PRODUCT REVIEW: NIOD SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE SACCHARIDE MIST (SDSM2) - BEST HYDRATING TONER, BEST ANTIOXIDANT TONER
NIOD | SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE SACCHARIDE MIST
This review was originally part of my blog article titled, Brands I Love: Niod High-Science Skincare - Best Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Best Peptide Serum. You can catch the full piece here.
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Deciem’s deep-science brand NIOD has been a longtime favorite. In fact, it’s perhaps the most scientific skincare brand I’ve come across — with product names and descriptions seemingly written by the scientists and chemists behind the brand’s formulations.
There’s always been something exceptionally intriguing about NIOD — the nerdier sister brand of the more popular The Ordinary. First and foremost, it’s a smart, hard science brand — not for the casual skincare user. The products are more scientific, more potent and more costly than the democratically priced, simple, one-note products offered by The Ordinary.
NIOD requires somewhat of a commitment to learning what ingredients work for your skin; it’s definitely not for beginners or anyone uninterested in much beyond the basics of cleansing and moisturizing.
I have always strongly aligned with the brand’s overall formulation philosophy. A brand's formulation philosophy matters to the end result, whether the product is genuinely good for your skin — and not just marketing fluff. And while most skincare brands offer some well-made products, which of their products are actually doing right by your skin comes down to who exactly is formulating the company’s skin care — and whether the formulator (often a chemist or someone who works closely with a chemist) follows a solid formulation philosophy. Does the chemist follow strict guidelines about ingredient no-no’s like denatured alcohol, parabens and fragrant plant (essential) oils that can compromise skin health and can actually be pro-aging?
NIOD seems exceptional to me, or as Deciem would describe it, abnormal!
So, what exactly is NIOD? The brand name is an acronym that stands for Non Invasive Options in Dermal-Science. This is how they describe themselves:
“Ahead is not further than behind.
True learning is a form of love — it is humble. It respects that to look forward, it must look backward. The few observers of NIOD’s childhood know that NIOD isn’t a brand. It is a force and it has a soul. While NIOD’s genetics are committed to science, its soul is ultimately rooted in learning. Perhaps the only flaw of modern science is that it grows proud and loses respect for our deserving past — but learning stays humble and looks back.
NIOD’s journey will offer respect to our past with a series of formulations informally called yešti. NIOD’s caretakers live with exhausting standards in science. The journey of NIOD’s yešti formulations is not one of a lower standard — it is instead one that allows our collective past an overdue chance to speak.”— http://niod.com
I love the spirit and intent behind the NIOD brand! Let’s take a look at some of my favorite NIOD products…
NIOD | Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist
I’m always in the mood for a good hydrating face mist. Several weeks ago, just as winter was hitting here in NYC, I crafted an entire blog article titled, Favorite Face Mists For Keeping Skin Hydrated In The Cold – Best Face Mists, Best Hydrating Toners For Dry, Dehydrated Skin. If you’re feeling dry and dehydrated, be sure to check it out here.
Among my faves reviewed in that piece are the Derma E Hydrating Mist, the Skinfix Barrier+ Nutrient Water Misting Tonic and Sunday Riley’s Pink Drink Firming Resurfacing Essence — a fermented dream come true.
As with everything NIOD creates, the Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist isn’t just some run-of-the-mill skincare product; it’s much more than a hydrating toner. As a matter of fact, NIOD denies that SDSM2 is a toner at all.
“SDSM2 is the second generation of SDSM, NIOD's dermal treatment mist–not to be classified mistakenly as a "toner"–that acts as a fundamental daily force against oxidative stress, water loss and the look of inflammation, all of which contribute to loss of visible skin quality over time.”
There’s clearly no accounting for the fact that SDSM2 is used in place of a toner. And, to be honest, I make no distinctions between even the best toners for face and the best hydrating face mists. It’s a matter of how they are dispensed; clearly a mist is easier to apply than a conventional toner. And the sole purpose of each is to restore skin’s hydration levels.
So, while we can agree to disagree on how to refer to SDSM2, what exactly is NIOD’s Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist?
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
MY FAVORITE HUMECTANT SERUMS FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, THE INKEY LIST, GHOST DEMOCRACY AND MORE
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
What’s the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin?
For the answer to that vexing questing, as I most often do, I turned to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team for insights. There’s a superb piece on the Paula’s Choice site titled, What is Dehydrated Skin & How to Choose the Best Products. Here is an excerpt:
Dehydrated skin often looks and feels like dry skin all over your face, but there's a major difference between the two: dehydrated skin is usually a temporary concern (with various surprising causes) and dry skin typically doesn't change over time. If you have dehydrated skin, your skin may also produce a normal or even excessive amount of oil on its surface.
"Dehydrated skin" is something we’re asked about frequently. It seems there’s a lot of confusion about what this skin concern is about. A major part of the confusion is that the term "dehydrated skin" is often used interchangeably with "dry skin" or "combination skin" but they are not the same! Dehydrated skin can occur in all skin types and is not exclusive to those with dry skin or combination skin.
The Difference Between Dry Skin and Dehydrated Skin
Having classically dry skin is easy to recognize. Dry skin frequently feels tight and dry, with no oil anywhere to be seen. This situation rarely fluctuates; skin feels dry all year long. The dryness might get worse depending on the climate, season, or activity, but regardless of those things, without great skin care products, the uncomfortable dry, tight feeling will persist.
