In October 2016, I dropped some serious cash in a Yuli Skincare haul.
While my original intent was to restock my beloved Pure mask (in the big size!), I just knew I had to go ahead and try three other often-raved about products in the collection.
This includes:
While all three impressed me (more reviews to come), I’m most excited about Yuli Liquid Courage.
Why I’m Smitten with Yuli Liquid Courage
Described as an “antioxidant serum powerhouse,” Yuli Liquid Courage contains more than 20 essential key actives that defend your skin from free radicals, reduce environmental stress and improve the texture of your skin.
But the key actives that really piqued my interest when originally researching this serum years ago?
You guessed it.
Vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid — also known as the three musketeers of skincare goodness.
Yuli uses tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a stable, oil-soluble form of vitamin C that’s considered more potent than L-ascorbic acid and other vitamin C compounds. This is the same form of vitamin C that’s found in Odacite’s An Autumn on the World and C for Colette, though each of those formulas seem to lack the addition of vitamin E and ferulic acid.
Which brings me to the inclusion of ferulic acid in Yuli Liquid Courage. It’s an antioxidant that protects skin from damage and is regarded as an ingredient that helps stabilize vitamin C. Yuli’s form of ferulic acid is derived from acai and argan, two superfood-style ingredients popular in lots of skincare today.
Another ingredient that got my attention was Yuli’s own lab-created black garlic bioferment. We’re hearing a lot about fermented skincare in popular Korean beauty products; cleaner beauty can claim this, too, thanks to Yuli’s focus on green technology.
According to Yuli, the bio-fermentation “provides a stimulating, chemical change in garlic that causes it to contain 6x more antioxidants.” Sounds like they ain’t playin’ when it comes to protecting your skin and the precious ingredients inside this Miron glass bottle.
Here’s the full ingredients list:
Botanical Antioxidant Seed Complex (Grapeseed, Pomegranate, Red Raspberry, Blueberry, Carrot Seed, Golden Jojoba Seed, Cranberry Seed), S. chinensis (Jojoba) oil*, A. spinosa (Argan) oil*, supercritical extracts of pomegranate seed, rosehip, seabuckthorn fruit*, R. officinalis (Rosemary) antioxidant extract*, Liquified black garlic ferment, L-Ferulic Acid (Derived from Acai and Argan), tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (vitamin C), C. aurantium (Neroli) oil*, C. atlantica (Cedarwood) oil*, Ubiquinone (Liquid CoEnzyme Q10 from Vegan sources), Soy Peptides, D-alpha tocopherol (Vitamin E)
* Organic ^^ Wildcrafted
Beyond how it looks on paper, Yuli Liquid Courage face oil sat well with me because of its texture and buildability. As a daytime oil, Yuli Liquid Courage wears beautifully over a hydrating mist and blends well with a dollop of cream if you need it. I’ve used Yuli Liquid Courage in the following morning skincare steps:
- Hydrating Mist
- Face Cream
- Liquid Courage
- Sunscreen
- Foundation
Some mornings, when my skin is feeling comfortable and plump, I follow this simpler routine:
- Hydrating Mist
- Liquid Courage
- Sunscreen
- Foundation
If I’m playing maximalist, Liquid Courage still works well in this routine:
- Hydrating Mist
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Face Cream
- Liquid Courage
- Sunscreen
- Foundation
No matter where it’s been in my routine, Yuli Liquid Courage has been simple to blend and absorb thanks to carrier oils like jojoba and argan, two sometimes overlooked classics in a sea of sexy new carrier oils of the day. It has a subtle green-citrus scent that’s never overpowering and a pretty, yellow-gold color thanks to these two carrier oils.
One place where I purposefully don’t use Yuli Liquid Courage — though there’s nothing wrong with using it during this time — is at night. That’s because I prefer to use vitamin C products during the day, when I’m out in the elements, and reserve evening time for vitamin A-based products for skin exfoliation. This system has served me well over the years, and it makes the $125 bottle of courage last a little longer.
While I don’t have any jaw-dropping claims of extreme skin brightness, pimple-free miracles or the like, what Yuli Liquid Courage has allowed me to reclaim is my time. This one facial oil meets so many of my skincare desires thanks to its overachieving, active formulation. I don’t need a separate facial oil and vitamin C serum when I have Yuli Liquid Courage.
And over time, I’m sure my skin will thank me for treating it to the best antioxidant cocktail and protection, which will be the ultimate measure of success.
Overall, I’m extremely happy with this purchase and will enthusiastically recommend it and buy it again.
NOTE: If Yuli really wanted to take it to the next level, they’d make a tinted SPF version of Liquid Courage, which would effectively knock down a short, four-step morning routine to two simple steps.
(Hint, hint … please, why not?)