This serum uses miniproteins in its formula, with two jobs to do: the expression line miniprotein targets expression line depth, while the growth factor miniprotein works on skin structure, using epidermal growth factors (EGF) – aka proteins that stimulate cell growth. This formula is designed to activate the transforming growth factors (TGF) receptors naturally found in your skin – a key trigger for collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production.
Outside of the expression line miniprotein and the growth factor miniprotein content, the other key ingredient to know is the 30 per cent multi peptide complex with 13 skin-smart peptides, including copper peptides and matrixyl 3000, which you might have come across in Boots’s protect and perfect products. The initial ‘immediate’ test is easy – just wait 10 minutes or so after applying the serum before checking your complexion in the mirror. It’s better if you really take note of your face before using the serum and after – we get so used to seeing our own faces that any nuance can be hard to spot. I feel the results you see will vary wildly depending upon the depth and amount of expression lines you have, because we are all different and at different points of skin ageing.
As a rule, I use very lightweight bases, and achieving a ‘glow through’ is fundamental to being able to skip heavier foundations or powders, and I’m impressed at how quickly the serum has softened the overall look of my complexion. I’m afraid I’m on the fence as to whether I saw a physical reduction in expression lines, however. Although, I do note my foundation sat beautifully over the serum. Four weeks is the minimum amount of time in which you might see less depth to skin creases – ideally, give it longer before you make a judgement (I'd advise three months) – but users in the clinical trials claimed they saw no new creasing to their skin while using the serum, which I find interesting in terms of age-proofing.
