little white truths

You may remember that I reviewed one of Lancôme's Advanced Génifique serums not long ago (see review here) and I absolutely loved it, so I was thrilled to be sent this sensitive version to try because I was expecting good things.

Happily I got good things, and I'm enjoying this just as much as the original. While I would probably choose the original if I had to pick between the two, I still do love this and I recommend it if you have sensitive skin. 

My skin has been extra sensitive over the last couple of months because I've introduced some new active ingredients, and this serum has really helped keep my skin feeling comfortable and looking its best. More on that below.

As with the original version, this sensitive one comes in a beautiful, weighty bottle complete with a dropper. 

The difference between them is that this sensitive version comes packaged with a separate lid, and once you twist that and dispense the blue concentrate into the clear one, you discard the lid and insert the dropper in its place. 

You then have only two months to use the product (according to the shelf-life stated on the bottle), which is likely why you only get 20ml of product - unlike the 30ml you get in the original.

Lancôme claims/product details:

• Experiencing sensitive skin? Forget bad skin days with Advanced Génifique Sensitive
• In one click, unleash 98% pure antioxidants (ferulic acid & vitamin e) into a potent serum base that's rich in probiotic extracts
• After one application, skin feels immediately soothed
• After 28 days, skin feels reinforced and visibly rejuvenated
• Skin is younger-looking with a youthful radiance
• Targets dryness, tightness, roughness, redness, burning and itching
• Use at night after cleansing during your bad skin moments, as a one-month treatment to soothe sensitive skin
• RRP $109 AUD for 20ml, but do shop around

There's the bottle as it originally was and I've pictured the dropper below.

Once you mix the two concentrates, the serum becomes pale blue in colour.

Verdict

This is an excellent product and I'm really enjoying it. As with the original serum, it has changed my skin and it looks so much better - younger, fresher and less dull - plus it feels more comfortable too. 

It's a thin, runny serum that comes in a beautiful, weighty bottle complete with a dropper. No complaints about the packaging - it's lovely and easy to use, plus it protects the contents well because it's thick and sturdy.

The product has a fresh, clean scent that reminds me of vacuumed carpet. It has a stronger fragrance than the original serum but it's not overpowering so it doesn't bother me. 

As you may know, I prefer thinner serums and this is definitely one of those. It spreads and absorbs well, and it never interferes with my moisturiser's ability to penetrate. While I do need to use a good amount to cover my whole face, neck and upper chest, I don't seem to be getting through the product too quickly and after over a month of twice-daily applications, I'm not quite halfway through the bottle so I'll need to get cracking if I want to use it within the two-month timeframe.

What I love about this product is that it has a brightening effect so it boosts radiance, plus it plumps fine lines and wrinkles so it makes my skin look smoother. It also firms and tones the skin, plus my skin just looks more healthy since I started using this, and it feels smoother so makeup glides on better these days. 

Some of my friends and family have randomly commented that my skin is looking good too, which tells me that I'm not just imagining the effects: they're definitely there.

Worth noting is that, a few weeks before I introduced this product, I started using a vitamin c product and also a strong lactic acid. I knew these would cause some sensitivity during the adjustment period - they did: my skin suddenly became more sensitive, a little red, tight, very dry and on the border of flaking - so I then introduced this product. 

I'm happy to report that it targeted those problems and helped soothe any discomfort. Indeed, combined with the facial oil I've been using overnight, this serum has helped bring my skin back into balance and I was really surprised when it didn't start to flake (it usually does in winter), so I believe this product had a lot to do with that.

In sum, I definitely recommend this serum and it's one I would consider buying in future. Sure it's pricey, but it's nursed my skin through a bad patch and it's also taken a few years off my face and it did that within the first week of use - so the results are not only there but they arrive quickly.

Brilliant. I've given it an HG tag.