Table of Contents
1. Introduction
I recently made a post on facts about Pycnogenol. And then another one on Pycnogenol supplements. And in the last installment of the Pycnogenol saga, you’ll find some Pycnogenol skincare products that I highly recommend.
Ok, this is my third and last post on Pycnogenol, I promise. There won’t be a fourth sequel. I don’t want to turn Pycnogenol into the Rocky of skincare blogs. This is a trilogy. Bowie and Kieślowski did trilogies, so why not me?
Scroll down to the end of the post to view the ingredient list of all products!
If you buy from one of my affiliate links, you won’t incur any additional charges and I will just earn a very small commission that will help this blog to keep going.
2. Do you need skincare products with Pycnogenol?
There’s a couple of things that you need to know before you decide if you wish to invest in skincare products with Pycnogenol.
Lack of studies on topical Pycnogenol
Τhere is barely any research on the effects of skincare products with Pycnogenol. There are trials that reported positive outcomes for various skin concerns, such as hyperpigmentation and psoriasis. But in most, if not all of these trials, the participants took Pycnogenol orally. They didn’t apply it on their skin.
However, an in vitro study found that Pycnogenol is absorbed when applied topically.
Pycnogenol contains a cocktail of antioxidants
Pycnogenol contains various antioxidants, including Ferulic Acid, Caffeic Acid, Catechin and Oligomeric Procyanidins. Even if these antioxidants don’t make a dramatic difference on your skin, they are very likely to protect it from oxidative stress. And it makes sense to me to apply beauty products with Pycnogenol straight onto your skin for maximum effect.
This is why, despite the lack of research, I believe that Pycnogenol is an ingredient worth including in your arsenal of skincare ingredients. I personally use it everyday, along with other antioxidants.
3. The Ordinary Pycnogenol 5%
I am a big fan of The Ordinary Pycnogenol 5%, for various reasons.
High concentration
This product contains 5% Pycnogenol, the highest percentage l ‘ve seen in cosmetics. And I like the fact that you know exactly what you get.
In contrast to ingredients such as Retinol and Ascorbic acid, the concentration of Pycnogenol is rarely stated in skincare products. I suspect that most of them contain 1-2 % max and possibly way less than that.
Affordable
This product lasts a long time. Because of the very high concentration of Pycnogenol, you only need a very small amount: I use 1-2 drops daily on my face and 2 drops on my neck.
I don’t recommend you use more: the only other ingredient in the formula is Propanediol, a glycol that leaves a very tacky finish if you apply a lot. And I really don’t think you need more than a few drops to reap the benefits of topical Pycnogenol.
Source of various antioxidants
Pycnogenol is a plant extract that contains a potent mix of Polyphenols: Procyanidins, Catechins, Taxifolin, and even Ferulic acid and Caffeic acid. So, this product is essentially an antioxidant booster. I do combine it with other potent antioxidants, such as Ascorbic Acid, Resveratrol and Astaxanthin.
Buy from Boots (UK residents only)
4. Azelique Serumdipity Age Refining Pycnogenol
This is an interesting and affordable serum with Pycnogenol, sold exclusively on iHerb. The percentage of Pycnogenol is not stated on the label. However, I think that the beige colour of this serum is an indication that it contains a good amount of Pycnogenol.
If you’re into plant extracts with antioxidant properties, you’ll probably like this. It contains Barley, Celery Seed and Bilberry extracts.
5. Niod Survival 0
Survival 0 is one of my favourite skincare products. It contains Pycnogenol, as well as various other ingredients with antioxidant and photoprotective properties: Astaxanthin, Lutein, Superoxide Dismutase and Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol and Tomato Fruit Extract. It is the perfect booster for your sunscreen.
And it doesn’t stop there: it also contains Algae extracts, Amino acids and the Prebiotics Alpha-glucan oligosaccharide and Inulin.
It is perfect for the under-eye area too.
Considering all the beneficial ingredients it contains, its price is deceptively low. I am not aware of any other serum with such a great variety of beneficial ingredients at this price point.
Lookfantastic doesn’t always have it in stock, but I’ve put an affiliate link below anyway. BeautyBay usually does have it in stock.
6. Niod Survival SPF 30
Survival SPF 30 is one of the best mineral sunscreens on the market. Its faint beige colour is exclusively due to the antioxidants it contains, including Pycnogenol. Because of its colour, it doesn’t leave a noticeable white cast like other mineral sunscreens.
If you have a dark skin tone and mineral sunscreens make you look like a ghost, Survival SPF 30 might look better on your skin.
It contains the exact same antioxidants as the above-mentioned Survival 0, minus the Astaxanthin.
It also has a very nice finish and it plays very well with other skincare products. It even makes imperfections less visible to some extent.
However, just like many mineral sunscreens, it may take some effort to remove!
7. Niod Survival SPF 20
This has the same formula as Niod Survival 30 but it has an SPF 20. According to the Deciem website, the actual SPF is 22.7. And compared to Survival 30, it has a higher amount of antioxidants in order to compensate for the lower SPF. So, perhaps it contains more Pycnogenol than Survival 30.
