Product Reviews

This serum feels like it’s doing something—but it’s subtle. There's a mild, healthy glow, less punchy than a good vitamin C but enough to notice. It spreads easily, sinks in fast, and plays well under most products. That said, it can pill, depending on what you layer on top. This is almost always a sign of too many film-formers or polymers not cooperating across formulas.
The real issue, though, is the stinging. If your skin is even mildly sensitized—say, from a few nights of acids or retinoids—this can tingle or outright burn. And for a peptide-based serum that’s supposedly focused on repair and strengthening, that’s a serious design flaw. The likely culprit is alcohol denat., which shows up worryingly high in the INCI list. It’s there to improve penetration and texture, but it also compromises barrier function and increases the risk of irritation—especially in formulas meant for stressed or aging skin. Add fragrance, citronellol, and linalool to the mix, and you’ve got a formula that contradicts its own purpose.
Which is a shame, because there’s plenty in here that should work. The peptide lineup is solid: acetyl hexapeptide-8 for smoothing expression lines, palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and tetrapeptide-7 (a Matrixyl duo) for supporting collagen and elasticity. You get ascorbyl glucoside (a stable vitamin C derivative), tocopherol (vitamin E), and Bifida ferment lysate, which brands love to claim helps with microbiome balance and resilience. The base is full of dependable humectants like glycerin, betaine, and sodium hyaluronate.
In theory, it’s a great supporting serum for barrier repair and daily skin maintenance. In practice, it feels like the formula is at war with itself—trying to soothe and strengthen while sneaking in ingredients that do the opposite. I don’t understand L’Oréal’s need to keep adding alcohol to its formulations. It’s not the first time I’ve seen it, and it really puts a damper on an otherwise great product. You almost had it, L’Oréal.