The best L’Oréal serums is worth every penny

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Skrevet av Cathrine Stabel

This article is not paid for. It is however an article written after doing events with L’Oréal Paris, that focused on these serums. To read more about how we work with brands, read here.

The thing about skincare is, that price really says nothing about quality. You can get really expensive products that are not really doing anything for skin, and you can get skincare at a bargain price that really does it all. It all depends on formulation and ingredients.


When it comes to L’Oréal, who’s been in the business for years (over 113 to be exact), they know what they’re doing when they are formulating new products. L’Oréal Paris is what you can call a science backed brand. 

L’Oréal Paris reaps the benefits that comes with being a part of a huge company, that invests a pretty percentages of global earnings, back into science, every year. Which means that when they do hyaluronic acid, or retinol or cellular renewal, they kinda make a point of delivering on their claims.

Which brings us to 3 of the most potent serums in their assortment: L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Serum, L’Oréal Paris Revitalift 1,5 % Hyaluronic Acid Serum and L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Midnight Serum.


But which one to choose, you say?

Well, basically one can combine all three serums, they have different benefits, that all serve the skin in different ways, but if you want to prioritize, here’s a handy guide:

Now, if you’,ve chosen one serum, or several, here’s a little more information, and how to use them in a routine.

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift 1,5 % Hyaluronic Acid Serum

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift 1,5 % Hyaluronic Acid Serum

You all know about hyaluronic acid, right? It’s the sugar molecule that binds up to 1000 times it’s weight in water, gives the skin an intense moisture boost and can help fine lines look reduced. Hyaluronic acid is an ingredient we already have in our skin, but as with a lot of good things in skin, it declines with age. Also, it’s called an acid, but it’s not really an acid, so you don’t need to be worried about it sensitizing skin or being irritating.

Recommended skin type:

This serum can be used, and benefits, all skin types. 

If you have oily skin, this serum can be your savior and best friend forever. Oily skin also needs moisture, but it needs to be the right kind, and this serum can even help your skin become more balanced, and reduce pimples, if your skin is oily, but also dehydrated (it happens!).


The pro tip:

The secret trick everyone should know when using hyaluronic acid is the sandwich method! The moisture sandwich. You do it like this:

  • Clean you face

  • Don’t rub it dry with a towel, pat it dry if you are soaking wet

  • Apply the serum on the skin while it is still damp  (if you did dry it, use a mist or some water to get some moisture on the skin)

  • After the serum is applied, layer some mist or moisturizer on top.

Voila - you just completed the moisture sandwich. Which will give the hyaluronic acid lots of moisture to hold on to, meaning you get plump, hydrated, glowing skin for longer.

How & when to use it:

This serum can be used both morning and evening, after cleansing your face and before moisturizer.

Other ingredients to be exited about in the formula:

Glycerin - is like hyaluronic acid’s cousin that is commonly overlooked, but really is a star in it’s own right - it helps the skin hold on to moisture and can even strengthen the skin barrier

Ascorbyl Glucoside - is a vitamin C derivative. We all know Vitamin C do great things for skin (brighten, glow, collagen, antioxidant ++). Ascorbyl Glucoside is one of the best Vit C derivatives and even if this is not a Vit-C serum, you get some of the benefits from this ingredients.

Peptide (okay, so the whole name is dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate), but let’s call it peptide. It’s a pretty small peptide, which means it penetrates the skin. It belongs to the «botox in a jar» peptides, that especially targets the lines and wrinkles you get when you move your face, like around the mouth, eyebrows and such. While it’s not the star of the serum, it gives some nice benefits. 

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Serum

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Serum

Enter the most famous, most potent and most science backed ingredient in all of skincare. Retinol. If you don’t use this in your skincare, you are missing out. Big time! 

Retinol is a form of A-vitamin and they come in different forms, all doing great things for skin. Depending on the different form of A-vitamin, it takes a few steps for it to bind to the retinoid receptors in the skin. Retinol esters being the weakest, retinoid acid being the strongest.

Retinol esters → retinol → retinal/retinaldehyd → retinoic acid

In this case, it’s good to not be super strong, because using a strong retinol, or retinoid acid, can be really irritating for skin.

The benefits from retinol can seem endless:

  • Reduce pigmentation

  • reduce pimples and regulate oil production

  • Increase cell turnover

  • Increase collagen production, that reduces fine lines and wrinkles

  • Contribute to better skin texture and tone


Recommended skin type:

NOT for pregnant og breastfeeding.

