Welcome to Deep Reviews—your one-stop destination to discover the absolute best products and brands the beauty industry has to offer. The Who What Wear staffers you already know and trust will research, test, and review the market’s most sought-after and buzzed-about products to see which formulas (of the hundreds up for consideration) are truly worth your hard-earned money and attention. You can expect honest, completely uncensored feedback and no-BS recommendations our hard-to-please testers endorse without reservations.
The majority of our Deep Reviews will feature our editors’ honest, ultra-hot takes on entire product categories or multiple products from a particular beauty brand, but every so often, we’ll sprinkle in a special single-product format called Honestly, I Love It. As the name suggests, these reviews will hone in on one standout beauty formula our editors quite literally can’t shut up about. This time around, I’m gushing over Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift Instant Firming Retinol Alternative Serum ($84).
Over the last couple of years, I’ve experienced what could only be described as an urge to completely revamp my lifestyle starting with phasing in simple, everyday tools. Updating my skincare routine is what seemed the most daunting at the time. Sure, I could cite high price points and a lack of access as the ultimate reasons for delaying my skincare-lineup refresh, but in truth, I was hesitant to try something new without having the knowledge to back up my decision. Since becoming a beauty editor, I can proudly say that I’ve fully embraced stepping out of my comfort zone when it comes to experiencing new products.
As a longtime fan of French skincare brand Caudalie’s Vinoperfect, Vinopure, and Premier Cru collections, I was beyond excited to get my hands on a recent release from the brand’s Resveratrol-Lift collection: the newly upgraded Instant Firming Retinol Alternative Serum. Since becoming a 20-something, I’ve gained fine lines under my eyes, around my mouth, and on my neck (most likely a combination of hyperpigmentation and “tech neck”). I had my fingers crossed that the product would be able to completely camouflage my problem areas and prevent them from occurring altogether. Read on to see if this TikTok favorite lives up to the hype.
If there’s anything you should know about me before I came across the serum on my TikTok For You page, it’s that I had never felt the need to add retinol to my already-extensive daily skincare lineup. In fact, I had never found a retinol product I trusted to be gentle enough on my semi-sensitive skin. The 10 products I used on rotation were delivering everything I needed from them. That was until I noticed that my fine lines were becoming increasingly difficult to mask behind my makeup.
Taking measures to prevent any signs of aging hasn’t always been top of mind, but lately, it’s landed on my radar, and there’s no denying how lucky I am to have access to thousands of beauty-industry experts who can keep me headed in the right direction. With that in mind, before testing the serum over the course of a couple weeks, I got in touch with the vice president of education for Caudalie Americas, Liz Kwitman, for the scoop on the product’s development, the formula behind its high performance, and how to effectively incorporate this superhero serum into your routine.
One of the main reasons so many of us tend to steer clear of retinol is that while the popular ingredient may be a holy grail when it comes to reversing signs of aging, not all skin responds well to such a powerful vitamin. Caudalie’s newest serum was made with everyone in mind. It’s formulated with resveratrol as a high-performing retinol alternative. “The patented combination of resveratrol, micro hyaluronic acid, and new vegan collagen 1 works synergistically to deliver the best results,” Kwitman tells us. Resveratrol and retinol may work in a similar way, but to an in vitro test on ingredients association, one is much more versatile than the other.
But what is resveratrol? According to Kwitman, it’s harnessed from the grapevine stalk and works to increase activity in the anti-aging cells. Made from 98% natural origin ingredients, the Resveratrol-Lift Instant Firming Serum also happens to be vegan, recyclable, and gentle, which makes it an effective alternative for retinol. “The serum is clinically proven to be three times more effective than retinol to firm and lift,” she says. “This is critical because by the time you reach 40 years old, you have lost nearly 50% of your collagen and 40% of your hyaluronic acid.” In other words, the older you get, the more changes you’ll notice to the skin. Using Caudalie’s patented resveratrol formula can help pump the breaks.
Featuring a triple power patent codeveloped in partnership with Harvard Medical School, the new and improved formula uses vegan collagen 1 to visibly smooth and firm facial contours while working with the resveratrol and hyaluronic acid for the best results. “Many traditional retinols and acids can be stripping and drying. However, this formula pairs highly effective ingredients with ones that hydrate and soothe,” Kwitman continues. The combination of ingredients encourages the additional production of collagen (which our bodies product naturally), lending to tighter, smoother, and more lifted skin without any damage to the skin barrier. It can also be used morning or night without a risk of irritation or sensitivity. If you’re not sure where to start, follow Kwitman’s application tips:
1. Cleanse and tone the skin to prepare for product application.
2. Apply the Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift Instant Firming Retinol Alternative Serum on slightly damp skin to the face, neck, and décolleté, allowing the lightweight serum to absorb quickly.
3. Follow up with your favorite moisturizer and SPF during the daytime to protect your skin.
Since using this Caudalie serum, I’ve noticed two major changes to the appearance of my skin: my “tech neck” has become much more even-toned, and the fine lines I struggled with around my eyes, mouth, and even nose have been reduced. Not only do I no longer have to rely on heavy setting powder to keep my concealer in check around these areas, but my makeup applies smoothly and easily. The potent yet gentle formula does absolute wonders for brightening my complexion and smoothing the facial contours of my round face. (Yes, those are cheekbones and an ultra-defined chin you’re spotting in the after image.) No wonder the TikTok fans of this product have been referring to it as a face-lift in a bottle!
