SOS Serum skincare
Back to Journal + Musings
SOS Serum Skincare is a new skincare range fully based around sensitive skin; products that target all skin concerns, through simplified formulas, made from pharmaceutical grade ingredients, that protect and nurture the skin barrier. Founded by Bruce Green, a chartered scientist, chemist and a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, who now in his mid-80’s, has been working in formulations all his life and is behind some of the most well-known cosmetic names across the UK and US. Therefore, unsurprisingly the SOS Skincare range is a carefully formulated edit of vegan products that deliver healing properties and efficacy through Green’s discovery that one skin issue dominates: ‘sensitive skin.’ I spoke to Bruce Green to find out more.
‘Having founded my own cosmetic R&D Lab in US and UK, I have been lucky enough to be behind formulations for the likes of Aveda, Daniel Galvin and even the Royal founded, Duchy Original range,’ explains Bruce Green, ‘my decades in the industry have continued to prove to me skin irritation is caused by two basic cosmetic ingredients: preservatives(they have to be there for the product to last) and fragrance (essential oil).’ So, in 2019, Green decided to put his decades of scientific discoveries and cosmetic formulating into his own SOS skincare range; ‘all products are fragrance free and we use airless packs as preservatives which reduce the cosmetic/oxygen interface, so the added preservative is reduced and so is the irritation potential.’
As a sensitive skin sufferer, who endures psoriasis breakouts during periods of stress or extreme weather change, I have found that most products on the market addressing skin concerns such as ‘anti-ageing’ or ‘collagen boosting’ are often too heavily textured. And the number of products being recommended for different skin concerns overload my skin and cause breakouts. So, the SOS approach of ‘sensitive skin’ first really appealed to me: the extensive range, includes SOS Serum, a cooling and hydrating oil free formulation providing rapid relief from itching dry skin with rare Wasabi and Burdock Leaf Extracts. It is primarily formulated for repair and penetration. SOS Cleanse is a translucent gel with the same ‘Melt Flow Index’ as the skin which ensures gentle but thorough cleansing without the use of alcohol and acids, it also is infused with Blue Daisy Extract and an Advanced Micro Emulsion Technology to remove surface grime. Other emulsified textures include the SOS Night, SOS Eye and SOS Protect.
All the SOS range are made to support the skin’s natural microbiome, ‘they help the skin’s own acid mantle and are a PH of 4.5/5.5 to act as a natural infection barrier and balance the good skin microbes. Other tantalising ingredients include White Truffle (powerful anti-ageing), Grape Stem Cells (effective antioxidant), Soy Stem Cells (protect from photo-ageing and radical damage), Cranberry Extract (safer, Retinol alternative!)
I have been using the SOS Cleanse extensively as I found many cleansers are too oily and sit on the skin surface and SOS Night as an ‘all-in-one’ instead of multiple layers of retinol serum and heavy moisturisers. I have noticed effects on fine lines and skin dullness after a couple of weeks: ‘The SOS Night is created from a unique and patented formulation containing three actives to work individually and collectively during your nightly Triptic stages of skin cell regeneration; as well as vitamins and minerals to stimulate the skin’s A.T.P. (Adenosine Triphosphate) function of cellular renewal and 4 moisture retention. The epidermis is constantly regenerating, and the metabolic activity relies on Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) for its energy,’ explains the founder.
Bruce Green is pragmatic about the term ‘anti-ageing’ which he explains is two-fold, Intrinsic and Extrinsic: ‘Whilst there is nothing you can do about your internal clock (intrinsic), the good news is there is plenty you can do to slow down visible results of ageing (extrinsic) which is the result of environmental aggressors and exposure to photo-ageing, UV, light and pollution.’ He continues, ‘my number one piece of advice for women is to use SPF outdoors and indoors – research is showing Blue Light to induce oxidative stress in the skin, leading to accelerated ageing.’ Choose from (in winter months) SOS H20 Day Cream SPF 30 and (in summer months) SOS SPF 50 Sun Cream which Green truly believes to be ‘the best SPFs on the market today.’
What are Bruce Green’s top skin tips for 2026?
‘The focus should be on sustaining long-term skin health by streamlining your routine with effective multi-tasking formulations (SOS is the benchmark!). I also believe in the benefits of psychosomatic effects – I made SOS products to have the best 10second feel approval of any skincare products out there.’ He continues ‘the shift is towards clinical-high-level tech wellness solutions utilising professional grade products, which SOS serum skincare leads the way in.’
I look forward to trying their next addition: a skincare body product. ‘We are continually researching new ingredients to stay ahead of the market whilst always providing sensitive skincare solutions.’