In the Topbox that I reviewed last week, I received a bottle of Zyderma HS Clarifying Cream for Acne-prone and Problem Skin. After using it for nearly two weeks, I thought that I would update you on my opinion of it and if it really does live up to its claims.

I will admit, I was (and still am) sceptical of Zyderma. Their website is really bare-bones, and has a lot of scientific information that isn’t cited, which is a red flag to anyone who has ever done research of any kind. Still, I already had the product, so I thought I’d give it a go.

Since returning from the US, I’ve had some problems with my skin. The air on the east coast is considerably more humid than what I had gotten used to in the mountains and my skin hasn’t appreciated that. I’ve had more frequent breakouts in the past month. I’ve also gotten that deep cystic acne that you can’t see but hurts a lot, which I have gotten very rarely in the past but is now all over my face. It’s not pleasant.

I’ve been using this every day before I put on my makeup and I’ve seen a huge difference in my skin. The healing time of any blemishes is greatly reduced, and my skin has slowly been getting back to normal. It doesn’t take a lot of product to see a difference either, so while pricey, I think that you’re getting your money’s worth. It's odorless, and blends in without any tint or greasiness.

The active ingredient is MicroSilver BG, which is a photosafe silver ion (so it won’t turn your skin blue like that guy on Anderson Cooper). It’s being touted all over the place as a natural and safe alternative healing compound for skin problems because it is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. It was originally formulated in Germany, and is ECOCERT approved for use in cosmetic products, and is not tested on animals. It’s a grey powder, which gives this cream its grey tint.

Science time: I thought that this was crazy talk, but there have been recent scientific papers written that talk about how silver works as an antibacterial. The molecular structure is spongy, so it can stick to the skin, not unlike regular lotions. Colloidal silver has also been used as a natural cure-all for years (this is the one that turns your skin blue), and silver is used in a lot of medical settings because in certain cases (not skin cream, oddly) it does reduce infection risk.

Long story short, I’m still not sure about the science behind this. It seems a little far-fetched, but it’s working so far. I try really hard to be informed about the things I’m using, so I don’t think that I’m done researching this one. Until then, I’m going with what works. When it’s all used up, I’ll re-evaluate.

The smallest size bottle retails for $25 on Zyderma.com

Do you ever do research on your products?