What are the best Stratia skincare products? Usually, in this series, I need to go through to a lot of duds to find the few gems are worth getting from each brand. Stratia is different. They only have a handful of products and 90% of them are awesome.
I feel like, if I include them all, it kinda defeats the purpose of a “Best of” list. But if I don’t, I’d be making you guys a disservice. I know that, if I left something out, you’d be asking me, “But what about this or that, Giorgia?” So let’s keep things simple. If it’s on this list, it’s worth getting. What made the cut? Here are the best Stratia skincare products:
- About The Brand: Stratia
- What Are The Best Stratia Products?
- What Are The Best Stratia Products For Wrinkles?
- What Are The Best Stratia Products For Acne?
- What Are The Best Stratia Products For Dark Spots?
- What Are The Best Stratia Products For Sensitive Skin?
- What Are The Pros Of Stratia Skincare?
- What Are The Cons Of Stratia Skincare?
- Is Stratia Skincare Cruelty-Free?
- The Verdict
About The Brand: Stratia
Stratia was founded by Alli Reed, a skincare blogger who stated reading dermatology journals in an attempt to find out how skin works and what skincare products do. It was only a matter of time before Ally took things further and decided to start her skincare brands.
After a lot of trial and error, in May 2016, Ally made 8 bottles each of Liquid Gold and Rewind in her kitchen, opened a Shopify store and… the rest is history. What started as a side hustle is now Ally’s main job. Her mission is to create simple yet effective, science-based skincare products that help you look your best. And I can tell you, they’re A LOT better than what a lot of the big brands, mostly driven by marketing trends, create. Well done, Ally!
What Are The Best Stratia Products?
Stratia Lipid Gold ($27.00)
First things first: Stratia Lipid Gold doesn’t contain any gold. It just looks gold. Sea buckthorn oil gives it that colour. So what makes it the brand’s bestseller? Niacinamide. It’s a multitasker that hydrates skin, reduces the appearance of wrinkles, fades away dark spots, brightens skin, treats acne and even soothes rosacea. Plus, Lipid Gold is loaded with fatty acids, cholesterol and ceramides to strengthen your skin’s protective barrier. This makes it a wonderful moisturiser to counteract the drying effects of actives like retinol or just the harsh winter weather. Just one warning: if your skin’s very pale, its yellow colour may make your skin look orangey. Use it at night.
Available at: Stratia
Active Ingredients: Niacinamide and ceramides.
Benefits: Strengthens your skin’s protective barrier, moisturises skin, and soothes irritations.
Cons: If you have oily skin, it may aggravate acne.
Skin type: Dry and sensitive.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related:Why You Should Add Niacinamide To Your Skincare Routine
Not sure how to mix and match all these products? Download your FREE “How To Combine Your Actives Like A Pro” cheatsheet to figure out which ingredients you should never use together:
Stratia Soft Touch AHA ($16.00)
Stratia Soft Touch AHA is one of the very few products out there with mandelic acid. It’s an AHA that’s larger than glycolic or lactic acid. On the plus side, that means it does the exfoliating job without irritating skin. On the other, it’s slightly less effective. If you’re just starting out with acids, this is a good option to get your skin used to them without side effects. If you have acne, you’ll also appreciate its antibacterial properties.  But if you’re a long-time glycolic acid user, stick with that. 🙂
Available at: Stratia
Active Ingredients: 10% Mandelic Acid.
Benefits: Exfoliates and brightens skin.
Cons: Not as effective as other acid exfoliants, like Salicylic and Glycolic Acid.
Skin type: Sensitive, acne-prone skin.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: AHA VS BHA: Which One Is Right For You?
Stratia C + C Serum ($27.00)
Stratia C + C Serum gives you a double dose of Vitamin C: Â it has 10% ascorbic acid (the pure form of vitamin C) plus 5% ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate (an oil-soluble derivative that penetrates deeper into your skin). Together, they brighten the complexion, fight free radicals, and boost collagen. The waterless formula keeps the vitamin stable and effective for long while feeling lovely on the skin. No grittiness, stinging, or anything like that. It could do with a sprinkle of Vitamin E and ferulic acid (they make Vitamin C more effective), but it’s still a very effective (and affordable) option for all skin types bar oily (L-Ascorbic Acid may aggravate acne).
Available at: Stratia
Active Ingredients: 10% Ascorbic Acid and 5% Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Benefits: Fights wrinkles and brightens skin.
Cons: Doesn’t contain Vitamin E and Ferulic Acid, which are known to supercharge Vitamin C.
Skin type: All skin types bar acne-prone.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: The Complete Guide To Vitamin C In Skincare: What It Is, What It Does, And How To Use It
Stratia Velvet Cleansing Milk ($15.00)
Velvet Cleansing Milk is a very gentle cleanser for dry and sensitive skin. It has gentle surfactants that remove dirt and makeup. Glycerin to add moisture. Soothing ingredients like chamomile and allantoin to calm down irritation. A skin-friendly pH of 5. In other words, it has everything you need to cleanse your skin without drying it out or irritating it. Only if you wear stubborn long-lasting foundation, you may need to cleanse with an oil first.
Available at: Stratia
Active Ingredients: Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Rice Bran Oil, Glycerin.
Benefits: Cleanses skin without irritating or drying out skin.
