYLVESTRIS (MALLOW) EXTRACT • HYDROXYCITRONELLAL • ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE • CITRONELLOL • LINALOOL • CITRAL • BHT • CI 19140 (YELLOW 5) • CI 14700 (RED 4) • TOCOPHEROL
This is a biphasic (2-phase) serum made up of a Renew and a Repair formulation. The Renew formulation utilizes AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) to ‘gently’ peel (read as exfoliate) the topmost layer of skin. Glycolic acid, citric acid, and lactic acids are very common AHAs in skincare. For the repair serum the main ingredients are honey (moistuizes and softens the skin, aids in repair), rosemary leaf extract (mild skin protectant and very mild moisturizing properties), alibizia julibrissin bark extract (persian silk tree: promotes collagen and elastin production), ophiopogon japonicus root extract (humectant: drives moisturizer to skin), and mallow root extract (skin softener great for dry skin persons, ceramide precursors to repair the skin barrier, in general its a wonder extract).
Persian silk tree and Ophiopogon japonicus root extract aren’t the most common in skincare right now and a budget option is going to be difficult due to the high cost of the extract but the rest are fairly common and found widely in both luxury and budget brands. The extract purity is going to be the difference maker in this product. The AHAs are laboratory-made and I’d be willing to bet Guerlain and The Ordinary are purchasing these from the same supplier.
Dupe #1: SkinFood’s Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Emulsion ($39)+ The Ordinary 10% Mandalaic Acid Plus Hyaluronic Acid ($6.80)
SkinFood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essense Ingredients:
Propolis Extract, Honey Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Glycerin, Beta-Glucan, Lactobacillus Ferment, Saccharomyces Ferment, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium Edta, Carbomer, Arginine
The Ordinary 10% Mandalaic Acid + HA Ingredients:
Propanediol, Aqua (Water), Mandelic Acid, Glycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.
Obviously, this has a high concentration of honey (70%) and the portulaca oleracea extract acts as a natural antioxidant. Mandalaic acid is going to be one of the more gentle AHAs. If a stronger AHA is wanted look towards Lactic acid which is below in the next dupe.
Dupe #2: Farmacy Beauty Honey Drop lightweight moisturizer ($45) + The Ordinary 10% Lactic Acid + HA ($6.80)
Honey Drop Ingredients List:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Honey Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Allantoin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Viscum Album (Mistletoe) Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Adenosine, Betaine, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Flavor (Aroma), Sorbitan Olivate, Sucrose Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium Edta, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Agar, Calcium Alginate, Mica, Iron Oxide (Ci 77492), Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Diheptyl Succinate,Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, Cetearyl Olivate, Alcohol Denat., Caprylyl Glycol
If you were wanting simple ingredients then this option is definitely not for you although most of the ingredients are extracts. Mica and Iron Oxide are interesting choices, likely meant to give a shimmer (mica) and some color without having to add a colorant.
Also there’s also a 5% Lactic Acid + HA if you are completely new to chemical exfoliants. Lactic acid, in general, is a more aggressive AHA than the Mandalaic acid in the previous dupe. If you are completely new to AHAs and targetted chemical exfoliants I’d suggest starting with Mandalaic acid then to glycolic acid or the 5% lactic acid. At less than $8 each The Ordinary offers an affordable way to play around and get the right concentration and acid type for your skin.
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