As a beauty editor, I am constantly bombarded with more skincare than I have facial real estate to try out! Hence, I actually end up not using my own personal favorites most of the time, in order to go through all the new stuff sitting on my desk, waiting to be reviewed. Not complaining – I love discovering new products. But sometimes, my skin craves the comfort of an old buddy – one that’s worked over and over again.
And Lancôme’s Advanced Genifique has been on that very short list for what seems like forever. So, this time, when my skin simply broke down under stress, change of weather and tonnes of comfort food, out came the Génifique. And two weeks later, I am once again reminded of just why I have loved this amphora-shaped glass bottle so much over the past decade (did you know that the first Génifique launched in 2009 and has been through multiple iterations, in keeping with advancing skincare science?).
Why do I love this one serum so much? Let me count the ways.
First, obviously, is the formula. The Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate (yes, the full name is quite a mouthful) is packed with antioxidants like vitamin C to fade hyperpigmentation and boost collagen production, hyaluronic acid to boost hydration and, of course, the star ingredient – 10% Bifidus Prebiotic, aka Bifida Ferment Lysate.
Bifida Ferment Lysate is a probiotic that’s derived from a specific type of yeast obtained by the fermentation of Bifida bacteria. Now, while you may want to avoid yeast and bacteria in your general life, they play an extremely important role in skincare.
Bifidus strengthens your skin barrier to protect it against environmental damage – like UV light and pollution – and helps soothe sensitive skin. It makes skin stronger, healthier and more resilient, thereby working against premature ageing at the cellular levels. And yes, there are studies to prove its efficacy.
The overall result of these handpicked, potent ingredients working in tandem is skin that’s smooth, fresh, radiant and sans overt hyperpigmentation (buh-bye acne scars) or signs of ageing, like fine lines or sagging. Of course, this serum won’t completely halt ageing and do away with all blemishes – only a time capsule can do that – but it will give you the best skin of your life.
It will also leave you feeling good, which is something I crave nowadays. The super-lightweight texture is like a silky cocoon that melts into the skin, leaving behind a glow, satiny finish. And the self loading dropper means you get the correct dosage every single time… no second guessing or wastage.
I have been using it for two weeks now and my skin feels like it snuck away to a spa resort without taking me along. My complexion looks visibly brighter, fresher, more hydrated and some of those maskne scars are actually lighter.
There’s enough of a difference for my husband to actually comment upon it… and anyone who’s married for over a decade would know that it takes a lot for husbands to notice much after all that time (or is that just my experience?). #skincaregoals
Now, if only Lancôme could find me a way of pouring the Génifique magic over the rest of my life.
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