Ellen DeGeneres teamed up with skincare expert and beauty authority Victoria Jackson to create a line of skincare products to address Ellen’s skin concerns, like dryness and fine lines. Together, they came up with a 7-piece lineup that’s meant to promote healthy, youthful skin.
Kind Science Versus The Best Skincare Products
| Rank | Brand | Link | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrot & Stick | Review | |||||
| 2 | Formulyst | Review | |||||
| 3 | Skinceuticals | Review | |||||
| - | Kind Science |
However, Ellen emphasizes that the products aren’t “anti-aging” because she believes aging is a good thing. She states, “I want to embrace life and want others to do that, too, with the support of skincare that gives you real, age-positive results.”
The problem with celebrity skincare lines is that die-hard fans will often purchase anything and everything from the line without even looking into whether or not the products are formulated well.
But if you’re a savvy skincare consumer (and we know you are), then you’ll want to take a close look at the ingredients used in every product you put on your skin — even if it’s by your favorite celebrity.
Sound like too much work? Don’t worry; we’ve done the hard work for you! Keep scrolling to read our reviews of the Kind Science skincare products, including the key ingredients in these products and the research that supports (or doesn’t support) their use in skincare.
Is Kind Science Skincare Worth The Money?
A common question about this brand is if the products are worth the cost.
In our opinion, Kind Science Skincare products are worth the money, but there are other brands that deliver greater value.
One brand is Carrot & Stick, a clean skincare brand that perfectly balances the gentle nurturing of plants with the powerful results of innovative science.
What’s Inside Kind Science Skin Care?
Kind Science places an emphasis on using naturally-derived botanicals to formulate their products — like kakadu plum and bakuchiol — as well as safe synthetics such as peptides and vitamin E.
Vitamin C
We’ve been hearing for years that Vitamin C is the best anti-aging ingredient. It’s a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from free radicals, the unstable molecules that contribute to the formation of premature wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.
Vitamin C also helps fade dark spots, evens out skin tone, and increases radiance. As if that wasn’t enough, research suggests that when vitamin C is applied to the skin, it significantly reverses aging-related structural changes by influencing collagen and elastin synthesis.
Kind Science uses kakadu plum extract (a rich source of vitamin C) in their products, such as the Kind Science Eye Cream.
But our favorite Vitamin C serum is Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum. It contains 3 distinct types of Vitamin C that work together to help fight free radical damage. We recommend using it every morning.
Bakuchiol (A Retinol Alternative)
Retinol is the go-to anti-aging ingredient recommended by dermatologists and skin experts. While retinol provides many benefits to the skin, it’s also known to cause side effects like skin dryness and irritation.
Kind Science uses bakuchiol — the plant-based retinol alternative — throughout their product line. In fact, bakuchiol has been shown to produce many of the same effects of using retinol, including the ability to diminish the appearance of wrinkles and reduce the effects of sun damage (including uneven skin tone). One of the main benefits of bakuchiol is that it provides retinol-like effects without irritation.
Use retinoids at night. We recommend this retinoid oil serum. It contains Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, an ingredient that provides similar benefits without the irritation.
Peptides
As you age, your body’s production of collagen and elastin slows down. These two proteins are responsible for your skin’s structural support. As a result, the skin loses its natural plumpness and smoothness.
While collagen is necessary for maintaining youthful-looking skin, the collagen protein is too large to absorb into the skin topically. That’s why applying skin care products that contain collagen won’t provide the anti-aging benefits you’re looking for.
This is where peptides come into action. Peptides are the building blocks of protein, and they are easily absorbed into the deeper layers of skin due to their smaller size.
Kind Science Firming Serum contains two peptides (Tetrapeptide-14 and Heptapeptide-7) to reduce signs of aging.
If you’re looking for a peptide serum, we recommend Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains 7 plant-based peptides to promote plumper and smoother-looking skin.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is used throughout the Kind Science lineup because it provides powerful antioxidant properties and natural skin-conditioning effects.
