Farmacy Honey Glow 17% AHA + BHA Resurfacing Acid Serum Review

Farmacy Beauty started 2024 with a potent new launch aka Farmacy Honey Glow Serum. I received it as a pre-launch gift from the brand to test and try. I’ll share my thoughts with you but first let’s take a deeper look to see what it new and what should be expected from this serum.

As it is evident from the full name, Honey glow is a very potent resurfacing acid serum. 17% AHA + BHA is a very strong concentration so this one surely is not for the weak of hearts. It is clinically proven to reduce the look of finalizes and pores to reveal a smooth glowing skin. If you are familiar with Farmacy Honeymoon Glow, just know that this new Honey Glow serum is a more potent form of that serum where concentration of acids has been raised from 14% in honeymoon glow to the 17% in Honey Glow.

So what is in Farmacy Honey Glow serum? Well the full ingredients list can be found at the product pages on Sephora and Farmacy beauty websites so I am going to focus on the key ingredients only.

Highlighted Ingredients:

• 17% AHA+BHA acid blend : It exfoliates, smooths skin texture and reduces the appearance of pores.
• Hyaluronic Acid & Proprietary Buckwheat Honey : Provide intense hydration and instantly boost moisture level of skin
• Upcycled Prickly Pear : Soothes skin to keep the irritation at bay after this intense resurfacing action

Formula is a yellow-ish liquid which is neither too thin/ watery nor too viscous but just the right thickness to spread and absorb in the skin. It feels like a liquid gel and is thinner compared to older honeymoon glow serum. Scent is identical to it’s predecessor , that is a the scent of acid complex which is not too off-putting because it dissipates fast after applying on skin.

After comparing Farmacy Honey Glow with Honeymoon Glow, The only notable difference in both formulas is the concentration of AHA+BHA complex. That being said, if you were already using or have used Honeymoon Glow before, you may be able to jump right on to using Farmacy Honey Glow serum every other night. I’ll not recommend using it every night, instead try to rotate it with a good barrier building serum every other night. Why is that you ask? because sometimes too much of a good things also becomes bad. Over exfoliation is never a good idea and lead you to more problematic skin.

Other precaution is to use it strictly at night only and must use a good sunscreen with at least spf30+ during the day. Using sunscreen during the day is something I will always advice you to do even when you are not using any strong actives in your routine. Just make it a habit to reach for sunscreen every day no matter it is sunny or cloudy and thank me later.

5 Benefits in 5 Nights:

That is the claim posted on Farmacy’s product page. Brand promises 5 glowing benefits after just 3 uses that will be over the period of 5 nights as you use this serum every other night. So here are the promised benefits

• Smooth texture
• Reduced pore visibility
• Boosted glow
• Hydrated skin
• Exfoliation

My Take:

I am a better safe than sorry kind of person so even though I am used to of advanced and potent acid treatments, I started using this serum once a week and gradually increased the frequency to every other night over a period of almost four weeks. Initially, On application I felt a very noticeable tingling sensation that wasn’t too uncomfortable but very much there. It however subsided within five minutes. Now that I am using it every other night and my skin has adopted to it, the tingling is still there but less intense and quick to sooth out.

I didn’t have texture issue still I feel my skin looks much more smoother and radiant. I didn’t notice much difference in the appearance of pore sizes but honestly I don’t think that is possible with just few applications. There might be some difference but not enough for me to easily pin point but I am keeping an open mind and will give it at least a few weeks before I expect to start seeing any visible reduction in pores.

All other claims are however reasonable verified with the short term application. Overall it is a great exfoliating serum and IMO if used correctly and consistently, following all the precaution, you will be able to see very visible results in a few weeks. Last piece of advice, if you have very sensitive skin, do a patch test on your jaw first and go real slow. Listen to your skin before you decide to increase the frequency of application. Stay safe and Stay beautiful in your own skin.

Price & Size:

Price: $60/C$81 Size: 1oz/30ml

You can shop it from FARMACY and save 20% with my discount code SAIMA20 (Affiliate) Check Offers for more

Also available at Sephora