There’s a high possibility that your favorite celebrity—you know the one with stunning skin—has sought out the handiwork of Shani Darden. As an esthetician, her goal is to teach clients how to best care for their complexions and help them feel beautiful from the inside out. Having tested and tried plenty of the skin-care products on the market, Darden saw an opportunity to create the Shani Darden Skin Care collection.
“I launched my first product, Retinol Reform, nine years ago because I couldn’t find what I wanted. At the time, I never thought about building a whole skin-care business,” says Darden. But because she worked with a variety of people of different ethnic backgrounds, with different skin types, and of all different ages, she learned which ingredients really work on the skin. “My clients were always asking me about launching more products,” she says, “so I finally decided to take that knowledge and put it into developing my own skin-care line.”
The response has been nothing but amazing. People can’t get enough of the products and the healthy skin that they create as a result. For those of you on a budget or just getting into skin care and unsure about where to begin, Darden says, “I created my line with the idea of mixing and matching. You don’t have to use the full line to get the individual benefits. The most important thing is to use products that are right for your skin type, and everyone’s skin is different.” Ahead, she’s sharing what she loves about the go-to products in her collection and the benefits of each.
You might notice that shopping on this page is a little different than what you’re used to. Never fear; we’ll talk you through it. With the Well+Good SHOP, you can now add products to your cart right from this article page. Just click on a product below and more details will pop up in a new window. Hit “add to cart” and voila! That’s it! As you read more SHOP articles, you can keep adding products to your cart and check out when you’re ready (look for the cart icon on the right side of your screen).
1.Shani Darden Skin Care Cleansing Serum
“I wanted to develop something gentle and effective to use in the studio and at home that leaves skin feeling clean and fresh but never tight,” says Darden. “Cleansing Serum creates a soft lather to remove makeup and pore-clogging impurities without stripping skin or over-drying. It’s what I start every facial with in the studio—and it’s packed with hyaluronic acid and oat bran extract to restore skin’s moisture and olive extract to calm skin.”
2.Shani Darden Skin Care Retinol Reform
“Retinol Reform is what I recommend to all of my clients to keep their skin glowing in between facials.” This retinol was created to address fine lines, wrinkles, uneven texture, dullness, and a loss of firmness. “It uses a time-release encapsulated retinol, which helps to minimize irritation that is often experienced with retinol products,” she explains. This retinol also contains lactic acid which brightens and smooths skin, “so you get both immediate benefits and long-term results,” says Darden. People love it so much it comes in a regular size and travel size.
3.Shani Darden Skin Care Weightless Oil-Free Moisturizer
“Throughout the years I have seen so many clients with congestion and clogged pores due to using the wrong moisturizer. This oil-free fast-absorbing moisturizer features hyaluronic acid and hydrolyzed collagen to provide weightless hydration without clogging pores or causing breakouts.”
4.Shani Darden Skin Care Intensive Eye Renewal Cream with Firming Peptides
This eye cream can be used both day and night, according to Darden. “It’s a luxurious formula that absorbs well into the skin and works great underneath makeup, giving you a plump and hydrated base for daytime use.” The cream features peptides to plump and firm your skin, silk tree extract to brighten your skin, squalane to provide hydration, and niacinamide to fight wrinkles.
5.Shani Darden Skin Care Sake Toning Essence
“This brightening, mattifying formula is the best of a toner and essence in one formula. Many toners can strip skin, but this alcohol-free formula provides treatment benefits without being harsh.” Sake water is a powerful antioxidant that brightens skin and Sebocytine helps to control oil production and refines the look of pores, says Darden.
Want to be the first to hear about the latest (and greatest) SHOP product drops, custom collections, discounts, and more? Sign up to have the intel delivered straight to your inbox.
Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.