Blame it on the coronation fanfare, but lately, I’ve felt a new appreciation for Kate Middleton. Sure, her fashion picks are perfectly befitting for a Princess (of Wales), but I’m a beauty editor, so I can’t help but focus on her perfectly blown-out hair, elegant yet understated makeup looks, and smooth complexion. While I love makeup and hair products, it’s skincare that I’m really interested in. I wanted to know, how does this member of the British monarchy care for hers? Has she undergone any skin treatments? What products does she use? After doing some research, I found a lead. Here it goes. It’s been reported that Princess Kate is a fan of a $65 line-reducing serum on Amazon (yes, really). After learning this, I obviously had to try it for myself. After all, if it’s good enough for a real-life princess, it’s good enough for me. Ahead, see what serum it is and read my honest review of it.
This is the serum that Kate Middleton reportedly uses. Produced in Germany, it’s touted as a natural alternative to Botox, which is…bold to say the least. What’s more, it promises a skin-smoothing and firming effect after only 60 minutes. From there, it promises to last up to 24 hours. Like I said, these are bold claims, and I was suspicious.
Before I get into my experience with it, I want to talk about the ingredients. The hero ingredients are as follows: spilanthol, blady grass, and hyaluronic acid. If you’ve never heard of the first two ingredients, you’re not alone. I myself had to do some digging to learn what they’re all about. The first is a fatty acid ingredient extracted from the Acmella Oleracea plant, which has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries (particularly for alleviating toothache pain. The brand claims it’s a natural anesthetic that can minimize muscle contractions, hence the ‘natural alternative to Botox’ claim). The second is a plant that’s famous for growing in arid climates and retaining moisture. The idea here is that it helps lock moisture into the skin. You’re probably familiar with the third ingredient, hyaluronic acid. It’s known for attracting and holding water. When applied topically, it can effectively hydrate and plump the skin.
I’m 28 years old, and I’m diligent about daily sunscreen use, so I don’t have too many fine lines or wrinkles to contend with (not yet at least). That doesn’t mean I don’t have any, though. I have some fine lines around my eyes and mouth, but there’s one line in particular that drives me crazy. It’s right between my eyebrows, running vertically toward my hairline. I get it from squinting and furrowing my brow, and with each passing year, it gets deeper and more pronounced. I was also hoping it would work on my neck wrinkles. Since I spend so much of my day staring at my computer and my phone, I’ve developed deep horizontal wrinkles that span across it.
I applied it to my skin after cleansing. The transparent serum felt lightweight and silky between my hands, and once I applied it to my face and neck, it felt smooth and hydrated (albeit a tad tacky), but I wasn’t overly impressed. However, I knew I had to give it some time to work its magic, so I set a timer for 60 minutes. When the 60 minutes were up, I inspected my skin in the mirror. While I didn’t see any major differences, I noticed the lines across my neck and the line between my brows were slightly less apparent. I don’t know if that was from the fancy ingredients in the serum or just from hydration alone, but still, it was something. The major difference, to me, was in the super fine lines around my eyes and mouth. After my timer went off, I noticed that my skin looked generally smoother and plumper. It’s worth noting that these before-and-after pictures only showed the result of using the serum once. One time. That’s it. Since then, I’ve used it nightly for about two weeks. I do think my neck and forehead lines look better, but I wouldn’t claim that it’s anything like a Botox alternative. Still, I’ll continue to use it to see if I see a major difference over time, as the brand says that the results are cumulative.
Retinol is the gold-standard ingredient when it comes to anti-aging. This budget-friendly formula contains 1% retinol and 0.5% granactive retinoid, so it releases slowly into the skin without irritating it.
Another effective retinol serum, this one is high-strength at 1% retinol (I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but retinol is very potent and only needs to be used in small percentages to see results). It also contains peptides for an extra kick of skin-firming benefits.
Peptides are an unsung hero in anti-aging skincare. They help keep the skin smooth and firm over time by boosting elasticity.
Another serum I personally use and love, this one uses high concentrations of microalgae, superfruits, and peptides to firm and repair skin while you sleep.
Most people think of vitamin C as only being good for skin-brightening, but it’s also an anti-aging powerhouse. It defends the skin against free radicals that could lead to skin damage and, eventually, premature signs of aging.
This is a formula that I personally love for preventing premature signs of aging. After using it for a few weeks, my skin looked brighter, firmer, and more even…everything I hoped for after using a retinol serum consistently.
If your main goal is to preserve collagen and keep your skin looking firm and plump, this serum can help. It’s formulated with peptides to minimize lines and wrinkles, stratixyl to strengthen the skin barrier, and algae to support elasticity.
This cult classic contains vitamin C and ferulic acid to protect the skin from damaging environmental aggressors, brighten discoloration, and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I probably couldn’t name a more well-loved product if I tried.
When people ask me for an effective drugstore vitamin C serum, I always point them towards this one.
The same goes for this serum from one of my favorite drugstore brands, Versed. With microalgae, phloretin, vitamin C, and ferulic acid, it’s an epic multitasker. It brightens, firms, evens tone, and even enhances the effects of sunscreen (yes, really).
