PRODUCT REVIEW: GHOST DEMOCRACY FLOODGATE HYALURONIC ACID SERUM - BEST ANTI-AGING SERUM, BEST HYDRATING SERUM WITH HYALURONIC ACID
GHOST DEMOCRACY | FLOODGATE HYALURONIC ACID SERUM
This product review was originally part of my blog article titled, Hydrating Serums I'm into from Naturium, Youth To The People, Purito and More. You can catch the full piece here.
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A cold January day in New York City can feel oddly exhilarating. It didn’t used to be that way for me. I always loathed the cold growing up. And until very recently, a matter of three years ago, I dreaded winter.
As I entered into what can best be described as male menopause, complete with migraines and hot flashes, I began to appreciate and even long for cold air.
Yet while the cold now numbs my head on a migraine day, it’s also quite dehydrating, which can quickly make a migraine more intense. So I do what I can to stay hydrated. That means lots and lots of water. However, drinking the recommended amount of water each day is not enough to prevent your skin from dehydrating — and to defend against the visible effects of dehydration on your face.
There’s a simple remedy for keeping your skin optimally hydrated on a cold, dry, low-humidity day: a well-formulated humectant serum. And I love a good humectant serum!
My most recent piece on humectants was in the middle of summer, when a hot July day can be just as dehydrating as a cold January day. The blog article was titled, New Hyaluronic Acid Serums I Love from Farmacy Beauty, Herbivore, Glossier and More.
NEW HYALURONIC ACID SERUMS I LOVE FROM FARMACY BEAUTY, HERBIVORE, GLOSSIER AND MORE
Among my favorites featured were Farmacy Beauty Filling Good Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum — a wonderfully hydrating blend of Honey Extract, Propolis Extract and Royal Jelly Extract. As I said, Farmacy Beauty’s Filling Good hydrating serum is full of intrigue. With its unique silky texture, delicate honey aroma and multi-molecular forms of Hyaluronic Acid, it’s one of the best humectant serums to fix dehydrated skin.
Another favorite humectant serum I featured in the article was the Herbivore Cloud Jelly Plumping Hydration Serum. It’s a slightly milky, silky serum loaded with rehydrating goodness for the skin. Like the brand’s Pink Cloud Jelly Cleanser, the Cloud Jelly serum is infused with Snow Mushroom — a sexy sounding hydrator believed to be a more effective humectant than Hyaluronic Acid itself. In addition to Snow Mushroom, there are several other humectants, including Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, and Rose Flower Water.
Psst…you can catch my review of Herbivore’s Cloud Jelly Plumping Hydration Serum on the blog here.
So a good humectant serum is essential for maintaining skin health on both a hot summer day and during the harsh cold months of winter. Among the most effective hydrators (or re-hydrators!) is a well-formulated Hyaluronic Acid serum.
While Hyaluronic Acid is far and away the most popular and most sought-after of humectants, it is by no means the only one. Humectant ingredients that are equally effective at preventing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and subsequent dehydration include: Beta Glucan, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica, Polyglutamic Acid, Glycerin, Aloe Vera, Snow Mushroom and even honey and common seaweed, or algae.
Seasonal Skincare Transitioning: The Best Products for Cold Weather
Throughout my FW21 series on seasonal skincare transitioning, I’ve talked about what I refer to as the Skincarma Lock & Block strategy. What I’m referring to are the two measures necessary for preventing trans-epidermal water loss and subsequent dehydration. They are locking water in the skin with humectants and blocking the escape of moisture through the skin barrier with occlusive products like heavier facial oils and creams.
The Skincarma “Lock and Block” Prevents Dehydration
To start, preventing dehydration in the first place requires drinking enough water. That differs for each of us based on our weight, the foods we eat, and the climate we live in. It’s even more important during colder periods.
A good rule is to drink one ounce of water each day for every pound of body weight. So, if you weigh 150 lbs., you’ll need to drink 150 ounces of water each and every day to keep your body and your skin optimally hydrated.
Then, employing skincare to treat and prevent dehydration requires what I refer to as a “lock and block” strategy.
