Found: A Face Oil That Intensely Hydrates My 42-Year-Old Skin Without Breaking It Out

We’ve been having a serious cold (and rainy) spell in LA, and it’s not ideal for me for many reasons. One, I hate driving in the rain (laugh all you want but I can’t help it, I was born here!); and two, my skin is straight-up pissed. Up until now, my skin has behaved pretty well this winter, aside from a few bumps, but now it’s rebelling against all of the tender loving care I’ve been giving it, and showing signs that it’s seriously stressed out. We’re talking dehydrated, dull, and not cute. Thankfully, hope has entered the building, and to my surprise, it’s in the form of a product that I am personally new to: a face oil. Allow me to introduce you to Tata Harper Superkind Bio-Shield Face Oil ($165).

How it works

Like I mentioned, face oils are a new thing for me. To be completely transparent, I deliberately ignored them for years, because I just did not feel comfortable putting face oils on my combination, breakout-prone skin. But things change when you get older, including skin. I already found myself needing extra hydration already—add in this brisker-than-normal weather, and desperate times call for desperate measures. I had to put my skepticism about face oils on pause. To make my foray into face oils a bit easier, Superkind was actually made for reactive skin, so this felt like a sign from the skin-care gods.

Another thing that I found interesting about this oil is it’s apparently the first hydrating facial oil with water circulation technology, but I wanted to know exactly what that meant. “The water circulation technology, used in the Superkind Bio-Shield Face Oil, works to optimize the skin’s hydration network to get water where it’s needed most,” explains founder Tata Harper. “It acts like a protective veil to retain the balance of water in the skin for optimal comfort and suppleness in three steps: trapping it, circulating it and sealing it. The Phytosterol Esters hold the water, Caprylic Acid optimizes the water circulation, and Chia and Noni Seed Oils strengthen the barrier to seal it all in. These three steps work together in improving the water homeostasis and retain the vital balance of water in the skin.”

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Harper also says that unlike traditional facial oils that only moisturize, Superkind Bio-Shield Face Oil was formulated with hygroscopic ingredients. “These ingredients work similarly to hyaluronic acid by pulling water from the environment into the skin to maintain the skin’s own natural water content,” she adds. Another highlight was the adaptogen ingredients.

The oil contains holy basil and reishi mushroom, so I wanted to get a derm’s opinion on what these ingredients can do for the skin. “Reishi mushroom is an amazing ingredient if you want to moisturize and detoxify your skin,” confirms Dr. Angela Lamb, MD, director of the Westside Mount Sinai Dermatology Faculty Practice and advisor for Veracity. “It also helps fight against premature aging, redness, and fine lines.” As for holy basil, which is also known as tulsi, Dr. Lamb says it helps to combat acne, reduce pigmentation and can help soothe skin conditions such as eczema.

My honest review

The first thing to know about Tata Harper Superkind Bio-Shield Face Oil is that it is a true face oil. It’s not a serum hybrid; when it goes on your skin, it does feel and look like oil. Then there’s the scent, which is a light, botanical fragrance. It’s magnificent; I could seriously smell it all day long.

Now comes the true test: application. At first, I mixed a couple drops of the oil with my face cream as a way to sort of ease it into my evening skincare routine. After doing that a couple of times, I removed the buffer and used the face oil directly on my skin as the last step of the night. My skin absorbed it right away, without leaving any greasy after-effects. I said a silent “thank you” after realizing that.

The next morning, my face did not feel tight or dry as it had been before that. It honestly looked glow-y, yet again, not greasy. And there were no signs of breakouts or reactions the first day or the rest of the week I tested it. I started using it along with the Crystal Gua Sha Spoon ($20), a 100 percent jade stone facial massage tool for sculpting and depuffing. (You can also buy it as a set for $170.) This little self-care step has become my favorite moment of the night. I guess I was in dire need of a ritual! I’m ready for this winter weather to go away, but I’m happy that Superkind has convinced me that I’m becoming a face oil gal. Who knew?