Bakuchiol and Hyaluronic Acid Are the Power Couple in This French Brand's New Plumping Serum

AVÈNE

French skincare is a fabled thing. When I started out as a beauty intern, I remember obsessing over the drugstore hauls brought back by editors and models returning from Paris Fashion Week. The yearning was satiated as it became easier to find brands like Embryolisse, La Roche Posay, and a personal favorite, Avène, stateside.

Beloved by supermodels, celebrities, and thousands of shoppers, Avène has a reputation for dermatologist-backed, gentle, yet effective products. RetrinAL, its line of retinol-alternative products, has been huge among customers. Now, just in time for summer, Avène welcomes the latest product in the family, the RetrinAL 3-in-1 Advanced Correcting Serum.

This multitasking serum formula has an all-star ingredient roster with antioxidant-rich pre-tocopheryl — a vitamin E derivative that's 40 times more powerful — at its forefront. It speeds up the skin's healing process, which visibly fixes the skin while repairing its barrier. There's also the signature Avène thermal spring water, which softens and soothes skin, bakuchiol, a nonirritating retinol alternative that increases cell turnover, reduces wrinkles, and firms skin, and hyaluronic acid, known for its incredible hydrating properties.

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Shop now: $78; aveneusa.com

A study found that immediately after use, nearly all testers said their skin felt hydrated and plump and looked glowy and bright. After two weeks, the overwhelming majority of test subjects said their skin was firmer and wrinkles were less visible.

I used the serum myself and have to concur with most of the results offered by the brand's own testing. I don't have wrinkles, so I can't speak to that aspect of the correcting serum, but here's what I can tell you: The texture is so incredibly lightweight, my skin absorbed it instantly. If it wasn't for the immediate radiance and puffer jacket-like bouncy skin, I would have forgotten I even put it on. After 10 days, I experienced less or more mild breakouts (which are constant for me), lighter dark spots, and smoother skin with absolutely no irritation.

Avène RetrinAL products have garnered the highest praises from shoppers with "canyon-sized" wrinkles and "terrible" dark circles immune to most treatments, so this gentle, yet efficient Correcting Serum is really no surprise. Buy it for $78 on Avène's website.