Naya

The Inkey List Tranexamic Acid, Review

perhaps, unlike leopards, some people can change their spots

Foreword

This is the post you guys have voted for on my Instagram and I am here to deliver. After months of testing the Tranexamic Acid Night Treatment, I am ready to share my thoughts on the product.

Curious? Then please keep on scrolling

My Skin: dry, sensitive

About the Product

The Inkey List Tranexamic Acid Night Treatment (14.99 USD; Made in the UK) – is described as an amino acid-rich, overnight gel serum that helps to decrease the appearance of dark, uneven patches and spots.

Packaging: true to the brand’s DNA, Tranexamic Acid comes in a classic black and white plastic bottle with a handy pump. You are working with 30 ml/ 1.0 fl. oz. of product. As always, the brand makes sure to mention the right order of product application on both its box and bottle itself (which is a nice, user-friendly touch).

Texture Shot - The Inkey List

Formula: now, if you are anything like me (a person who loves skincare, but might not know everything about it), you might be wondering what is a Tranexamic Acid?

Tranexamic Acid is a skin-safe acid that helps fade signs of discoloration, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This brightening powerhouse is quite gentle on the skin, but doing a little patch-test is a good idea. The Inkey List creation also contains Acai Berry Extract, and Vitamin C derivatives to further promote a brighter and even complexion.

Vegan🌱 Cruelty-free🐇

Texture: a water-based, gel texture that feels cooling upon application and dries down to a clear finish.

The Inkey List Tranexamic Acid Serum Review

Application: one of the most important steps, for you to see the results, is to use this Tranexamic Acid treatment as the last step in your PM skincare routine. Means no moisturizer. I know, this might come as a big surprise because normally you can incorporate various targeted treatments into your routine, without having to sacrifice the moisturizing step.

There are ways to go around it if you will. For instance, you can use Tranexamic Acid as a spot treatment or apply it selectively, only targeting some parts of the face (in my case I remember starting on the chin first, where I was experiencing more hyperpigmentation). Another way would be to layer a hydrating serum underneath it. Always use sun protection the morning after (and every day, really).

First Impression

As most of you know, I have dry skin. So, for me, the thought of not using a moisturizer together with the Tranexamic Acid was quite a scary one. At the same time, I am used to (sometimes) applying my AHA/BHA acids similarly just by themselves, which is why I figured to still give it a shot and see what happens. This product came into my life at the time when I was breaking out heavily on my chin and having a lighter complexion, dark-toned hyperpigmentation spots can stand out in a very obvious and unflattering manner.

The Tranexamic Acid glides on easily, setting to a clear finish. It feels weightless and from my experience did not lead to any extra dryness or flakiness. I noticed an improvement in my skin tone after a couple of days, which was a lot sooner than I have expected. Since most of my breakouts at the time were still fresh, with some just beginning to form dark spots, the acid managed to do damage control before things got worse. By that I mean, it can take months for some of my post-breakout spots to go away, and seeing them gone within a week was some kind of witchcraft.

Long-term Results

now, of course, older spots need more time to fade away or fully disappear. However, where I think the Tranexamic Acid helps the most is – stopping your blemishes from forming spots, to begin with. Whenever I am dealing with breakouts, I spot-treat them with the Tranexamic Acid and I feel this method has proven to work quite well for me. Naturally, if you have a larger area that you want to work on, you would alter the application. The key is to work in thin layers, apply the gel regularly, and follow up with proper sun protection.

Verdict

While this might be not the only skin-brightening product in my routine (I started using Vitamin C this year), the Tranexamic Acid Night Treatment has given me good results without any harm to my sensitive skin. Let’s be realistic - I still have some sun spots here and there that need more time to fade, but as far as scarring is concerned, I highly recommend giving this product a shot. I was at the desperate point earlier this year, where I thought my chin would be covered in stubborn spots for months, however, this gel saved the day and for that, I give it an A. This also might be one of the most impressive, yet unsung hero products in The Inkey List range that deserves more love and rave.