With the heat and humidity ramping up, this is hardly the time to double down on thick creams or full coverage foundation. But if your skin could use a boost, you’re in luck: there’s a whole new class of high-tech serums that promise all the skin benefits without the heavy feel. Layer them under a lightweight moisturizer or use them alone; you can’t go wrong with these guaranteed complexion fixer uppers. The best part? There’s an option for every skin personality.
Ever wish you could fast-forward your skincare routine’s results like you do your DVR? La Prairie’s new Anti-Aging Rapid Response Booster ($290) is designed to reduce wrinkle depth and volume in just two weeks. The secret to its speedy results is a unique new delivery system that’s like a GPS to cells: line-fighting ingredients are encapsulated with a special targeting peptide that speeds them straight to the skin cells that support collagen and elastin production. Meanwhile, the ingredients plump skin’s surface, as plankton extract exfoliates and an herbal brightening complex improves skin tone. It’s like multitasking that actually works (now if only writing posts while simultaneously checking emails could be as efficient…).
Our cells become dehydrated as we age, which leaves skin looking fatigued. Unfortunately, this isn’t the type of dehydration you can cure by drinking more water — but Dior’s newly reformulated Hydra Life Sérum Sorbet ($60) can help. The serum’s ingredients stimulate aquaporins — A.K.A. the plumbing system for our cells — to increase cellular hydration. The brand’s scientists have just discovered a way to target an additional aquaporin, AQP 10, by using Sanguisorba plant extracts. The new ingredient boosts hydration levels inside cells, while mauve targets “pipes” AQP 3 and AQP 9 that are found in the cell membranes. The result? Skin that’s energized from the inside out.
Inflammation is a major culprit behind beauty issues such as hair loss, eczema and acne. But a new science-based beauty company, Groh, has discovered what they’re calling a game-changing solution: ergothioneine, a potent antioxidant found in mushrooms. In Groh’s Ergo Boost Skin Repair Treatment ($42), ergothioneine and plant-derived vitamin D work with the body’s own carrier system to deliver nutrients direction to skin’s cellular level. These nutrients stimulate collagen production and help even skin tone, while making skin more resilient and radiant. (The company has also packed its star ingredient into a dietary supplement and scalp treatment, should the rest of your body feel left out.)
Environmental stressors like pollution and UV rays can have a dehydrating effect on skin, which translates into a complexion that shows its age. The newest serum from Erno Laszlo, the company founded by Marilyn Monroe’s own Hungarian-born skin doctor, is made to quench skin’s thirst and restore balance. The Hydra-Therapy Refresh Infusion ($100) features micro-encapsulated hyaluronic acid to draw moisture from skin’s surface to the cellular level, a probiotic-based complex that helps strengthen skin immunity and vitamin C-rich rose extract to soothe and soften skin. And its lightweight, liquid texture is ideal for layering, even in the hot and humid months ahead.
Smoothing Parisian skincare brand Darphin’s newest serum over your complexion is a pleasure right up there with nibbling a creamy wedge of brie or sipping a fine Bordeaux. But the Exquisâge Beauty Revealing Serum ($155) doesn’t just feel and smell luxurious, it features heavy-duty ingredients to revitalize the complexion. Its CelluVie Complex includes a collagen-boosting peptide, brown algae extract that supports skin’s production of cellular energy and fatigue-fighting botanicals. For the full French effect, incorporate a facial massage as you apply the serum to your face, neck and décolletage.