As an antioxidant, vitamin E has the ability to stop harmful free radicals right in their tracks, which is important because free radicals contribute to signs of aging, damaged cells, and mutated DNA.
According to a 2016 publication in Dermatology News by Dr. Leslie Baumann, MD, vitamin E can protect the skin from both acute UV-induced damage as well as responses to chronic UVA and UVB exposure, including skin wrinkling and skin cancer.
In addition to functioning as an antioxidant, vitamin E can help the skin retain moisture by strengthening the skin’s barrier function.
What Are The Best Kind Science Skincare Products?
At the time of writing this review, the Kind Science skincare collection consists of 7 products, and we’ll give you the details on each one below.
Kind Science Gentle Cleanser
The Kind Science cleanser is formulated to wash away makeup and irritants from the day in one simple step. Like most cleansers, the key ingredients are surfactants, such as sodium methyl cocoyl taurate and stearic acid.
A surfactant molecule contains one end that is hydrophilic (attracted to water) and one end that is lipophilic (attracted to oil). This allows surfactants to attract and suspend oils, dirt, and other impurities that have accumulated on the skin and wash them away, leaving the skin clean.
The formula also includes antioxidants like vitamin E, green tea, and kakadu plum, the most vitamin C-rich fruit on the planet. In addition to functioning as an antioxidant, vitamin C is also known to stimulate collagen production and decrease the appearance of dark spots through inhibition of the enzyme tyrosinase.
Bottom Line: A creamy cleanser that uses gentle surfactants to wash away makeup and impurities while antioxidants and botanical extracts help to soothe, protect, and brighten skin.
Kind Science Micro Exfoliant+
This multipurpose exfoliant and mask combines volcanic sand and bamboo silk to gently polish skin as these ingredients are both physical exfoliants.
The formula also includes chemical exfoliants in the form of natural alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) from lemon, orange, apple and sugar cane.
While it’s true that AHAs can be derived from sugar cane and fruit, these extracts don’t perform the same as when pure glycolic acid (or any other AHA) is used in a product. There’s actually a big difference between the extracted, pure ingredient (i.e. glycolic acid) and the original plant material (i.e. lemon, orange, apple, and sugar cane extracts).
In our opinion, you’re much better off using a leave-on exfoliant with AHAs, like Formulyst’s Retexturing and Perfecting Serum or The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toning Solution.
Bottom Line: The Kind Science Micro Exfoliant+ should help to smooth and brighten skin, but if you’re looking to really improve the texture of your skin and/or improve hyperpigmentation, you’re better off choosing a highly concentrated formula with AHAs.
ALTERNATIVES: Carrot & Stick The Brightening Pads. A concentrated blend of salicylic, lactic, and mandelic acids sweeps away the build-up of dead skin cells, gently exfoliating to promote clarity, refine texture, and rid pores of impurities.
Kind Science Firming Serum
The first thing we noticed about the Kind Science Firming Serum is the high concentrations of ingredients that will immediately — albeit temporarily — disguise signs of aging. Those ingredients include humectants and silicones.
Humectants like glycerin and biosaccharide gum-1 draw moisture into the upper layers of skin. This not only hydrates skin, but also plumps skin because the extra moisture is extra volume.
The silicones in this formula, like polysilicone-11 and dimethicone, give this serum a soft, silky texture that glides on skin effortlessly. Additionally, silicones help to “blur” the look of fine lines and wrinkles, minimize the appearance of pores, and smooth skin texture (temporarily).
Fortunately, there are a few ingredients in the Firming Serm that actually help to improve signs of aging rather than just temporarily disguising them. Those ingredients like bakuchiol and peptides.
Research has shown that bakuchiol — also referred to as “nature’s retinol” — provides many of the same benefits of retinol, but without the irritation. These benefits include the ability to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles while promoting a more even skin tone.
