Alastin is an anti-aging skincare brand that’s been featured in many beauty publications and has won an award from InStyle. The brand claims that their products can support “aging in reverse” and uses “Smarter Science.”
But does Alastin use research-backed ingredients for reducing the appearance of aging? Does the brand use any unhealthy ingredients? And is Alastin better or worse than popular anti-aging brands like Introstem?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in two of the most popular Alastin products (Restorative Skin Complex and Tinted Sunscreen) to give our take on whether or not they’re effectively formulated.
We’ll also compare Alastin to other popular anti-aging skincare brands to pick our winners (and losers) from a formulation quality perspective.
Key takeaways:
- Both products analyzed contain many research-backed ingredients
- Both products analyzed contain one preservative we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend Alastin Skincare
Ingredient Analysis – Restorative Skin Complex
The ingredients in Alastin Restorative Skin Complex are shown below:
There are a number of ingredients in this formulation that have research backing for anti-aging effects.
Niacinamide can restore skin barrier function, as documented in a 2004 medical review.
Palmitoyl tripeptide-5 was shown to promote collagen synthesis in skin in a medical review published in the Pharmaceuticals journal.
Palmitoyl dipeptide-5, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 and acetyl hexapeptide-38 are other peptides, and topical peptides are clinically shown to have promising effects on wrinkle reduction and aged skin generally.
Glycolipids have a moisturizing effect on human skin according to a 2012 clinical trial.
There are many other active ingredients in this cream that we consider likely to have an anti-aging effect, but for the sake of brevity we’ll proceed to the only inactive ingredient that may be questionable from a health perspective.
Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative that’s clinically shown to be toxic to human cells, as we discussed in our Instantly Ageless reviews article.
Overall, we consider Alastin Restorative Skin Complex highly likely to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve skin quality, and from an efficacy standpoint, this may be the most impressive anti-aging cream we’ve reviewed to date on Illuminate Health.
We don’t currently recommend this product due to the inclusion of phenoxyethanol.
Ingredient Analysis – Tinted Sunscreen
The active ingredients in Alastin’s tinted sunscreen, called HydraTint Pro, are shown below:
Titanium dioxide is an effective and non-toxic physical sunscreen ingredient according to a medical review published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science.
Zinc oxide was shown to be effective and safe in the same above-linked medical review.
We consider “physical” sunscreen ingredients to be healthier than “chemical” ingredients that are absorbed into the bloodstream.
As we documented in our review of sunscreen brand Supergoop, some clinical studies have found chemical sunscreen ingredients like octocrylene to be toxic to humans, and other chemical sunscreen ingredients to be toxic to wildlife and natural ecosystems.
The inactive ingredients in Alastin’s sunscreen are shown below:
Ergothioneine was shown to have anti-aging effects in a 2020 clinical trial, and the study authors even concluded that the compound “should be used in the development of new skin care products or healthier sunscreen products.”
Dunaliella salina extract was shown to counteract skin aging in a clinical trial published in the Marine Drugs journal.
Squalane is an effective skin moisturizer, as we discussed in our itk Skincare reviews article.
Phenoxyethanol is included in this product, and we discussed the effects of this synthetic preservative in the previous ingredient analysis section.
Overall, we consider Alastin HydraTint Pro likely not only to protect the skin from sun, but also to have an anti-aging effect.
Like the previous product, this is one of the most effective sunscreens we’ve reviewed. However, we don’t currently recommend it from a health perspective, due to the inclusion of phenoxyethanol.
Alastin Skincare vs. Anti-Aging Brands
Here's how Alastin Skincare compares to other popular anti-aging skincare brands in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
Total Package Serum
Contains a synthetic preservative which is clinically shown to enhance the toxic effects of phenoxyethanol.
Both Alastin Skincare formulations we reviewed were healthier.
Winner: Alastin Skincare
Crépe Erase
Crepe Erase contains more inactive ingredients that we consider unhealthy than Alastin Skincare.
One such ingredient, as we documented in the above-linked article, is a synthetic preservative which is metabolized into a tumor-promoting compound.
Winner: Alastin Skincare
Introstem
Contains more inactive ingredients that we consider unhealthy than in Alastin Skincare.
Winner: Alastin Skincare
Our Clean Skincare Pick
MindBodyGreen Best Skin+ is our top anti-aging skin supplement.
It contains orange extract which is clinically shown to increase skin moisturization, skin elasticity and skin radiance.
This supplement also contains astaxanthin which is clinically shown to cause "wrinkle formation reduction."
This supplement is free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Alastin Skincare Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Should reduce wrinkles
- Should have anti-aging effects generally
- Should improve skin quality
- Extremely potent formulations
- Many research-backed ingredients
- Healthier than competitors
Cons:
- Extremely expensive
- Both products reviewed use a synthetic preservative that may be unhealthy
