A while ago, I picked up a bunch of Leahlani skincare products. Leahlani is an indie skincare brand that hails from Hawaii, made with natural ingredients and with a holistic slant to the brand and its products. I told you before about their most popular product – the Leahlani Mermaid Mask. But there was another one I came across, that received a lot of raves – the Leahlani Siren Serum.
The reason I was interested, is because the Leahlani Siren Serum says that it is for a radiant complexion. It is supposed to be a radiance-boosting serum, made of oils that are rich in Vitamin A and C, fatty acids and carotenoids that help promote cell regeneration and repair. It sounds promising. Besides, reviews were glowing. Pun intended LOL! 😀
Naturally therefore, I was very curious. I am always up to try something that promises skin radiance.
But first, the “Siren” isn’t that blaring loud noise ok? 😀 This serum is anything but loud and blaring. It instead takes its name from women who, with their beautiful singing voices, lure sailors onto rocks. Ok, maybe they didn’t mean to adopt that last bit 😛
But Leahlani says that they will lure you in with the scent that is of pure Hawaiian sunshine. I have never been to Hawaii, and I’m not sure what their sunshine smells like, but I’ll tell you about it a little further on.
The first thing I have to say is that I love the texture. It is a blend of oils, and feels very lightweight in texture. It isn’t very oily, and it does absorb quickly into the skin. Best to apply it on damp skin, so mist before applying. Because it is a blend of oil and other ingredients, there will be some separation if you leave it alone. For this reason, shake it up to mix, before pumping out to use.
I use one pump. It doesn’t look like very much, but it is enough. It has an oil feel, remember, so if you use too much, it may feel heavy for those who are unfamiliar with using a facial oil.
The immediate feeling on my skin is one of relief. My skin feels lovely and hydrated and plumped (I attribute this to the sea buckthorn oil) and it feels very comfortable.
To be honest however, I don’t quite notice much radiance boosting, when I use this product on its own. I was using it for a while a few months ago, but my main takeaway from the Leahlani Siren Serum is that it makes for nice facial oil serum, that leaves my skin feeling hydrated and comfortable.
Does it regenerate? I don’t know. How do you measure these things at home? My skin feels nice, that much I’d agree. It feels nourished. But I do wonder if it is also because this is just like a facial oil for me. Facial oils that have good blends, tend to make my skin feel this way. It has a light texture, that feels almost similar to the Trilogy Beauty Oil (if you have it, then you will have an idea).
But one thing allows the Leahlani Siren Serum to stand out – the scent that they say lures you in. And it will, because it is quite strong.
Now, to me, this either a scent you’d love or that you’d prefer if it was lighter. I fall into the latter category. The Leahlani Siren Serum, to me, smells of orange sherbet. It has a strong citrus scent that feels almost fizzy on the nose. Again, this is pleasant for most. Almost every review you read will wax lyrical about how lovely and uplifting the scent it.
For me, and my sensitive nose, I do find myself wrinkling my nose each time I use this, because I don’t quite like the fresh-squeezed orange smell on my face. I don’t mind earthy scents, herbals scents or natural murky scents. But floral and fruity scents on my skin don’t sit well with my senses. This is a personal preference, so it shouldn’t influence your decision. But it bears mention.
For me therefore, I’m afraid I never quite saw much improvements from using the Leahlani Siren Serum. It is a very lovely facial oil. It leaves my skin feeling hydrated, soothed and plumped. My skin feels and looks lovely when I use it. I don’t like the scent however, so I’ll use it up, but not repurchase.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Leahlani Siren Serum is supposed to be a radiance boosting serum. The texture is that of a lightweight oil that absorbs readily into the skin (preferably use it on damp skin) and does not feel greasy. I find that my skin feels softened and hydrated. But I don’t particularly notice its radiance boosting qualities. I much prefer using a Vitamin C serum for that purpose. So, I’d pair this oil with a Vitamin C serum. It also has a very strong citrus scent that can be either a bit too sweet, or refreshing, depending on your scent preferences. It is a nice serum. But I’m not quite sure that it actually boosts skin radiance.
PROS: Lightweight oil texture absorbs readily into skin, Makes skin feel soft and smooth and comfortable, Hydrates skin and softens skin, Well packaged with a good pump mechanism
CONS: I didn’t notice significant results of skin radiance, Citrus scent is too strong for my preference
WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who likes using facial oils
PRICE: RM195 | £47 | US$48 for 30ml
WHERE TO BUY: Caliata (MY), Leahlani, Cult Beauty
For those interested in what’s in the Leahlani Siren Serum, here’s the ingredient list.
Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, *Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Oil CO2, Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Peel Oil Expressed, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cymbopogon Martinii (Palma Rosa) Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Angustifolia (Lavender) Herb Oil, Canaga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Leaf Oil, *Citrus Paradisii (Pink Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile Roman) Flower Oil, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Leaf Oil, Salvia Sclarea (Clary Sage) Flower Oil, Eriocephalus Punctulatus (Chamomile Cape) Flower Oil, Aniba Roseodora (Rosewood) Oil, *Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Red) Peel Oil, *Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Flower Oil, Boswelia Carterii (Frankincense) Resin Extract, Cistus Ladaniferus (Rock Rose) Leaf Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Matricaria Recutita (Chamomile German) Flower Oil, Rosa Demasce- na (Rose Otto) Flower Oil, Rosa Demascena (Rose Otto) Flower Extract, *Spirulina Platensis Extract *organic
Do note that citrus essential oils can irritate sensitive skin, so if your skin is particularly sensitive, you might want to be cautious about using this product.
Have you tried this Leahlani Siren Serum? What say you?
It’s actually very popular, and I don’t deny that its aesthetics are very friendly to the eye. Many have reported positive results using it, so perhaps, if you don’t already use any active serums, or prefer a more natural approach, then this might help you. Personally, I’d stick to my Vitamin C serums 🙂
Paris B
Personally, I didn’t like this serum at all. Although it is said to contain micro algae to boost cellular energy and promote new cell growth, the consistency of it is quite greasy for the serum and the smell is not pleasant. I totally agree with you than Vitamin C serums are much better!