For example, a 2019 study published in the British Academy of Dermatology compared bakuchiol and retinol in a head-to-head 12-week, double-blind clinical trial on human subjects. Both groups saw improvements in hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and redness, and there was no statistically significant difference between their results. Plus, the bakuchiol group reported less skin scaling and flaking than the retinol group.
There’s also two peptides in the Kind Science Firming Serum: Tetrapeptide-14 and Heptapeptide-7.
Tetrapeptide-14 helps to soothe skin and reduce redness by down-regulating interleukin-6, a pro-inflammatory signal molecule, thereby preventing inflammation.
Heptapeptide-7 is an anti-aging peptide that stimulates keratinocyte proliferation and migration and induces collagen synthesis, according to a publication in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. The result should be firmer skin with fewer lines and wrinkles.
Bottom Line: Kind Science Firming Serum contains ingredients that provide temporary benefits, like humectants and silicones, as well as ingredients that provide long term benefits like bakuchiol and peptides.
Alternatives: Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains 7 plant-based peptides to help promote smoother looking skin.
Kind Science Hydration Cream
Snow mushroom extract, sea buckthorn oil, and bakuchiol are the star ingredients in the Kind Science Hydration Cream.
Snow mushroom has a rich composition of polysaccharides, which effectively bind moisture and provide hydration to the skin. It acts similarly to hyaluronic acid by drawing moisture into the skin. In fact, the particles are smaller than hyaluronic acid, so snow mushroom extract actually penetrates the skin more easily. Research has also demonstrated snow mushroom extract to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Sea buckthorn oil contains unique unsaturated fatty acids, such as palmitoleic acid (omega-7) and gamma-linolenic acid (omega-6), which give this oil skin regeneration and repair properties. In addition, sea buckthorn oil easily penetrates through the epidermis, where it improves blood circulation and facilitates oxygenation of the skin.
Lastly, bakuchiol is included in the Kind Science Hydration Cream in order to reduce signs of aging and improve skin tone.
Bottom Line: Naturally-derived extracts like snow mushroom, sea buckthorn oil, and bakuchiol help to hydrate, soothe, and repair the skin in the Kind Science Hydration Cream.
ALTERNATIVES: Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer. It’s overflowing with potent plant proteins, vitamins, peptides and amino-collagen.
Kind Science Eye Cream
Similar to the Firming Serum, the Kind Science Eye Cream is packed with humectants and silicones. Remember, this is not necessarily a bad thing; these ingredients do provide benefits to the skin. However, they don’t actually improve signs of aging like lines and wrinkles, but rather just disguise them.
We’re disappointed that the brand cites hyaluronic acid as a key ingredient when there’s actually a very low concentration of this ingredient in the formula.
The most beneficial ingredients in this eye cream are the antioxidants vitamin E and kakadu plum extract. Like we mentioned earlier, kakadu plum is a rich source of vitamin C, which should help to brighten and firm the skin.
Lastly, the eye cream includes kangaroo paw flower extract, which is supposed to help reduce wrinkles, according to the manufacturer.
Bottom Line: A lightweight, silky eye cream with antioxidants like vitamin E and kakadu plum, as well as anti-aging kangaroo paw extract.
ALTERNATIVES: If you are concerned about aging around the eyes, one product we recommend is Carrot & Stick The Eye Cream.
Kind Science Radiance Oil
We love a good facial oil. Applying a few drops before going to bed may leave you looking a tad greasy, but it’s totally worth it for the fresh, glowing skin in the morning.
Kind Science Radiance Oil has a base of squalane, a super-light emollient that sinks into the skin fast, yet it helps the skin to instantly feel soft and moisturized.
There’s many botanical oils in this formula, with high concentrations of meadowfoam seed oil and jojoba oil. Both of these oils absorb into skin quickly without feeling heavy or greasy, and they both help to balance oil production because they closely resemble human sebum. They are also known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Our only concern with the Radiance Oil formula is the inclusion of orange peel oil, a fragrant essential oil that’s been known to cause skin sensitivity reactions.