This is not recommended when the UV Index is high, i.e. when the sun is strong. But I think it is fine to use during winter days with a low UV Index, especially if you spend most of the day indoors and not very close to a window with plenty of light. Or if you get up when I do, which is why I often use Survival 20 during winter. Please don’t ask me what time I get up.
8. Derma E Sensitive Skin Cleanser
This is a mild and affordable cleanser with Pycnogenol that has very good reviews on iHerb. Other soothing ingredients in the formula are Panthenol, Green Tea Extract, Chamomile Extract and Allantoin.
This is a rinse-off cleanser, so inevitably a portion of these beneficial ingredients is also rinsed. But I still think that can have a positive effect on sensitive skin.
I think this cleanser doesn’t foam up or it only foams up slightly. So, if you’re into foaming cleansers, it might not be for you. Also, it may not remove stubborn make-up efficiently, but I think it’s ideal as the second cleanser in a double-cleansing routine. It’s also perfect as a morning cleanser.
9. Buying from iHerb
iHerb ships from the US. So, unless you live in the US, I suggest you keep the cost of your order to a minimum to avoid those dreaded customs charges! Unless you choose shipping with a courier that includes these charges.
If you live in the EU, new rules apply from July 2021. You now always pay taxes when placing an order, even if the order value is below 22 euros. Taxes are calculated in the cart and paid when you place the order.
This is probably for the best. In some countries, the charges that you had to pay to the Post Office for collecting the taxes were often way higher than the taxes themselves! Also sometimes, the custom clearance process took months to complete.
And since you don’t have to worry about the 22 euro threshold, you can take advantage of the Free shipping option, which is about 34 euros.
10. Ingredient Lists
Water, hydrolyzed jojoba esters, glycerin, hordeum vulgare seed extract, pinus pinaster (pine) bark extract (Pycnogenol®), sodium hyaluronate, thymus vulgaris (thyme) extract, vaccinium myrtillus fruit extract, acacia senegal gum, apium graveolens (celery) seed extract, sodium phytate, xanthan gum, citric acid, alcohol, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin.
Purified water, glycerin (vegetable derived), propanediol (vegetable derived), decyl glucoside (plant derived), stearyl alcohol (plant derived), panthenol (provitamin B5), pinus pinaster (pycnogenol) bark extract, allantoin, organic camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract*, organic aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) gel extract*, organic chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract*, cymbopogon schoenanthus (lemon grass) extract, xanthan gum, glyceryl stearate citrate (vegetable derived), potassium sorbate, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin.
11. References
Belcaro G, Luzzi R, Hu S, et al. Improvement in signs and symptoms in psoriasis patients with Pycnogenol® supplementation. Panminerva Med. 2014;56(1):41-48.
Ni Z, Mu Y, Gulati O. Treatment of melasma with Pycnogenol. Phytother Res. 2002;16(6):567-571.
Packer L, Rimbach G, Virgili F. Antioxidant activity and biologic properties of a procyanidin-rich extract from pine (Pinus maritima) bark, pycnogenol. Free Radic Biol Med. 1999;27(5-6):704-724.
Sarikaki, V. & Rallis, Michail & Tanojo, Hanafi & Panderi, Irene & Dotsikas, Yannis & Loukas, Yannis & Papaioannou, G. & Demetzos, Costas & Weber, Stefan & Moini, Hadi & Maibach, Howard & Packer, L.. (2004). In Vitro Percutaneous Absorption of Pine Bark Extract (Pycnogenol) in Human Skin. Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology. 23. 149-158. 10.1081/CUS-200035353.
Davinelli S, Nielsen ME, Scapagnini G. Astaxanthin in Skin Health, Repair, and Disease: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients. 2018;10(4):522. Published 2018 Apr 22.
Roberts RL, Green J, Lewis B. Lutein and zeaxanthin in eye and skin health. Clin Dermatol. 2009;27(2):195-201.
Younus H. Therapeutic potentials of superoxide dismutase. Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2018;12(3):88-93.
Zeng Y, Pu X, Du J, et al. Molecular Mechanism of Functional Ingredients in Barley to Combat Human Chronic Diseases. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2020;2020:3836172. Published 2020 Mar 30.
Nonell S, García-Díaz M, Viladot JL, Delgado R. Singlet molecular oxygen quenching by the antioxidant dimethylmethoxy chromanol in solution and in ex vivo porcine skin. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2013;35(3):272-280.
Camargo FB Jr, Gaspar LR, Maia Campos PM. Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulations. J Cosmet Sci. 2011;62(4):361-370.
Prasanth MI, Sivamaruthi BS, Chaiyasut C, Tencomnao T. A Review of the Role of Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) in Antiphotoaging, Stress Resistance, Neuroprotection, and Autophagy. Nutrients. 2019;11(2):474. Published 2019 Feb 23.
Ferreira, Elaine & Vasques, Christiane & Jesus, Cristine & Reis, Paula. (2015). Topical effects of Chamomilla Recutita in skin damage: A literature review. Pharmacologyonline. 3. 123.
What’s your experience with Pycnogenol skincare products? Leave a comment below!
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