It begins with a dedicated humectant serum applied to the skin in both your AM and PM routines that helps to lock water in. Follow with a moisturizer composed of a healthy balance of both humectants and oils to block and prevent the trans-epidermal water loss that can lead to dehydration.
SEASONAL SKINCARE: MOISTURIZERS THAT MAKE ME EXCITED FOR COLD WEATHER - BEST FACE CREAMS FOR DRY SKIN
What Is Trans-Epidermal Water Loss and What Causes Trans Epidermal Water Loss?
For a deeper dive (no pun intended!) into trans-epidermal water loss, or TEWL, there’s an excellent article on the health website Skin Better titled, What Is Transepidermal Water Loss and Why Is it Important? It’s available to read here.
In the piece, the author explains TEWL as follows:
“The skin is comprised of three primary layers: the epidermis, the outermost layer; the dermis or middle layer; and the hypodermis, the undermost layer. When water passes from the dermis through the epidermis and evaporates from the skin’s surface, this is known as transepidermal water loss (International Journal of Pharmaceutics).
While TEWL is a process that your skin naturally regulates, certain factors that can damage the skin’s barrier function can also affect TEWL levels. Circumstances such as injury, low-humidity weather conditions and topically applied products that dry out the skin can impact TEWL.
To achieve this, combine humectant and occlusive skincare ingredients.
Transepidermal water loss can contribute to a variety of dry skin conditions, and although it is a natural process, there are ways that you can help your skin stay moisturized and hydrated. Hydration refers to the water content of the skin, whereas moisturization is the skin’s ability to retain those water molecules. Therefore, your skin needs both elements to maintain desirable levels of TEWL.
To achieve this, combine humectant and occlusive skincare ingredients. Humectants help to draw moisture to the epidermis, either from the air if it is humid enough, or from the underlying dermis in low-humidity conditions. Because water content that is drawn from the dermis can be lost through TEWL, it’s important to combine the use of humectants with occlusives. Together, these ingredients create a reservoir of moisture in the epidermis and act as a barrier on the skin to help prevent TEWL by sealing in that moisture. The occlusive agents simultaneously keep pollutants, toxins and harmful bacteria out (Skin Therapy Letter).”
Maintaining proper hydration levels year-round is essential if skin is going to function at its peak. Healthy functioning skin is better able to defend against external aggressors like pollution, UV, and free radical attacks. And healthy skin is better fortified against aging. So while it may seem slick to say that a humectant serum that helps keep skin hydrated is an effective anti-aging product, it’s not really a stretch at all. It’s simple common sense.
With that, let’s take a look at one of my favorite new humectant serums for keeping skin optimally hydrated in both harsh heat and bone-chilling cold....
Ghost Democracy | Floodgate Hyaluronic Acid Serum
I’ve enjoyed so many products from clean, affordable Ghost Democracy over the last two years. I first reviewed the brand in a blog article about facial oils, Dry Skin and Three of The Best Facial Oils I Think You’d Love, Too! With just 14 ingredients, Ghost Democracy’s cleanly formulated Softglow Facial Oil has been a favorite facial oil for two winters now.
I declared Ghost Democracy my coolest skincare brand discovery of 2020 and followed up that initial review of the Softglow Facial Oil with a deep dive into the brand in an article titled, Brands I Love: Ghost Democracy Intriguingly Clean Skincare With A Twist. You can catch it on the blog here.
BRANDS I LOVE: GHOST DEMOCRACY INTRIGUINGLY CLEAN SKINCARE WITH A TWIST
If you’re unfamiliar with Ghost Democracy, it’s a democratically priced skincare brand — along with The Ordinary, The Inkey List and Good Molecules. Unlike the others though, Ghost Democracy’s formulas are all clean — and its mid-range pricing is a reflection of that.
Ghost Democracy formulas are held to what the brand describes as “a higher standard of clean” — that is, less chemicals, more actives, and accessibility for all. I view Ghost Democracy as perhaps the most affordable clean skincare available.
Another distinguishing feature of the brand’s products is the use of high concentrations of pro-skin health actives — and the fact that Ghost Democracy is 100% transparent about what those concentrations are. Two years ago, it wasn’t as common as it is today. It’s been rare for a brand to tip their hand, revealing the precise recipes for their formulas.
