Pamper & soothe your skin with the Darphin Intral line

I love pink, I love all things French, and I love skincare products that promise to soothe the skin. So when Darphin kindly sent me 2 products from their redness relief Intral line, I was ecstatic. I’ve heard a lot about this line from Taiwanese beauty bloggers, all great things of course, so I couldn’t wait to see what the hype was about. After a month of testing out their products, I can see why everyone raves about this line.

Darphin Intral Redness Relief Soothing Serum

The best seller in the Intral line, this serum is as beautiful to look at as it is to use. It has a lightweight water-like texture with a slight slip, very similar to the Biotherm Life Plankton Essence, and a faint floral scent. It also contains wonderful soothing and hydrating ingredients like:

• chamomile extract – Has skin soothing, healing, and anti-oxidant properties.
• peony root extract – Has skin brightening properties (source) and potentially anti-oxidant properties as well (source).
• panthenol – A humectant that helps attract and retain moisture on the skin. Also has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties when used over a period of time.
• crataegus monogina flower extract (common hawthorn) – An antioxidant that protects the skin from UVA damage and prevents inflammation caused by UV radiation (source).
• alteromonas ferment extract – Extracted from deep sea algae, it has skin soothing properties and can minimize irritations caused by UV and environmental aggressions (source).
• saccharomyces lysate (yeast) extract – A great source of beta-glucan (an antioxidant), which helps hydrate and soften the skin.
• polygonum cuspidatum extract – An excellent source of resveratrol (source), it also promotes wound healing (source) and may have skin-brightening properties (source).
• glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) – Exists naturally on our skin and helps hydrate it by binding to moisture (source). Hyaluronic acid is an example of a GAG.

What’s really great about all these ingredients is that they’re all listed at the top half of the INCI, while less desirable things like preservatives (no parabens though), fragrances, and colorings are listed at the bottom. The inclusion of fragrances and colors aren’t ideal, especially since this is supposed to be for sensitive skin. However, I haven’t experienced any irritations while using this, even when my skin was slightly inflamed.

What I did experience was reduced redness and stronger skin with the continuous use of this serum. My skin no longer got irritated as easily and I found that I didn’t even need to layer on a hydrating toner or serum as this was enough for my combination skin. Unfortunately I didn’t notice any immediate comfort or relief, but for me long term results are more important than temporary ones. This is the only serum I use in the mornings (I’m still using my Skin Actives Firming Collagen Serum at night), and I definitely noticed an improvement in my skin’s resilience since adding this to my routine.

In summary

A luxurious lightweight serum with excellent ingredients that will reduce redness and strengthen your skin in the long run.

Full ingredients

water, butylene glycol, glycerin, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, paeonia suffruticosa (peony) root extract, alteromonas ferment extract, crataegus monogina flower extract, panthenol, glycosaminoglycans, polygonum cuspidatum root extract, saccharomyces lysate extract, yeast extract\faex\extrait de levure, peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil, cellulose gum, glycereth-26, fragrance (parfum), citric acid, xanthan gum, disodium edta, chlorphenesin, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, red 4 (ci 14700), ext. violet 2 (ci 60730), yellow 5 (ci 19140), red 33 (ci 17200), blue 1 (ci 42090)

Available at

Dermstore, Anthropologie, Darphin for $88; StrawberryNet for $75;  Escentual for $48.24

Darphin Intral Soothing Cream

I’ll be honest and admit that I didn’t like this cream at first, especially since I was already such a fan of the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5. But after using it several nights in a row, I’ve noticed that my skin looks brighter in the mornings. It’s also not as oily as the Cicaplast Baume and more hydrating (the zinc in the cicaplast baume can actually be drying).

Like the Intral Redness Relief Serum, this cream also contains the same soothing extracts and some additional hydrating ingredients:

• shea butter – One of my favorite emollients due to its nourishing yet lightweight feel, it absorbs into my skin instantly without leaving a greasy finish. Plus it has anti-inflammatory properties (source)!
• rosewater – Has hydrating, anti-inflammatory, and skin soothing properties (source)
• hyaluronic acid – One of the best humectants out there, need I say more?
• sodium pca – Another humectant that helps bind moisture to our skin, it can also protect our skin by reducing inflammation (source).
• vitamin e – One of the best antioxidants and anti-aging ingredients for your skin.

I appreciate that there aren’t that many filler ingredients, and while it does contain a bit of fragrance, it’s still alcohol, color, and paraben-free. I’ve used this without any issues when my skin was irritated, and while the relief was not immediate,  using this consistently at night has helped keep my skin hydrated and less prone to redness. Also I love how quickly this absorbs and how it leaves a natural, shine-free finish despite it still being really nourishing. I’m able to apply a thick layer on my cheeks and it doesn’t feel heavy at all.

In summary

A medium-weight moisturizer with wonderful ingredients that hydrate without being oily, and leaves skin healthier and stronger in the long run.

Full ingredients

water, hydrogenated polydecene, shea butter, propylene glycol, glyceryl stearate, peg-100 stearate, dimethicone, cetyl alcohol, octyldodecyl stearoyl stearate, propanediol, tridecyl stearate, butylene glycol, tridecyl trimellitate, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, paeonia suffruticosa (peony) root extract, alteromonas ferment extract, crataegus monogina flower extract, panthenol, vanilla planifolia fruit extract, rosa damascena (rose) flower water, dipentaerythrityl hexacaprylate/hexacaprate, bisabolol, stearic acid, tocopheryl acetate, sorbitol, sodium hyaluronate, palmitic acid, sodium pca, sodium polyacrylate, caprylyl glycol, acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, 1,2-hexanediol, xanthan gum, sodium hydroxide, citronellol, geraniol, tetrasodium edta

Available at

Dermstore, Blue Mercury, Darphin for $72; StrawberryNet for $53;  Escentual for $39.47

Overall thoughts on Darphin’s Intral Line

These are not overnight wonders, at least not for me. But I’ve found that with consistent use of both products my skin has become less sensitive and prone to irritation. I’ve also found myself downsizing my skincare routine since incorporating these 2 products because they’ve pretty much got it all covered: hydration, calming, antioxidants, and even brightening. Plus I’m loving the spa like experience these products offer: from the elegant textures to the subtle floral scents, just pair them with the Darphin’s application techniques and you can treat yourself to a relaxing facial daily!

But goodness the price. If you’re thinking about trying the Darphin Intral Soothing Serum or Soothing Cream, I’d highly recommend purchasing them when you travel to Europe where they’re the cheapest. Or if you don’t mind international shipping, shop at one of the European or global retailers where you still get a significant discount compared to US retailers.

Read more: 11 money saving tips when shopping online

After this initial experience with Darphin, I’m definitely interested in trying out more of their products, particularly their Intral line since I’ve been getting great long-term results. Hope you enjoyed this review and let me know if you’ve ever tried anything from the Darphin range! Have a great rest of the week