Sunday

L'Oreal's Youth Code Serum Review

I was going to write an excellent short piece on L'Oreal's Youth Code Serum. I have used it for about 3-4 months off and on and noticed very positive results. Among them are better skin elasticity, skin feels firmer and a tad bit brighter (not lighter).

However, while researching I found a much better piece than I would have written and I posted the information below or you can access it using this link.


f there’s one thing that L’Oréal is great at, it’s marketing.  The powerhouse skincare and cosmetics company, which houses not only L’Oréal itself but also such big names as Lancôme, The Body Shop, Kiehls, and Skinceuticals is now launching Youth Code ($29.95 for trial set, Amazon.com), its latest in self-deemed ‘revolutionary’ skincare.

Probiotics in Skin Care?

The secret to L’Oréal Youth Code appears to be in the product line’s inclusion of Pro-GenTMtechnology, AKA bifida ferment lysate, AKA probiotic bacteria.  Although it has been suggested by many in the past that probiotics do not have any effect on the skin, recently published research inExperimental Dermatology suggests that bifidobacterium may stimulate the skin’s ability to repair itself.   It is suspected that bifidobacterium may decrease skin sensitivity by reducing neuronal reactivity and accessibility, as suggested by the cells’ decreased release of the peptide CGRP upon exposure to capsaicin in in vitro studies.

Synergistic Antioxidants

Unfortunately, despite its claims of ten-plus years of research backing, L’Oréal Youth Code doesn’t contain any other truly new or revolutionary ingredients.   It does, however, contain two synergistic antioxidants, vitamin C (as photostable ascorbyl glucoside) and vitamin E.   Vitamin C and E reinforce the power of one another, as when one antioxidant is depleted, it can “borrow” an electron from the other to renew itself.   Together, vitamins C and E have also been reported to prevent the formation of toxic compounds called carcinogenic nitrosamines in the skin.   And for those looking to stave off the deleterious aging effects of UV exposure for a few more years, vitamin C and vitamin E have also been shown to enhance the photoprotective effects of sunscreen, though vitamin C has been reported to enhance UVA protection, whereas vitamin E is more effective against UVB radiation.

Who’s This Best For, My Mother or Me?

With all this having been said, I think L’Oréal Youth Code is a better skin care regimen for young women who are looking to prevent signs of aging, rather than those who are already experiencing fine lines, wrinkles, serious hyperpigmentation (i.e., solar lentingos), or the like.  The reason I say this is two-fold:  First and foremost, the most active and revolutionary ingredients, bifida ferment lysate and vitamins C and E, have effects that are altogether more preventative than restorative.  In fact, only 69-71% of women who used Youth Code reported a decrease in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, which is not altogether all that promising, considering the high concentration of line-filling silicones in the product as well as the consideration that about 2/3 of subjects in studies generally report improvements due to a placebo effect anyway.   Second,  women who are looking to treat existing signs of aging would be better off investing in proven ingredients like retinoids, AHAs (although never together with retinoids, as they inactivate one another due to differing optimal pH levels), and, of course, targeted in-house treatments from the dermatologist.

In Summary:

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