I remember that Stratia Liquid Gold was quite popular on Instagram a little while ago. It was easily visible due to its bright yellow colour, and the name tripped off the tongue. Prior to this, my only reference to Liquid Gold was the cult favourite one from Alpha-H that I still use to this day.
When a friend asked if I might want to hop onto her order for a bottle to try, I jumped at it. Shipping is a flat rate direct from the website, so it made sense to share the order and save on shipping.
Stratia is a brand of skincare from the USA focused on science based ingredients. While this isn’t uncommon today, they aren’t as pretentious as many other brands out there *coughTheOrdinarycough* 😛 They also don’t have very many products in their range, which I’m fine with. It isn’t about having 300 products to sell, it is about having some and doing them well. Stratia must be, because I know of many people who hail the Liquid Gold as holy grail!
I was naturally quite curious, and quite excitedly gave this a go when it arrived. I have had this quite many months now, and I think I have formed my view 🙂
First, the Stratia Liquid Gold is formulated to be a moisturiser. However, the directions also say that it can be used as an overnight mask, if you apply a thicker layer at night.
What makes the Stratia Liquid Gold stand out as a product, is not only the bright, cheery yellow colour, but its ingredients. It contains, as its key ingredients, ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids and niacinamide. All these ingredients are well researched and well documented to help improve and protect your skin barrier. A strong skin barrier will slow down loss of moisture from your skin, which helps dry and dehydrated skin stay moisturised.
The bright yellow colour comes from sea buckthorn oil, which is an ingredient I like in moisturisers. It does have a rather strange scent, and does feel heavier on the skin (oily skins please take note!), but it moisturises skin beautifully! For this reason, while Stratia Liquid Gold can work for all skin types, I’d suggest it for someone with drier or dehydrated skin. If you have oily skin, it will feel too heavy.
I do also note that the bright yellow colour can show up on very fair or pale skin tones. So, this is another reason why you may want to use in your evening routine, as opposed to your morning routine. I have used it both in the morning and in the evening – I use less in the morning and a little more in the evening.
In terms of moisturising my skin and helping it recover from dryness or dehydration or simply irritation due to over-exfoliation, this product is quite stellar. I enjoy how it sinks into my skin and just quite literally plumps it up, and smoothens and soothes it as it goes. I will warn you that the texture is a touch heavy, and will not appeal to everyone. I am comfortable using it in the day (about half a pump) but most people won’t, unless you are comfortable with a more “dewy” feel on your skin. In the evenings, I use a full pump.
I was really happy with it, and to whoever who asked me back then, I said it was a wonderful, fairly affordable moisturiser that did amazing things for dry, dehydrated and irritated skin.
Then, I ran into a slight problem. I found that regular use caused me to break out. This is odd, because I am very used to using oil-based products, which help my skin a lot. Yet, for some reason, I was getting spots. Because I don’t break out much anymore, I knew it was to do with something I was using. When I stopped using this, I stopped breaking out. (I suspect Ceramides, because I also break out from Dr. Jart Ceramidin but I am not 100% sure as it could just be a coincidence. I also noted that it contains Squalane which is olive derived, and I’ve worked out that my skin does not take kindly to olive derived oils so it could be that too!)
I tried it again a few months later. Again, after about 2 weeks use, straight, I found myself developing spots again. I then shelved it, and was quite disparaging of it.
Then recently, I dug it out again. I’d dropped money on it, I didn’t want it to go to waste.
This time, I did not use the Stratia Liquid Gold everyday. I used it either as a day or night moisturiser a few times a week. And my skin liked it! Whew! 🙂 In between, I’d use other products, or just use an oil or balm or just go at my face with the other Liquid Gold 🙂
I’m not entirely sure why continued and regular use will break me out, but I’m not taking chances. Thus far, it’s working for me in this manner. So, as to whether I’d repurchase, the jury is out. It is a very good product on paper, and I like how it feels on my skin and what it does for me. But because I can’t use it as part of a regular daily routine, it’s putting a damper on my enthusiasm.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Stratia Liquid Gold is a yellow coloured oil-based moisturiser. It is best suited for those with dry, dehydrated or irritated skin that needs soothing. The product is chock-full of ingredients to help skin heal and to heal and strengthen the skin barrier to prevent further moisture loss. I do find that it calms skin, moisturises and even plumps it up. But I cannot use it too often, as I find that it breaks me out a little. It doesn’t smell lovely and perfumed, which is good for me, but it does smell a little musty, which may not appeal to everyone. It does look good though! 😀
PROS: Affordable, A little goes a long way, Calms irritated skin, Contains very good ingredients and oils to repair skin and strengthen skin barrier functions, Moisturises dry and dehydrated skin very well
CONS: Yellow colour can show up on very fair or pale skin tones, Breaks me out a little if I use it daily, Only available online
WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who has dry or dehydrated or irritated skin that needs calming and moisture
PRICE: US$24 for 60ml
WHERE TO BUY: Stratia website (Flat rate shipping worldwide)
For those interested, here is the ingredient list for Stratia Liquid Gold.
Have you tried Stratia Liquid Gold? Thoughts?
I have to say I’m curious about the other products in the range. There are at present, just 5 and they’re all pretty affordable. With flat rate shipping, it might make sense to get them all just to try eh? 😀 Any you’d recommend?
Paris B
Sounds nice! I’ll see if my mom is interested.
It’s actually quite good and I think it’s especially good for skin that’s more matured or for those who live where the climate is dry. I can only use it a few times a week, but when I do, I enjoy it.
I love Stratia Liquid Gold! I usually layer it thick on at night because its colour is quite noticeable on me in the day time. It never fails to repair my skin’s moisture barrier which is quite obvious when I go a little hard on my acids and retinol usage. I’ve also used Stratia’s Soft Touch AHA and absolutely love it! It’s mild but works very well over time. I’ve also used their cream cleanser before but I didn’t quite take to it. However I have a feeling that you might like it although it does have olive extracts and I’m not sure if it’ll break you out.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I am curious about their Soft AHA and am happy to know that it worked well for you. I do wish I enjoyed using Liquid Gold a little more. But then, I guess that’s how it is – at least one bottle will last me a long long while! LOL!
I agree on a lot of your points here. Except that for my dry, dehydrated, sensitive skin it doesn’t give me breakouts at all. It just give me nicely moisturised skin. If it wasn’t for the smell and discolouration I would love this very, very much.
On the other hand I’m very happy with the Soft Touch AHA. It’s mild but I does really work.
Happy this worked for you! I wish it did for me, because when it does, it’s very nice 🙂 Thanks for letting me know about the Soft Touch AHA – will definitely look into trying that some day 🙂