Cons: If you wear a lot of makeup, this may not be enough to take it all off.
Skin type: All skin types.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: Does Your Cleanser Has A Low pH? (And Why It Matters)
Stratia Night Shift ($28.00)
Retinol is a diva: it’ll reduce your wrinkles, fade away your dark spots, and even treat acne…. and leave dryness, peeling, and irritation in its wake. Not with Stratia Night Shift. This night cream features 0.15% microencapsulated retinol. In other words, this small (but still effective!) dose is delivered into your skin through a period of several hours instead all at once to neutralise the drying punch. Plus, the cream is loaded with ceramides and centella asiatica to soothe any irritating side effects you may otherwise experience and leaves skin softer and smoother. It’s perfect for beginners looking for their first retinol products.
Available at: Stratia
Active Ingredients: 0.15% microencapsulated retinol and Centella asiatica.
Benefits: Fights wrinkles and brightens skin.
Cons: If this is too irritating for you, you may not be able to tolerate retinol at all. May also aggrieve acne.
Skin type: All skin types bar acne-prone.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: What Strength Of Retinol Is Right For You?
What Are The Best Stratia Products For Wrinkles?
- Stratia C + C Serum ($27.00): It has two forms of Vitamin C and a bunch of other antioxidants to prevent premature wrinkles and brighten the complexion. Available at Stratia.
- Stratia Night Shift ($28.00): Perfect for beginners, it has a small retinol concentration to help your skin get used to this powerful anti-aging molecules. It fights wrinkles and brightens dark spots. Available at Stratia.
What Are The Best Stratia Products For Acne?
Although retinol and mandelic acid can help with acne, Stratia doesn’t have any products that specifically target acne yet.
What Are The Best Stratia Products For Dark Spots?
- Stratia C + C Serum ($27.00): It has two forms of Vitamin C to brighten the complexion and fade away dark spots. It works slowly. Available at Stratia.
- Stratia Night Shift ($28.00): Retinol isn’t just for wrinkles. It helps fade away dark spots. At this small concentrations, results are slow, but you’ll see them. Available at Stratia.
What Are The Best Stratia Products For Sensitive Skin?
- Stratia Lipid Gold ($27.00): A gentle lotion with niacinamide and ceramides to strengthen the skin’s protective barrier, moisturise skin and reduce irritation. Available at Stratia.
- Stratia C + C Serum ($27.00): It has a lower concentration of L-Ascorbic Acid (the pure form of Vitamin C) that even sensitive skin can tolerate. It prevents wrinkles and brightens skin. Available at Stratia.
- Stratia Soft Touch AHA ($16.00): A gentle exfoliant with mandelic acid to brighten skin and smoothen out the complexion without irritation. It’s especially suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Available at Stratia.
What Are The Pros Of Stratia Skincare?
Stratia is one of the few brands that formulated skincare products the right way. They tick all my boxes:
- Each product is formulated with science-backed actives that really work and do what they say they’re going to do.
- They don’t include fragrance and other common irritants, so even sensitive skin can use them.
- They come in opaque, air-tight tubes and bottles that keep the formulas stable and effective for longer.
- They are reasonably priced (always a pro).
What Are The Cons Of Stratia Skincare?
Stratia products aren’t the easiest to get. Although they ship to most countries in the world, they’re only available online. If you’re the kind of person who likes to buy products in a physical store, this may put you off.
Is Stratia Skincare Cruelty-Free?
Yes, Stratia is cruelty-free and bunny certified. Their products aren’t tested on animals.
The Verdict
When it comes to Stratia, you can’t go wrong. Every product is carefully formulated to do what it says on the tin without causing dryness and irritation. But if you’re looking for the absolute best Stratia skincare products, pick one of the products above. Your skin will thank you.
thank you for the review, I will pass on these products.
Jeff, you’re welcome.
The Soft Touch AHA and Rewind have made such a huge difference in the tone and texture of my skin! They’ve also done awesome things for my acne – I only get a hormonal breakout every once in awhile now. Liquid Gold and the cleansing milk are next on my list of products to try as soon as I use up my current cleanser and moisturizer!
Even better, Alli, who started the company, provides fantastic customer service. It’s not often that the creator of your skincare will track down a purchase for you if it goes missing in transit! 🙂
Stephanie, thanks for sharing your experience. Glad to know the products work so well for you. Alli sounds amazing. I love brands that care like that.
Can I use these on my very rosacea skin? thank you kindly! : )
Tracy, you should be able to. These products are gentle. But I guess with rosacea there’s always the chance that one of them won’t work for you.
Ultra Gold has been my HG ever since I make the roomie mistake of adding too many chemical exfoliants without patch testing AND end up with dehydrated skin that was both dry and oily at the same time so it was a nightmare. SUG fixed my skin in record time and for the price, I don’t go Without it especially now that I’m using Tretinoin gel. I cannot even imagine for a second how long I would’ve had to deal with this damage moisture barrier and how much money I would’ve spent on extremely expensive products from Dermalogica’s ultracalming wash, serums, and moisturizers or more May Lindstrom – this is a FAR better deal and worked Just as well for my face as did those crazy overpriced products.
Stratiafan, glad you’ve found something that works so well for you.
I just ordered my second bottle of Liquid Gold. I wish I have found it sooner. It’s so soothing on my “tretinoin skin” and keeps it lovely!