Also as it is a potent ingredient, not all skin types will tolerate it as well. If your skin doesn’t there is no point in forcing it, because you can damage your skin barrier. But for all skin types  who tolerate it, start slow. Slow and steady wins the race. To see results, this needs to be in your routine, for a while. To keep results up, keep it in your routine.

The pro tip:

Layer with moisture to avoid irritation. As this is a potent ingredient you can experience flaking, redness and irritation. If this occurs: stop the retinol use and use moisturizer and moisturizing serums until your skin is back to normal.

To avoid side effects, do this:

In the evening after cleansing, put a little pea of moisturizer on your face. Wait 10 minutes. Put the retinol serum on. Wait 5 minutes. Put moisturizer on. This moisture sandwiches can solve a lot of skin issues.

How & when to use it:

When you start to use the serum, use it twice a week for two weeks in your evening routine. Not on consecutive days. Then you can start to use it three times a week, not on consecutive days. Eventually your skin will tolerate it and you can use it every night if you wish.

  • Use only in your nighttime routine and use with your favorite moisturizer. 

  • USE SUNSCREEN EVERY DAY. There’s really no point in using retinol if you are not using a sunscreen. Please use SPF 30 or SPF 50.

  • Please do not use other strong acids or retinol when you are using this product.

Other ingredients to be exited about in the formula:

Soybean oil - a great emollient that makes your skin soft, strengthen your skin barrier and is anti-inflammatory

Hyaluronic acid - you can read all about this great moisturizing ingredient above

Tocpherol - Vitamin E, a potent antioxidant

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum

This serum does not feature one star ingredient, but rather a cocktail of star ingredients and potent antioxidants. It is meant to be used specifically at night, when the skin is working to repair and renew itself. 

The ingredients support this process and aims to give you smooth, glowing and hydrated skin with less visible lines and wrinkles.

Everyone should be very excited about antioxidants, and in this serum they are plentiful. Antioxidants are like the mom’s who’s always got extra socks, snacks, keys, etc. when you need it. Antioxidants protect your skin from free radicals, that damage the skin, by giving them electrons, which neutralizes them. Your face meets free radicals every day, as they are formed by UV-rays, pollution, cigarette smoke and more.

When you sleep, your skin is sort of reorganizing, so if you supply the skin with extra antioxidants, the skin can do its job more efficiently. The Midnight Serum contains a complex of antioxidants and active ingredients and is patented. That means that L’Oréal has such confidence in this complex, that they are protecting it from other brands using it. Well played.

Recommended skin type:

All skin types can use and benefit from this serum. If you find yourself stressed, this can cause free radicals and The Midnight Serum could be of great help to your skin.

The pro tip:

Topping this serum of with moisturizer and a lightweight oil (like squalane), can really boost your skin at night, so you wake up with supple and glowing skin.

How & when to use it:

Use at night, as the first step in your routine after cleansing. Follow up with moisturizer.


Ingredients to be exited about in the formula:

Neohesferdin DHC - antioxidant complex from the peel of bitter lemon. This s bio tech at it’s best. This potent antioxidant protects the cells from UVA-rays and free radicals.

Vitamin E - this is a well known, potent antioxidant that also strengthens the skin barrier. We have Vitamin E in our skin, but it declines with age.

Adenosine - helps the cells work better, with more energy, as well as being anti-inflammatory and help with strengthening the skin barrier

Fermented Black Tea - a potent antioxidant 

LHA (Lipo Hydroxy Acid) - is a fatty acid that helps exfoliate the skin super gently, to make it glow and dewy.

The act of layering

Depending on your skin type, skin concern and commitment to doing several steps in your skin care routine, this is how you can combine the serum, if one feels so inclined. 

Morning:

  • Cleanser

  • L’Oréal Paris Revitalift 1,5 % Hyaluronic Acid Serum

  • moisturizer

  • sunscreen


Night:

  • Cleanser

  • L’Oréal Paris Revitalift 1,5 % Hyaluronic Acid Serum

  • L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Serum 

    or 

  • L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Serum

  • Moisturizer

There should be no problem combining Retinol Serum and Midnight Serum either. If you layer them, use retinol first. Wait until it has absorbed and use Mignight Serum.

If you got this far, congratulations. You can consider yourself quite the skincare nerd and we’d give it about a day before your friends all ask you for skincare advise.

Remember that, while skincare can be overwhelming, the important thing is to use products your skin enjoys and that you enjoy using. Don’t overthink it.


This article is not paid for. It is however an article written after doing events with L’Oréal Paris, that focused on these serums. To read more about how we work with brands, read here.

Cathrine Stabel
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