Characteristically, Ghost Democracy shares that its Floodgate Hyaluronic Acid Serum is formulated with 2.1% Pure Hyaluronic Acid, a legit level of the hydrating humectant. Interestingly, there are only 12 ingredients in the entire Floodgate Hyaluronic Acid Serum formula: Water, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid), Tilia Cordata (Linden) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Glycerin, Phytic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, and Ethylhexylglycerin.
Did you see that second ingredient in the INCI? Niacinamide! This is why it’s so important to look closely at an ingredient list. You wouldn’t otherwise know that there was such a high concentration of brightening, skin-strengthening Niacinamide in Ghost Democray’s Floodgate Hyaluronic Acid Serum. You can’t get enough Niacinamide in your skincare routine.
What is Niacinamide and What Does Niacinamide Do for the Skin?
I love this highly comprehensive article on Niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B3, written by the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, Niacinamide Benefits: What Does Niacinamide Do for Skin? An excerpt from the article:
What is Niacinamide?
Also known as vitamin B3 and nicotinamide, niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works with the natural substances in your skin to help visibly minimize enlarged pores, tighten lax or stretched out pores, improve uneven skin tone, soften fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dullness, and strengthen a weakened surface.
Niacinamide also reduces the impact of environmental damage because of its ability to improve skin’s barrier (its first line of defense), plus it also plays a role in helping skin to repair signs of past damage. Left unchecked, this type of daily assault makes skin appear older, dull, and less radiant.
What Does Niacinamide Do for Your Skin?
Niacinamide is most famous for its ability to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.Research hasn’t come to a full understanding about how this B vitamin works its pore-reducing magic, but it seems that niacinamide has a normalizing ability on the pore lining, and that this influence plays a role in keeping oil and debris from getting backed up, which leads to clogs and rough, bumpy skin.
As the clog forms and worsens, the pores stretch to compensate, and what you’ll see is enlarged pores. Routine usage of niacinamide helps pores return to their natural size. Sun damage can cause pores to become stretched, too, leading to what some describe as "orange peel skin". Higher concentrations of niacinamide can help visibly tighten pores by shoring up skin’s supportive elements and often dramatically improving orange peel texture.
Other benefits of niacinamide are that it helps renew and restore the surface of skin against moisture loss and dehydration. When ceramides become depleted over time, skin is left vulnerable to all sorts of problems, from persistent patches of dry, flaky skin to increasingly becoming extra-sensitive.
If you struggle with dry skin, topical application of niacinamide has been shown to boost the hydrating ability of moisturizers so skin’s surface can better resist the moisture loss that leads to recurrent dry, tight, flaky skin. Niacinamide works brilliantly with common moisturizer ingredients like glycerin, non-fragrant plant oils, cholesterol, sodium PCA, and sodium hyaluronate.
How does niacinamide help discolorations and uneven skin tone? Both concerns stem from excess melanin (skin pigment) showing on skin’s surface. Niacinamide in concentrations of 5% and greater works via several pathways to keep new discolorations from appearing. At the same time, it also helps reduce the appearance of existing discolorations, so your skin tone looks more even. Research has shown NIACINAMIDE AND TRANEXAMIC ACID work particularly well together, and as mentioned above, it can be used with other discoloration-reducing ingredients such as all forms of vitamin C, licorice, retinol, and bakuchiol.
With its 2.1% concentration of Hyaluronic Acid and 4.0% level of Niacinamide, the Floodgate Hyaluronic Acid Serum will both hydrate and brighten while helping to flush out pores to keep skin healthy and clear. Curiously, there’s also 1.3% White Tea Leaf Extract — an intriguing antioxidant addition to the formula. More often, you see Green Tea Extract in skin care but white tea? Not so much!
Ghost Democracy shares this about their reasoning behind their inclusion of White Tea Leaf Extract: “One of the least processed tea extracts, white tea retains more of the plant’s antioxidants than black and green teas. High concentration of polyphenol and flavonoid content helps to reduce oxidative stress and protect skin.”
Now that’s good, clean skin care with a twist!
