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I’ve Tested Skincare for 10+ Years—These 6 iSClinical Products Are Truly Worth the Hype
Including their brand-new eye gel that firms, brightens, and depuffs.
If you’ve read any of my beauty stories before, you know it’s quite literally my job to test skincare for a living. And while I try it all, I’m really selective about the brands that have a permanent spot in my routine—the ones I come back to time and time again and can trust to deliver, no matter what’s going on with my face. At the top of the shortlist is iSClinical. I first discovered the brand as a baby beauty editor more than a decade ago, and it’s still one of my favorites today.
As the name suggests, iSClinical is rooted in clinically tested formulas and innovative ingredients that actually work. So many skincare products feel gimmicky these days, but iSClinical is entirely results-oriented. It’s beloved not only by editors like me, but by dermatologists and aestheticians too. If I had to compare it to anything, I’d put it in the same league as PCA Skin and SkinCeuticals.
So when iSClinical invited me on their first-ever press trip earlier this month to preview a new eye product—GeneXC Firming Eye Gel—I immediately said yes. Keep reading for my full review below, plus details on five more iSClinical products I genuinely love and use regularly.
Let’s start with the newness first. GeneXC Firming Eye Gel is the brand’s latest launch and it’s a good one, folks. I was initially drawn to the texture. I personally prefer a gel or serum around my eyes rather than a thick cream. My skin is oily and milia-prone and a lot of rich formulas, while plumping, can cause bumps. They also end up making whatever concealer I layer on top slide around, which is so annoying. This gel is really like a jelly—it’s really easy to spread (whether you use the metal tip applicator or your fingers, although I prefer the latter) and it sinks into skin fast without any greasy residue, so you can use it under makeup with no issues.
As far as ingredients go, this baby is active. It’s really more of a treatment product than a hydrator, which my eye area very much needs these days. It minimizes dark circles with two forms of vitamin C, firms crows' feet with peptides, and hydrates with hyaluronic acid for an all-around brighter and smoother eye area. I’ve been using it for a month straight now, and I’m happy to report that my eye area looks visibly more refreshed than it did before.
iS CLINICAL Active Serum
iS CLINICAL Active Serum
This is the product that got me hooked on the brand. In 2017, I was on a press trip with a brand that isn’t isClinical. They flew me to LA for 24 hours to get a facial with celebrity aesthetician Shani Darden. Back then, Shani didn’t have her own line and only carried a few select products at her studio, one of them being Active Serum. At the time, I was dealing with really annoying breakouts, and she recommended I add this to my routine. Within weeks, my skin cleared up, and it’s been a staple in my medicine cabinet ever since.
It uses AHAs and BHAs to improve skin texture and unclog pores, plus brightening mushroom extract to minimize discoloration. It’s one of those products I consistently recommend to friends and family and come back ot myself when my skin is looking dull or lackluster.
iS CLINICAL Extra Strength Active Peel Brightening System
I love a good professional peel—I usually do a VI Peel or PCA Peel twice a year to get rid of dark spots and rough texture—and these are an excellent DIY option for maintaining your glow in between appointments. It’s a two-step process that I do once a week and it honestly couldn’t be easier; simply swipe the step one pad on clean skin until the towel feels mostly dry, wait three minutes, and do the same with the step two pad. Then I layer on a gentle moisturizer and call it a night.
The combo of AHAs, BHAs, vitamin C, peptides, and antioxidants are great for resurfacing skin and evening out your tone, and there are even hydrators in there to combat any dryness or flaking that can occur after some other at-home peels.
iS CLINICAL Copper Firming Mist
iS CLINICAL Copper Firming Mist
I know face mists are trendy, but I find most superfluous. An extra step that dosen’t move the needle in my routine. This one isn’t most though—it’s absolutely delightful to use, so much so that I find myself spritzing it constantly. I also feel like it actually does something beyond refreshing my skin (although it definitely does that too).
I like using it like a toner after washing my face and before my serums and creams—it’s a great first-step hydrator thanks that gives my skin a nice plump and juicy feel. It’s also infused with copper extract which has firming capabilities as well as skin-strengthening antioxidants to protect against environmental aggressors.
iS CLINICAL Reparative Moisture Emulsion
iS CLINICAL Reparative Moisture Emulsion
I’m at the stage of life where I still have breakouts but am also very much experiencing early signs of aging, like fine lines and dark spots. Fun, right? Anyway, this combo can make it tricky to find the right moisturizer. I need something lightweight and non-comedogenic, but also nourishing and plumping. Reparative Moisture Emulsion strikes the perfect balance for my temperamental skin. (New York City facialist Soo-Young Kim says it's the best-selling moisturizer at her popular downtown studio, so clearly I’m not the only one obsessed.)
iS CLINICAL Cleansing Complex
iS CLINICAL Cleansing Complex
iSClinical makes a few different face washes, but this one is my favorite. Cleansing Complex is such a solidly good formula that works for pretty much all skin types. It’s powerful enough to remove makeup, SPF, and buildup, but not so harsh that it leaves my skin feeling dry or stripped. It provides some mild exfoliation to help unclog pores and improve skin texture with continued use, too. I love it as an everyday face wash to help keep my combo skin clear and balanced.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Lauren Balsamo is the beauty director at Cosmopolitan with 13 years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories. She regularly tests and analyzes new skincare products and treatments while working with the industry’s top experts to assess new technologies and trends.
Lauren Balsamo is the beauty director at Cosmopolitan where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports. She has covered beauty for more than a decade at Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.
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