I've tried countless skincare subscriptions but KLIRA might be the best one yet

Our senior beauty tested KLIRA for six weeks to see if it's worth the investment, and how it measures up to its competitors including Skin+Me.

We're all looking for ways to simplify our lives, and a skincare subscription service could be the ultimate way of streamlining your skincare routine. It takes out all the guesswork from the complex world of serum-stacking and ingredient clashing, creating a bespoke routine that’s designed to treat your precise skin issues, and delivered straight to your door.

There are a few options in this growing market, with Skin + Me, Dermatica and Begin Again being popular options. But how does KLIRA compare? This KLIRA review sets out to explain the key differences and benefits of this high-end service to help you make your decision.

Our senior beauty editor's KLIRA review

How does KLIRA work?

A little background info before we get into the details of this KLIRA review. The brand was created by dermatologist Dr Emma Craythorne. In her London clinic, she often mixes up bespoke formulations for her clients but wanted to expand this service nationwide, so KLIRA was born. If you decide to subscribe you’ll receive a similar in-depth diagnostic service (albeit virtually) and a bespoke serum designed to resolve specific skin woes including acne, ageing and pigmentation You fill out a detailed questionnaire (it took me around 15 minutes), upload makeup-free pictures of your skin, and submit it for the dermatologists to create the right formula for your skin type and goals.

After submitting, I received an email with some follow-up questions from one of the in-house dermatologists to confirm details and check the strength of the retinoids I’ve used in the past, then my prescription was sent off for formulation.

• The KLIRA Special bespoke skincare serum, at KLIRA from £59

Postage and packaging

The KLIRA package landed on my doorstep a few days later, housed in a handily post-box-sized package. The serum comes in a small canister, which you screw into a glass pump bottle, sent separately. This makes the packaging refillable, which is a nice eco-friendly touch, and the glass bottle makes the product feel premium.

The canister is quite small as it’s roughly a month’s worth of formula. The formula changes as your skin goals are met, changing to a more or less potent formulation, depending on how your skin progresses. Each month your new formula will land on your doorstep - no faff, no big Boots shop, and no queueing. It couldn’t be easier.

The formula

Onto the crucial element of this KLIRA review - the formula itself. Obviously, each blend will differ depending on your skin’s needs but my first batch contained 0.01% Tretinoin blended with 15% Azeliac Acid. In my second month, this increased to 0.025% Tretinoin, balanced with the same 15% Azeliac Acid. I can see from my treatment plan that this is planned to increase to 0.04% in the fifth month - slow and steady is the name of the game.

If you’re wondering how things differ in retinol vs tretinoin, essentially, tretinoin is the more potent member of the retinoid family. Everything retinol does, tretinoin can do better - and quicker. This ‘everything’ also applies to irritation and a damaged skin barrier, which is why tretinoin isn’t available over the counter - it needs to be prescribed by a dermatologist. Skincare subscription services often prescribe tretinoin, which is what makes them so beneficial - it gives you access to this incredibly effective ingredient without having to visit a dermatologist.

The results

Here’s what you’re really looking for in this KLIRA review - does it actually work? The short answer is yes. My skin looks clearer, smoother and brighter. I didn’t have any especially serious skincare concerns to tackle when I started this KLIRA review. I joined in the depths of winter where my complexion looked a little dull and lacklustre, with a few hormonal blemishes paying a monthly visit.

Six weeks in, there’s been a noticeable improvement - I’ve been complimented on fresh-looking glowy skin, which is a lovely little boost. That compliment could also be down to the fact that I’ve been able to swap to a lighter, more sheer foundation rather than my usual high-coverage winter foundation. My skin looks and feels healthier overall - and I’m much happier going make-up-free. It’s the exact result I was hoping for, achieved without the usual irritation tretinoin can cause. Which leads me to….

• The KLIRA Special bespoke skincare serum, at KLIRA from £59

How does it compare to other services?

I’ve used other prescription skincare services, so it's a factor I wanted to consider in this KLIRA review. How does it compare to other options - especially as it’s one of the more expensive ones? Is it worth the extra spend, especially when compared to Skin+Me, which is half the price?

The main difference I noticed was the lack of irritation. In the past, I saw a real improvement in acne and dullness from using tretinoin, but this often came at the cost of redness, sensitivity and generally dry sore skin. I’ve experienced none of that with KLIRA - my skin felt content throughout my six weeks of testing. It could be because I’m now a smarter tret user - having used it on and off for a few years, I know how important it is to space out the doses and take frequent nights off, but I believe the formula is gentler, without sacrificing results. It’s not to say that you won’t experience any irritation, but it’s the gentlest tretinoin treatment I’ve tried.

The diagnostic service also feels more in-depth to me, which may account for the success of the formula. They really drill down into the finer details, which leads to a better treatment plan and improved results.

Other factors to consider are the luxe-looking packaging, which makes the whole experience feel premium and the price. At £59.99 a month, this is double the price of its competitor, Skin + Me. While expensive, I do believe it’s worth the extra cost for the benefits with little to no downsides. Especially when you consider that most of the best retinol creams and serums often cost more than that.

The downsides

As I hinted, there are very few that I noticed. Really, the downsides to consider apply to all skincare subscription services. It’s a not-unnoticeable monthly expense, the ingredients can be restricting, and it can potentially feel a little clinical. Almost all of these services insist that you use no other active ingredients in your routine, keeping things entirely frill-free with just a cleanser, plain old moisturiser and SPF in the mornings. If you’re someone who loves trying new products and cocktailing your perfect skincare combinations, you might find it a little prohibitive, or even boring.

If I’m being very specific and pedantic, I’d say that the formula bottle can be a tiny bit wasteful. I noticed that there was still some of the serum left when I was swapping over to my second batch, which was impossible to get out - not even with scissors, which I tend to do with my almost-empties - because the plastic is quite chunky. Picky enough for you?

KLIRA review: our verdict

Now that we’ve reached the end of this KLIRA review I think it’s quite clear that I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. The results are impressive and continue to improve as I carry on with the treatment plan.

While it’s more expensive than some of the other options on the market, I think it’s worth the extra spend for in-depth analysis and on-call dermatology help. As I said, I noticed no irritation from using this treatment, which was incredibly impressive, having experienced quite painful sensitivity from others in the past.

While the restrictions of tretinoin as a base-level clashy ingredient can mean your skincare cabinet may start to gather dust, it also means that your whole skincare routine is incredibly simple. Plus, it’s likely more affordable than buying a different serum for separate skin woes each month.

In short, if you’re someone who wants to streamline and simplify your skincare routine and clear some room on your bathroom shelf while also getting really impressive results, you’ll love using KLIRA.

• The KLIRA Special bespoke skincare serum, at KLIRA from £59