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At a glance
My thoughts on the brightening and hydrating Brightening Hyaluronic Serum by the green and vegan British skincare brand Votary.
Didn’t think you’d see a review of a product from this brand here? I have to admit; I didn’t either… 😂 But everything happens. What can I say? Today I want to tell you about my experience with the Brightening Hyaluronic Serum from the very “green” British skincare brand Votary.
I must tell you that all this is happening thanks to my husband! He went to London at the end of last year and surprised me by bringing back the fabulous advent calendar from the sublime London department store, Liberty! I even did some Instagram stories where I showed you what was inside last December. I loved it; it was great! 😀
So there were tons of luxury skincare brand products that I would have probably never purchased on my own. Not only because of their high price. But also because I find that sometimes, this expensive pricing is not justified at all, and you can find something better (or equivalent) for far less.
Over the last few years, skincare launches have multiplied and there is a plethora of products on the market in all price ranges. Finding an excellent product at a reasonable price, that is also nice to use, is no longer mission impossible. There is plenty of choice!
And you know if you read me regularly, I’m not particularly attracted by the rhetoric of “green” brands, which, for me, is more often than not simply greenwashing.
All this to say that usually, an expensive and “green” moisturizing serum is not particularly the type of product you see reviewed here on BTY ALY very often…
But since I want to keep an open mind, I thought it would still be useful (?) to give you my review of the Votary Brightening Hyaluronic Serum moisturizer.
On social media, it’s often featured in the shelfies of chic London and New York beauty editors. And I can get curious to see if the hype is justified, and I’m sure I’m not the only one! 😉
Votary Brightening Hyaluronic Serum, product presentation:
Votary is a British brand, born in the year 2015 from the partnership of celebrity makeup artist Arabella Preston, and businesswoman Charlotte Semler. Both of them are on a mission to be advocates of the “transformative power of plants on the skin”, which they believe can “give every person of all ages the healthy, radiant skin they want”.
Initially focused on oils (makeup remover oils, face and body oils), the brand Votary has evolved over the few years with a broader product catalog including serums and moisturizers, as well as skin accessories and even dietary supplements.
Clearly, this is a rather “green” brand, which can even be described as eco-luxe. The brand doesn’t really surf on the “Clean Beauty” narrative, but you can feel that they are not big fans of “petrochemical ingredients”.
The Votary Brightening Hyaluronic Serum is not their newest product, but it was reformulated last year (in 2021), for an enhanced brightening effect compared to the old formula.
In fact, if you look closer at the list of ingredients, there are several hydrating ingredients but also a whole complex of exfoliating plant extracts ingredients.
The key ingredients of the formula:
– hyaluronic acid and glycerin for hydration,
– exfoliating acids for radiance, such as glycolic acid (concentrated here between 1 and 2%, so quite low), as well as salicylic acid (same thing, there is quite a bit in the formula),
– there’s also a derivative of vitamin C for the brightness of the complexion, Ascorbyl Glucoside,
– as well as many moisturizing, anti-oxidant and slightly exfoliating plant extracts: neroli water, blueberry extract, narcissus flower extract, lemon extract, orange extract, sugar maple…
I think some of these plant extracts naturally contain essential oils, as the formula is naturally scented. If your skin is sensitive to them, just be aware. 🙂
The brand recommends a daily application for a very light exfoliating effect that reveals the skin’s radiance over time.
Of course, with this type of product, you don’t want to forget your sunscreen (but hey, here in Dubai, we would never forget sunscreen anyway 😉).
The brand recommends it for all skin types, but I admit that my experience makes me a little doubtful that this serum is for sensitive or sensitized skin… I’ll tell you more about it below!
The bottle size is 50ml, and it is sold between $97 and $120 depending on the retailer, so it’s rather a high-end product.
Votary Brightening Hyaluronic Serum, my experience:
I’m a little late with this review. Because I used this serum last spring, several months ago.
And at that time, my skin was a bit sensitized. I traveled quite a bit. I was sick too (good old Covid), and it showed on my skin. In short, I needed hydration, radiance but also soothing… And it is unfortunately on this last point that this product didn’t really delivered!
Because this serum is not really the most calming. I would even go as far as to say that if you have sensitive skin, it’s not the best. My skin had small breakouts because it was irritated, and this serum didn’t really help. I ended up stopping it after a few weeks of use (I persisted for almost two months though).
It’s ultra sensorial, though. The texture is fresh and pleasant, the neroli scent is a real treat… But unfortunately, it didn’t really suit my skin needs at the time I used it.
And considering all the active ingredients I use in my routine (like retinol, for example), I don’t think a lightly exfoliating serum is really what I need, anyway. So it’s not really the product’s fault for this; it’s a bit of a casting failure, if you will. It’s not you, it’s me, Votary 😉.