The Floodgate serum has a thicker, more pulpy texture that’s not the least bit sticky, which I found surprising. Oddly, it has a somewhat unappetizing odor to it which reminds me of the “hot dog water” smell that many people complain about over The Ordinary’s Marine Hyaluronics, one of my all-time favorite humectant serums.
What I like about it: As with so many skincare products, the Ghost Democracy Floodgate Hyaluronic Acid Serum is much more than its name implies. With a 4% concentration of Niacinamide and super clean formula, it’s a skin-brightening, antioxidant powerhouse that’s supremely pro-skin health. It’s well worth $34.
What I don’t like about it: I do wish it were housed in an opaque glass bottle. Exposing its sensitive antioxidants to light will only diminish their potency over time. Boo!
Who it’s for: All skin types.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Ghost Democracy Floodgate Hyaluronic Acid Serum for $34 here.
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The Ingredient List of the Youth To The People Triple Peptide + Cactus Hydrating + Firming Oasis Serum:
sii|h 0 0, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem (Prickly Pear Cactus) Extract 
so, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 cci, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 cci, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-28, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate h, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer sii|aox|h, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate h, Synthetic Sapphire, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract aox, Lens Esculenta (Lentil) Fruit Extract h, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract h, Nephelium Lappaceum Peel (Rambutan) Extract, Sodium PCA sii|h 0 0, Glutathione, Malachite Extract aox, Citric Acid buff, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose surf|vc 0 1, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate chel, Polyglutamic Acid h, 1,2-Hexanediol solv, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Sodium Lactate buff|h, Carbomer vc 0 1, Propanediol solv|h, Polysorbate 20 emu|surf 0 0, Hydroxyethylcellulose vc, Xanthan Gum vc, Phenoxyethanol pres, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Sodium Benzoate pres, Potassium Sorbate pres, Disodium Phosphate buff, Polysorbate 60 emu|surf, Benzyl Alcohol pres|perf|solv|vc, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Glyceryl Caprylate pres, Sodium Formate buff|pres, Sodium Glycolate buff, Sodium Phosphate buff, Benzoic Acid presThe Ingredient List of the Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5%:
sii|h 0 0, Propanediol solv|h, Hyaluronic Acid sii|h, Sphingolipids emo, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid h, Honey so|h|amic, Magnolol aox|sb, Hexylene Glycol solv|emu|perf|surf 0-1 0-2, Kaempferol aox|emo, Phospholipids sii|emo, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate aox|sb, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Apricot Kernel Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters emo|emu|surf, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate emu, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer vc, Sorbitan Palmate emo, Potassium Sorbate pres, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Sodium Dehydroacetate pres, Xanthan Gum vc, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Citric Acid buff, Phenoxyethanol presThe Ingredient List of the Purito DermHA-3 Serum:
sii|h 0 0, 1,2-Hexanediol (Solvents) solv, Panthenol (Strengthens Skin Barrier) so|h 0 0, Glycerin (Humectant) sii|h 0 0, Glyceryl Glucoside (Moisturizing Agent) h, Caprylyl Glycol (Skin-Conditioning Agent) h|emo, Pentylene Glycol (Skin-Conditioning Agent) solv|h, Hydroxyethylcellulose (Viscosity Increasing Agents) vc, Allantoin (Skin-Conditioning Agent) so 0 0, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate (Skin Protectant) so|h, Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent) chel, Malachite Extract (Skin-Conditioning Agents) aox, Copper Tripeptide-1(Skin Firming Agent) cci|so|aox, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid (Humectant) h, Hydroxyacetophenone (Antioxidants) aox, Ethylhexylglycerin (Skin-Conditioning Agent) pres, Madecassoside (Strengthens Skin Barrier) aox|so, Asiaticoside (Skin-Conditioning Agent) aox|perf, Asiatic Acid (Skin-Conditioning Agent) , Madecassic Acid (Skin-Conditioning Agent) , Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate (Humectant) hThe Ingredient List of the Ghost Democracy Floodgate Hyaluronic Acid Serum:
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, Phenoxyethanol pres, Ethylhexylglycerin pres