As mentioned above, dehydrated skin can look and feel similar, but there’s a major difference: Dehydrated skin tends to come and go, it does not persist.
First, as indicated by the product’s very name, SDSM2 is enriched with Superoxide Dismutase — a naturally occurring antioxidant found in the skin that’s the body’s most essential antioxidant to fend off cell damage.
According to the NIOD scientists, “Superoxide is the main reactive oxygen species in each cell and SOD is the body's natural way of out-competing the ongoing and very damaging effect of superoxide in cells. Arguably, SOD is the most important force against oxidation in the human body.”
I had never heard of Superoxide Dismutase until discovering this remarkable, ahem, hydrating toner, about three years ago. It’s relatively infrequent to find in an INCI and when I do I always think about this powerhouse formula.
SDSM2 is certainly a potent skin re-hydrator. But, in classic NIOD fashion, it does so in its own way. There are only low levels of two common humectants in the formula, Glycerin and Butylene Glycol — not exactly power hydrators. Instead of going the easy Hyaluronic Acid route, the NIOD formulators got all wonky.
SDSM2 delivers its humectant oomph to hydrate skin and maintain water levels through a high concentration of Marine Exopolysaccharides. The sustainably-sourced marine polysaccharide apparently has superior water preservation properties to the highest molecule weight Hyaluronic Acid molecules. And as such, “With continued use, the longer-term benefits of preserving hydration are far beyond just hydration itself; however, from a more immediate perspective, this technology increases skin hydration by more than 35% and measurably reduces the look of roughness within 2 hours.”
Call it whatever you want, but don’t call it boring.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the NIOD Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist for $50 here.
FAVORITE FACE MISTS FOR KEEPING SKIN HYDRATED IN THE COLD
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
MY FAVORITE HUMECTANT SERUMS FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, THE INKEY LIST, GHOST DEMOCRACY AND MORE
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
Orpheus loves his #solaraglow too!
The Ingredient List of the NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex:
h, Glycerin 
sii|h 0 0, Hyaluronic Acid sii|h, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Sodium Butyroyl Hyaluronate h, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer sii|aox|h, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate h, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate h, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate cci, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides h, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum h|vc, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract aox|h, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum emo|vc, Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3 cci, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract so|aox|amic, Salvia Sclarea Extract so, Arginine sii, Aspartic Acid sii, Glycine sii, Alanine sii, Serine sii, Valine sii, Isoleucine sii, Proline sii, Threonine sii, Histidine sii|h, Phenylalanine sii, Pca sii|h, Sodium Pca sii|h 0 0, Betaine h, Sodium Lactate buff|h, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside aox|so, Gallyl Glucoside aox|so, Algae Extract emo|h, Sodium Salicylate pres, Lecithin emo|emu, Polyglucuronic Acid h, Xanthan Gum vc|emu|surf, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate chel, Sclerotium Gum vc, Pullulan, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose vc, Propanediol solv|h, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Dimethyl Isosorbide solv|vc, Citric Acid buff, Magnesium Chloride vc, Silica vc, Polysorbate 20 emu|surf 0 0, Ethoxydiglycol solv|h|perf 0 0, Propyl Gallate aox|perf, Dehydroacetic Acid pres, Benzyl Alcohol pres|perf|solv|vc, Potassium Sorbate pres, Sodium Benzoate pres, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, 1,2-Hexanediol solv, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Phenoxyethanol presThe Ingredient List of the NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 2:1:
so, Isoceteth-20 emu|surf, Phenoxyethanol pres, Chlorphenesin pres|amic, Aqua (Water) solv, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Tripeptide-29 cci, Tripeptide-1 cci, Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3 cci, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2 cci, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2 cci, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer sii|aox|h, Glycogen h, Propanediol solv|h, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Dextran vc, Dimethyl Isosorbide solv|vc, Ethoxydiglycol solv|h|perf 0 0, Isoceteth-20 emu|surf, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate amic|pres, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Phenoxyethanol pres, Chlorphenesin pres|amic
The Ingredient List of the NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate:
cci|sb|aacne|h, Propanediol solv|h, Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid) sii|h 0 0, Tilia Cordata (Linden) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Leaf Extract aox|so, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Phytic Acid chel, Xanthan Gum vc|emu|surf, Phenoxyethanol pres, Ethylhexylglycerin presThe Ingredient List of the NIOD Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide MIST:
aox, Malachite Extract aox, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides h, Mirabilis Jalapa Extract, Polypodium Vulgare Rhizome Extract aox|h, Cetraria Islandica Thallus Extract h, Sphagnum Magellanicum Extract, Arginine sii, Propanediol solv|h, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, Sodium Salicylate pres, Gellan Gum vc, Sodium Chloride vc, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil emu|surf, Citric Acid buff, Tromethamine buff, Phenoxyethanol pres, Chlorphenesin pres|amicThe Ingredient List of the NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Lipid 1%:
sii|emo 0 1, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emo, Aqua (Water) solv, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate h, Glycolipids, Sucrose Laurate emo|emu|surf, Propanediol solv|h, Copper Tripeptide-1 (Palmitoyl) cci|so|aox, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Propylmethylmethoxybenzofuran, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Extract perf, Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract h, Sucrose Stearate emo|emu|surf 0 0, Potassium Sorbate pres, Sodium Benzoate pres, Phenoxyethanol pres
