Arcona Night Worker Product Review

 

Fall is my favorite time in New York. While spring holds the promise of the summer, I’ve always been drawn to the richness of autumn – the pumpkin spice lattes, gorgeous shades of foliage in Central Park, and thick chunky knit sweaters. And for my skin, it is a license to slather on thicker creams I would otherwise be too afraid to go near any other season. My exceptionally fussy skin despite its history of acne, sensitivity, and oiliness can tend to become a bit dry in the winter especially along my cheeks and forehead. 

So as I crank up the thermostat and indulge in everything that will absolutely envelop me in a blanket of warmth and nourishment, I’ve begun doing the same for my skincare. This brings me to a wonderful serum I’ve discovered from Arcona – The Night Worker. A name befitting of a superhero with results that actually match. 

Arcona’s Night Worker is an overnight serum that describes itself as a “reparative cream-gel that hydrates, brightens, and strengthens skin’s natural immune response while you sleep.” Looking at the ingredients list though and it’s obvious that this is basically a suped up Vitamin C serum. There are three types of Vitamin C including Magnesium Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, and Calcium Ascorbate, along with plant oils that are known to be carriers of Vitamin C including Black Currant, Evening Primrose, Lemon, and Grapefruit. “But you hate citrus oils!” – you say? Yes, I’m not a fan for citrus oils in many products as they can be photo-toxic and irritating but when used purposefully (i.e. for content rather than just fragrance) and in an overnight serum, I see little to complain about. In this case, Night Worker might as well be a crime fighting team consisting of a medley of Vitamin C agents with a sprinkle of Vitamin E as its sidekick. To round out the ingredients, there are also AHA’s such as Lactic Acid which isn’t for all skin types but it definitely helps with exfoliating dead skin to give back some glow to skin.

And it’s perfect for this season. The cream-gel is a rich pumpkin-orange color and smells like a creamy-rich peach. If you’ve noticed pretty much every sensory experience can be described with the word “rich” and that is no accident. This serum is recommend for normal-dry skin types because the cream-gel is a little thicker than other serums which tend to be lighter in texture. I would say the texture is similar to a normal moisturizer and for the same amount of product, this serum might actually be thicker than some moisturizers. Everything from the scent to texture is on the heavy side which is why I wouldn’t use this in the summer. But for this season, that bit of extravagance is not only tolerated by my skin but especially welcomed.

Not only does it keep my skin hydrated but I’ve also found that mixing in 2-3 drops of facial oil before applying it to skin takes away the need for any moisturizers afterward which actually saves me steps and allows me to use less products. When it comes to night time products, I don’t like to put on a lot because philosophy aside, I notice that my skin seems to respond better to 1-2 beneficial products rather than smothering it with 3-4 products. For that reason, I almost never use a moisturizer at night and my skin has never been smoother, clearer, or softer.

Back to the product itself. It’s recommended for use 1-2 times a week which I would follow as the one time I went to 3 resulted in some persistent redness that stayed for a full day. When obeying the instructions, I noticed that my skin reaped the rewards: soft delicate baby like skin the morning after. That’s right. You know how sometimes when you treat your skin right: drink more water than you normally drink, put a hot towel around your face before a gentle cleanse, drink a large thing of kale juice, what have you.. and you wake up the next day and your skin is practically saying “let’s show me off”? That is what you get with this serum. The combo of Vitamin C to brighten, smooth, and refine as well as Vitamin E to soften and Alpha Hydroxy Acids to eliminate dullness really work well together. 

I feel a sense of responsibility in what I recommend on my blog because I receive many e-mails telling me of how a reader “gave this product a try” based on my reviews or “discovered that line”. This is why I do my best to be truthful and considerate of my readers. At $48 for 1 oz, I can’t see any reason why one shouldn’t at least try this so I absolutely recommend Arcona’s Night Worker for it’s versatility, nourishing richness which is perfect for winter (drier skins may still need a moisturizer on top), and most of all, skin improving results. At $48, I really think taking the leap is worth it.