I have been using a spicule serum from another Korean company for over a year, applying it about every three days, so I am familiar with the prickly feeling and how my skin reacts when using spicules. This YYY serum is a bit different as the spicules are not as harsh, and I can actually use this serum every evening without any issues or redness. The serum is a bit thick when it first comes out of the bottle (love the Y dropper) but once I started distributing onto the face, it was easy to spread and quickly absorbed into my skin. As I patted it down, I could feel the prickliness of the spicules, but it was not painful, I used about a half dropperful (about 4 drops) for my whole face, keeping away from my eyes (although it claims this serum can be using around the eyes) and I did not use it on my neck. After the serum, I add only a bakuchiol moisturizer. Although I can easily use this nightly, because I don't want to combine it with some of my other actives, I plan to use it every one to two nights. I have noticed that in the morning my face looks nice and feels very soft, I no longer feel the spicules, and I have not had any negative reactions from applying this serum. This is a nice, more gentle spicule serum that has PDRN and Carnosine added to it. It is still too early to tell how this will benefit my skin in the long run, but for now I do like the results that I see after only using it for about almost two weeks, my skin seems smoother and more hydrated.

I'm always on the lookout for serums that target specific problem areas I have ~ in this case, the laugh lines from the corners of my mouth to the sides of my nose. The list of fancy ingredients and how they all work together is impressive. It sounds very promising ~ we'll see!The purple tinted frosted glass bottle is very attractive ~ the rubber Y on top squeezes the serum into the glass dropper. The serum itself is thick-ish, clear and unscented. I used 5 drops, concentrating on my laugh lines and cheeks. I have rosacea, and my face immediately turned bright red as I was patting it on, but just as quickly it went back to normal. It's unusual for a serum to react that way on me. It did absorb easily, was a bit tacky at first, but that soon settled down. After a few minutes, I put on some moisturizer.Rufus has specific info about the best way to use this serum and when (nighttime is recommended which I didn't do). Important to note ~ only use 2-3 times a week for the first 1-2 weeks till your skin gets used to it, then gradually increase. Good to know! This leads me to believe the serum is quite potent, along with the immediate reaction my rosacea had to it. Take it slowly if you have very sensitive skin!I'll keep using this serum and just concentrate on my laugh lines for a month or so, hoping over time they will look softer. So the jury's still out on how beneficial this serum will be, but so far it appears it could be quite effective.

I like that it's not particularly thick, and is able to absorb well into my skin without a heavy creaminess. My skin has a little more softness and a bit of a tightened effect to it after application. I can't really detect much of a scent, which is a major plus, since facial products can feel overwhelming if there is too much of one.I reduced a star because my skin feels a little sensitive to the product. It doesn't make me feel sensitive long term, but I do feel it, and with that in mind, I will test it on specific areas more cautiously.The glass bottle is a nice touch and adds some elegance to my counter.

Spicule serums are an interesting concept.Essentially they work by making very tiny punctures into the very outer layer of the skin, allowing for penetration of the other components contained in the serum. They aren't the same as microneedling, which makes larger, longer holes into the underlying dermis.But spicules can still be helpful.This product has distinctive packaging and an impressive list of ingredients. It is made in Korea, so I'm not certain of the quality control standards.Out of an abundance of caution, I tried a test spot on my forearm. This product appears colorless when applied, and feels slightly viscous. Almost immediately I felt a very mild tingling, but nothing unpleasant. Within a short period of time I thought I could detect a slight decrease in the faint lines of my skin. I felt comfortable enough with those results to gently pat a tiny amount of this product into a very small area on my face a few days later, and once again felt that I could see a very faint softening of a few of the very fine lines in that area. The tingling was no worse on my face than on my forearm.Because spicules can stay active for a couple of days up to possibly a couple of weeks, I will be proceeding very gradually with this treatment, especially because in general my skin is fairly sensitive.But so far I think this product has promise. I haven't had any untoward reactions, and the purchase price makes it well worth trying.

The YYYLab Carnosine Age Defying Serum arrives in a cute silver box. Glass bottle feels and looks good quality. Lid is easy to unscrew, and a glass dropper is attached. Korean made, but ingredients are also listed in English. There are a lot of ingredients, which makes it difficult to decide where to put the serum in your skincare routine. Of the actives, Niacinamide is toward the beginning of the list, and retinol is toward the end.This is a light to medium thickness, water based serum. Purple in the bottle but absorbs clear on your skin. Spreads easily and isn't sticky after fully dry. Love that there's no scent! Slight tingling, but it didn't irritate my sensitive skin otherwise. This serum feels more toning than hydrating.There's nothing wrong with this serum, but I wasn't impressed by it. I didn't notice any benefit to my skin, and I couldn't pinpoint which ingredient caused the tingling. May be worth a try if you just enjoy trying different Korean skincare brands.