iS Clinical is a line of skin care products developed by the company Innovative Skincare. iS Clinical boasts about using the “most innovative ingredients on the market” combined with traditional botanical medicine. However, as you’ll learn in this review, many of the iS Clinical formulations are far from innovative and some even contain ingredients that could be harmful to your skin.
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| - | Is Clinical |
What are the best selling iS Clinical skincare products?
iS Clinical skincare products include cleansers, treatments, moisturizers, and sun protectants. The brand also has regimen kits that are designed to address the most common skincare concerns, such as blemishes, skin irritation, uneven skin tone, and post-procedure skin. Each kit incorporates a product from each of their signature Cleanse, Treat, Hydrate, and Protect steps. If you aren’t ready to invest in one of these kits, then take a look at one of these best selling iS Clinical skincare products:
iS Clinical Active Serum
The best selling iS Clinical product is the Active Serum, an anti-aging, anti-acne, and brightening serum for all skin types. It is claimed to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and blemishes.
ALTERNATIVES: Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains 7 peptides for smoother, firmer looking skin.
iS Clinical Cleansing Complex
iS Clinical Cleansing Complex is a lightweight cleansing gel that is said to thoroughly cleanse the surface and pores of the skin without stripping essential natural oils, leaving skin soft and smooth. It is recommended for all skin types and all ages, even those with blemish-prone or sensitive skin.
iS Clinical Pro Heal Serum Advance Plus
iS Clinical Pro Heal Serum Advance Plus is claimed to treat everything from acne to rosacea to aging skin and even insect bites. That’s a pretty diverse range of skin concerns! In the next section, you’ll learn why this serum is probably not a good choice for anyone’s skin.
What are the key iS Clinical ingredients?
One of the key iS Clinical ingredients is something called an Extremozyme. We’re guessing you probably haven’t heard of this ingredient before, so let’s take a closer look at what it is and how it affects your skin.
Extremozymes are enzymes produced by plants living in extreme environments (hence the name). For example, some Extremozyme sources include deep ocean trenches, frigid artic tundra, arid desert climates, humid jungles, hot springs and geysers. These enzymes assist the plants in surviving and adapting to these harsh conditions. It’s theorized that these plant adaptations can be used to protect human skin from damage caused by environmental extremes. iS Clinical draws from the natural selection processes of specialized extremophilic organisms in order to provide protection and promote healthy skin.
Now let’s discuss some of the additional key ingredients you’ll find in each of the best selling iS Clinical skincare products we introduced above.
Unfortunately, the iS Clinical Active Serum formula is pretty disappointing, primarily due to the high concentration of SD Alcohol 30 (denatured alcohol). The problem with this type of alcohol is that, at first, it seems like it’s benefitting the skin. Initially, alcohol gives products a quick-drying finish, immediately degreases the skin, and imparts a weightless feel. However, using high concentrations of denatured alcohol is known to cause skin dryness, irritation, and even disruption of the skin barrier over time.
In fact, alcohol can dry out the skin so much that the skin will produce more oil over time to compensate for the dryness. This can lead to clogged pores and breakouts.
Like most cleansers, iS Clinical Cleansing Complex contains a mixture of surfactants, such as disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, cocamidopropyl betaine, and more. A surfactant molecule contains one end that is hydrophilic (attracted to water) and one end that is lipophilic (attracted to oil). This allows surfactants to attract and suspends oils, dirt, and other impurities that have accumulated on the skin and wash them away, leaving the skin clean.
There are also plenty of beneficial plant extracts in this cleanser, such as willow bark extract, chamomile flower extract, sugar cane extract, and more. The only problem is that all of these beneficial ingredients will be washed down the drain before they can have any benefit on your skin since this is a rinse off product.
It’s pretty ironic that the word “heal” is in the name of the iS Clinical Pro Heal Serum Advance Plus since this formula will likely do more damage to your skin than healing. That’s because, once again, this iS Clinical skincare product contains a high concentration of denatured alcohol (it is the fourth highest concentration ingredient). In addition, this formula really lacks healing ingredients. The serum does contain a high concentration of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), but this ingredient is most well known for its ability to provide antioxidant protection and brighten the skin tone.
Where can you buy iS Clinical skincare?
iS Clinical skincare products are not sold on the brand’s website, but they do have a page on their website with all of their authorized online retailers. You can buy iS Clinical Skincare from websites like Amazon, Dermstore, SkinStore, Derm Warehouse, Violet Grey, and more.
What is the iS Clinical return policy?
Since iS Clinical does not sell products directly to consumers, you must refer to the return policy of the retailer in which you purchased the product.
Is iS Clinical cruelty free?
iS Clinical is cruelty free. They never test on animals and do not use ingredients sourced from animals.
What are some alternatives to iS Clinical?
If you’re looking for skincare products to address the signs of aging, we recommend Carrot & Stick. Carrot & Stick maximizes the use of powerful ingredients and minimizes the use of superficial ones, resulting in advanced skincare solutions that help promote healthy, more youthful-looking skin. We recommend this serum.
