My love for Rodial skincare is pretty obvious to those who follow me on Instagram. However, since the products aren’t exactly cheap (although they work absolute wonders), I thought it would be a good idea to try some skincare products from the more affordable sister brand Nip + Fab.

I have oily combination skin, with hormonal breakouts, so I like products that cleanse and exfoliate my skin thoroughly but still deliver moisture and don’t strip my skin leaving it dry.

My go to Rodial products are the Super Acids and the Dragon’s Blood range, so I decided for my Nip + Fab skincare experience I would try the Glycolic Scrub and Post-glycolic Moisturiser from the Glycolic Fix range and the Dragon’s Blood Plumping Serum from the Dragon’s Blood range.

I start my daily skincare routine with the scrub. It contains glycolic acid to gently exfoliate and retexture, as well as salicylic acid to cleanse pores. Perfect.

This scrub has a really refreshing scent of grapefruit, which is different to the Rodial Super Acids X-treme Scrub that has a more subtle smell of fruit. My A Love Affair with Beauty Mum has also tried the Nip + Fab one, and she finds the scent a little over-powering, but for me I find it really helpful for waking me up in the morning. In terms of exfoliation the small grains exfoliate just as well as the Rodial one and there are lots inside for a thorough cleanse of the skin. I would say the Rodial scrub is creamier than Nip + Fab, but I haven’t noticed any negative effects as a result. From my swatch below, you can see a little also goes a long way, and for a fraction of the price, the Nip + Fab one is definitely worth the money and will last ages.

Following exfoliation, I apply a generous blob of the Nip + Fab Dragon’s Blood Plumping Serum. Unfortunately, because I am a poor student I cannot afford the Rodial Dragon’s Blood serum so I can’t comment on it’s long term effect, however I have tried it during facials and the first thing I have noticed between the two serums is the colour. Whilst this one is a white translucent shade, the Rodial one has a definite red hue. Whether this is due to a higher concentration of Dragon’s Blood or possibly the Red Snow Algae in the Rodial version I am not entirely sure, but the Rodial serum does have Croton Lechleri Resin Extract (Dragon’s Blood) listed further up in the ingredients, so it would suggest the first point is correct.

Dragon’s blood soothes and protects your skin from environmental stressors. The Nip + Fab serum also contains hyaluronic acid, which plumps and rehydrates your skin without leaving it oily. All Dragon’s Blood products from Rodial have a very fruity scent, whilst the Nip + Fab serum smells faintly of citrus, confirming my thoughts on the ingredients content. It smooths onto my skin really well and sinks in easily. After daily use for a month now, my skin is noticeably brighter and feels more hydrated. Plus at a tenth of the price of the Rodial version, it is much more purse friendly!

Finally, I moisturise with the Post-Glycolic Moisturiser. Like the Glycolic Scrub, it smells like grapefruit which I love. It’s oil free and contains ingredients to reduce visible pores and help control excess oil production. Those of you who are ingredient savvy may want to know that this moisturiser contains silica. I think this is worth mentioning as many people are under the impression this is bad for you and your skin. Actually, silica is nothing to worry about, and it helps absorb oil and spread more evenly on your skin. Unlike crystalline silica which can cause silicosis, hydrated silica used in skincare is safe and only causes problems if you are allergic.

The Post-Glycolic Moisturiser also has SPF30 which protects your skin against harmful UV rays. As a result, it does leave a very faint white sheen to your skin, like a sun cream would, but once properly absorbed you are good to go!

Obviously because of the price difference between the two brands, the Rodial products are likely to contain more high performance ingredients. However, since they are sister brands, I feel the Nip + Fab products work really well, and more importantly still take care of your skin.

Have you tried Nip + fab Skincare?

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