This is actually kind of why I never buy a beauty advent calendar that contains a lot of skincare; I want to be able to pick and choose my products because I know what works for me, and what won’t (but this was an incredible gift from my husband, so I also wanted to play along with the testing 🙂).
Hydration wise, it did the job though. And I guess the glow effect was also there, but since I already use vitamin C daily, with also a retinol product at night, I think my glow comes more from them (I didn’t see any difference when I stopped it).
In conclusion:
There you go, you know everything. That’s kind of why I’ve been dragging my feet with this review, and why I’m delivering it to you late. In short, I don’t think I would have bought this very hyped product if it had been up to me.
The price for a hydrating serum seems a bit excessive to me, and that it’s more natural than others leaves me quite indifferent and doesn’t really justify its price tag, in my opinion.
If I were to try a serum from this brand, I don’t think I would have chosen this one. The one with antioxidants and peptides would have probably inspired me more. 😉 (and then I would have probably ended telling you in a review this latter one was also overpriced and you could find something better for less money lol).
The retails between $97 and $120 depending on the retailers, for 50ml.
Product Review in detail
Summary
Votary Brightening Hyaluronic Serum
“The Brightening Hyaluronic Serum was formulated to really make an impact for your skin. A brilliant brightening serum which unifies and illuminates your complexion. It has become a firm favourite, and staple in my daily skincare ritual. It also smells divine”
Arabella Preston, Votary Co-founder
Recommendation
It wasn't for me...
Price
$97 - $120
Details
Pros
- it's a sensorial product, and it's pleasant to use: the texture is really nice, and it's true that it smells great.
- the bottle is super pretty, and it looks chic in the bathroom,
- it works well on hydration and brightening.
Cons
- I am not completely convinced by the formula. It contains several effective ingredients but also other vegetable ingredients which seem to me to have been chosen only to give a "green" label to the product,
- I found the product a bit irritating on me. When I had sensitized skin, it did not help me, on the contrary.
- the price is quite high. Finding an effective and affordable hyaluronic acid serum is really not complicated at the moment, there is no shortage of choice. I have trouble understanding what makes it different from the others and what could justify this price.
product name
Brightening Hyaluronic Serum
brand name
Votary
size
50ml
made in
England, UK
packaging
A green tinted glass bottle, with a very pretty old pink label and a pipette cap.
fragrance
A natural aromatic scent, it smells like neroli, but it is quite subtle.
texture
A liquid gel texture, which is easily absorbed, leaving the skin feeling hydrated.
For Who
All skin types, all ages.
Concerns
– dehydrated skin,
– skin that lacks radiance,
– dry skin,
– wrinkles, fine lines,
– discomfort,
– anti-aging prevention.
Method
I use the Brightening Hyaluronic Serum in the morning to benefit from its plumping effect, after my essence(s) and before my daily moisturizer. You can use it in the morning and evening if you want.
I apply about 1/3 of a pipette of product that I massage on the skin of my face and neck. It absorbs relatively quickly, and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and comfortable. I then continue with the rest of my routine and finish with my sunscreen.
Key Ingredients
A formula rich in natural extracts, but also includes well-known effective skincare ingredients. It contains:
– hyaluronic acid and glycerin for hydration,
– exfoliating acids for radiance, such as glycolic acid (concentrated here between 1 and 2%, i.e. quite low), as well as salicylic acid (same thing, there is not much of it in the formula),
– there’s also a derivative of vitamin C for the brightness of the complexion, Ascorbyl Glucoside,
– as well as many moisturizing, antioxidant and slightly exfoliating plant extracts: neroli water, blueberry extract, narcissus flower extract, lemon extract, orange extract, sugar maple…
I think some of these plant extracts naturally contain essential oils, as the formula is naturally scented. If your skin is sensitive to it, it’s better to be aware of it 🙂
Ingredients
Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Water, Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Vaccinium Myrtillus (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Sucrose (Sugar), Xanthan Gum, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Water, Salicylic Acid, Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus (Daffodil) Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycolic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol.
Ingredients not included
– mineral oil,
– silicones,
– alcohol,
– dyes,
– synthetic fragrance.
Bonjour Bonnie,
This review made me 🤭 but it’s exactly why I love your reviews soo much. Never pushing a product just because it’s the latest hype.
I had a sample of the Super Seed Serum and I did really enjoy it and it didn’t cause any issue for my rosacea but I haven’t bought the full size yet simply because of the prize and having a pretty full cupboard already.
Have a lovely Sunday claudia xx
Ah ah thank you so much Claudia! ❤️❤️❤️
This Super Seed Serum looks good, I have to admit! But we can definitely find something similar for a cheaper price, that’s for sure! 😀