Sidmool Secret of Red Astaxanthin Concentrate Review

I always had problem with defining my skin undertone: warm or cool? Yellow or pink? When I look on my hands I would say I have yellow undertone, but then my face is obviously pink. Pink to the point when it started to annoy me. And I'm no talking about pink cheeks (I think everyone know as least one person who has always pink cheeks ;) ), but about the whole face being pink, like I'm constantly blushed.
In my flat the bathroom mirror is hung perpendicularly to the toilet. So whenever I go to the loo I'm used to see something pink in my peripheral vision - my pink, not necessarily beauty, face. But one morning when I went half awake to my bathroom I almost had a heart attack when I caught a glimpse of something white in the mirror. I came closer and could not believe my eyes - my face was pale and bright. What happened? Well, I'm using Sidmool Astaxanthin Concentrate from over a month.

Product description: Secret of deep ocean - astaxanthin, natural anti-oxidant for milky skin.
How to use: after the essence, apply an appropriate amount gently around the eyes or spread over face with gentle pat.

Astaxanthin is natural pigment of animals and plants, giving them red colour. It's in shells of prawns, crabs and lobsters, feathers of flamingos and in salmon's muscles. Astaxanthin has ability of absorbing UV rays and it's one of the strongest known antioxidants - it is estimated that astaxanthin can be up to six times more effective as an anti-oxidant than vitamin E and Beta-karoten! Astaxanthin also accelerates skin renewal process, strengthens the protective function of the epidermis, prevents water loss from skin, stimulates production of collagen and elastin. Applied topically can reduce melanin production by as much as 40%.
Sidmool's concentrate is made of Astaxanthin in 98,7% . Remaining 1,3% of the product is Butylene Glycol (solvent) and plant extracts: grapefruit extract (rich in vitamin C, brightening and purifying), eucalyptus and clove extracts (antibacterial), Sophora Angustifolia extract (inhibiting melanin production) and Yuzu fruit extract (skin brightening).
Looking just at the ingredients product seems to be perfect for skin battling with first signs of ageing, acne and pigmentation - perfect for me then!

INCI: Astaxanthin, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Cellulose Gum
Ingredients Analysis [HERE]

Product is in a plastic 30ml bottle with pump applicator. The bottle is packed in  characteristic for Sidmool brown cardboard box. The concentrate is runny, so to apply it I first have to pump some on my palm and then pat into skin. I use two or three pumps for my whole face - two if I want to top it up with some other products, three if I finish my skin care regimen with it.

The liquid is a bit oily, takes a while to absorb and leaves filmy feeling on skin. Maybe some dryer skins would find it suitable for day use, for my oily skin is a nighttime only product. It's perfect to use after high frequency treatment - after Darsonval my skin is a bit dried out and absorbs everything like crazy. After treatment  concentrate is absorbed so well that I can easily top it up with some other product, for example Baviphat Sleeping Pack.

My product is running low and the pump catches air - that's why the bubbles appear

After application my skin is moisturised, smooth and soft. I didn't have any breakout in a while (suspicious =.=), so I'm not sure how the product would work for severe acne sufferers. For me it does fantastic job of toning down my skin tone, which is now brighter and more even. I'm not pink like a piglet any more, finally my face doesn't stand out from my neck so much. I don't know what had caused this pinkness on my face at the first place, but whatever it was it has been defeated by Sidmool :)

Piglet no more!

Price: approx. £10 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ moisturises and smooths skin
+ evens out skin tone, brightens
+ very good ingredients with high astaxanthin content
+ considering the outstanding results very cheap

Cons:
- a bit oily
- takes a while to absorb

Summary: I am really pleased with this product, I'm about to finish off my bottle and I'm sure I'm going to buy it again. I think this product will stay on my "Certainty list" - products I rely on and always keep them handy in case some new product won't work out. I am pleasantly surprised how even my skin tone is now and I'm sure it's thanks to this particular product and the moment I am using up all my "old" skincare - Hada Labo Kiwamizu, Purebess Snail Gel, Baviphat Sleeping Pack - none of them has such a powerful whitening properties. The only thing that makes me wonder is why I noticed the change in my skin tone so suddenly - but it's probably because when I get up to work it's dark yet and when I'm coming back from work is dark already, at work I wear make up so for a long time I didn't have chance to have a look at myself in natural light.