Bottom Line: Kind Science Radiance Oil includes a blend of emollients and botanical oils, such as squalane, meadowfoam seed oil, and jojoba oil to moisturize and renew skin’s vibrancy without ever feeling greasy.
Kind Science Neck Treatment
Is it true that you need a separate cream specifically for your neck? In our opinion, no, simply because there are plenty of anti-aging serums and creams that can work well for both the face and neck.
But that doesn’t stop companies from formulating neck creams to specifically address the signs of aging in thinner, more fragile skin on the jawline, neck, and décolletage. And that’s exactly what the Kind Science Neck Treatment is claimed to do.
Similar to other products in the Kind Science lineup, the Neck Treatment includes key ingredients like glycerin, bakuchiol, sodium hyaluronate, and heptapeptide-7. Unique ingredients to this formula include carnosine and caffeine.
Carnosine is a dipeptide that has skin-soothing, antioxidant, and anti-glycation properties, which means it can help protect skin against oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Ultimately, this helps to prevent the formation of lines and wrinkles.
Caffeine functions as an antioxidant while also tightening and firming skin thanks to its natural stimulant properties.
Bottom Line: Kind Science Neck Treatment includes a blend of anti-aging ingredients, such as bakuchiol, heptapeptide-7, carnosine, and caffeine.
How Much Do Kind Science Skincare Products Cost?
Kind Science skincare products are mid-range in terms of cost; they aren’t cheap but they are ridiculously expensive. For example, the Kind Science Gentle Cleanser costs $22 USD for 4.5 fl oz, while the Firming Serum costs $48 USD for 1 fl oz.
Where to Buy Kind Science Skincare Products?
Kind Science skincare products are sold exclusively on the brand’s website (www.KindScience.com).
What is The Kind Science Return Policy?
The Kind Science return policy states, “We want you to love your Kind Science purchase. We offer a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee (less s&h) on your purchase. Simply return the bottles, even if empty.”
Is Kind Science Cruelty Free?
Yes, Kind Science is cruelty free and the products are officially Leaping Bunny Certified. Leaping Bunny Certification means Kind Science products are free of animal testing at every stage of product development.
Is Kind Science Vegan?
Kind Science’s Neck Treatment, Eye Cream and Radiance Oil are 100% vegan and do not contain any animal byproducts.
Kind Science’s Gentle Cleanser, Firming Serum, Hydration Cream and Micro Exfoliant+ contain honey extract. While honey is an animal-derived ingredient, the brand only works with vendors that certify honeybees go unharmed during the sourcing process.
Kind Science Reviews
Unfortunately, the brand does not display Kind Science reviews on their website. Since this is such a new brand we weren’t able to find any Kind Science reviews on Google either.
Our Verdict
Overall, we think that the Kind Science skincare products are formulated well with evidence-based ingredients and soothing botanicals.
Pros
- Formulas contain evidence-based ingredients (bakuchiol, peptides, hyaluronic acid, etc.) and soothing botanicals (green tea, chamomile, squalane, etc.)
- Kind Science is cruelty free
Cons
- The brand does not display Kind Science reviews on their website
- Some products contain high concentrations of filler ingredients (humectants, silicones, thickeners) and low concentrations of key ingredients
What Are Some Alternatives to Kind Science ?
If you’re looking for skincare products to address the signs of aging, we recommend Carrot & Stick. Carrot & Stick maximizes the use of powerful ingredients and minimizes the use of superficial ones, resulting in advanced skincare solutions that help promote healthy, more youthful-looking skin. We recommend The Repair Serum, followed by The Moisturizer.
References:
Br J Dermatol. 2019 Feb;180(2):289-296.
J Drugs in Dermatol. 2010 Jan;9(1):49-54.
Kim Original review: Mar 04, 2024.
This is a scam. The phone number doesn’t work and the agents on the chat disconnect with you without resolving your problem. I thought I had 3 months until my next shipment to trial the product when in fact it was only 1 month. Then they said I could get the 60 day full refund but am subject to shipping and handling.