Lancome Advanced Genefique Concentrate review, vs Visionnaire serum

It took me almost two years to find my favourite face serum. There have been epic fails on the way, and some that worked okay and gave me good results. But nothing else that I have actually repurchased. Nothing else that made people say my skin had actually improved.
I ended up trying out Lancome Advanced Genefique purely by chance. Having tried out Lancome Genefique before, with nothing to show for it, I was reluctant to try out what looked like another version, even though I had liked using Lancome Genefique Yeux Light Pearl on the eye area. But the SA managed to palm off two samples on me. Even so, they lay forgotten in my travel bag until a short sojourn at my Gramps's place, where I found myself without moisturiser, but with flakes around my breakouts. I reached for the samples and the rest is the cliched history.

Read on for my review of Lancome Advanced Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate.

Before I talk about Lancome Advanced Genefique, a bit about my skin.
Adult acne and its treatment, involving benzoyl peroxide and salicyclic acid now and a myriad of other products ranging from adalpalene gel and azelaic acid to clindamycin and sulphur-based ointments, despite an allergy to sulpha drugs, have ravaged my skin and stripped it of moisture. Not that I have dry skin - quite the opposite. But the texture was not smooth. Not soft. Not radiant or even, but tired and blotchy. I do not have wrinkles or lines yet, but the ups and downs are coming in, thanks to acne.
Every hope of mine was pinned upon Lancome Visionnaire after I heard about the waitlist, consisting of Kate Middleton, Emma Watson and so on. I bought two from Singapore without testing them out. It broke me out so badly, I had to be put on antibiotics. Visionnaire was then used up by my long-suffering Mum. I was just using the barest touch of moisturiser, primer and makeup by the time I reached for the Advanced Genefique samples.

One more thing. What is a serum?

It is a skincare product with a very high concentration of some ingredients, intended to treat one or more issues your skin faces. Most serums are generally targeted at anti-ageing treatment. But you also have serums for targeted spot or pigmentation correction. You only need very little product. I believe the individual molecules in serums are smaller than in regular creams so they go deeper into the skin. I have no idea if that is true.
Now back to Lancome Advanced Genefique.

Packaging of Lancome Advanced Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate

This comes in a sleek glass bottle. The black fades into transparency gradually, revealing the product inside. The cap is silver-coloured and doubles as the applicator. This is interesting. There is a button at the top of the cap, which you press for the product to get in the tube. When the bottle is closed, the button lies flat. When the bottle is opened, the button pops up. You press it down to release the product from the tube. I have read that the button gets you only as much product as is required for a single application. While this is true of the 30ml bottle, it is not true of the 75ml bottle, where one press of the button gives you enough for at least three uses. 

Formula and claims of Lancome Advanced Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate

Lancome claims Advanced Genefique is the result of 14 years' research and that this product will help improve key signs of ageing - dullness, rough texture, lack of firmness, uneven tone, wrinkles, fine lines and overall appearance. Apparently, Advanced Genefique has been tested on people of four ethnicities. It has been touted as something that will suit all skin types.
A quick look at the ingredients' list will reveal that there are no parabens.

The serum is pearly-translucent and not thick or greasy, but not too thin or runny either. It feels very light on the skin and is absorbed almost instantly for a matte finish - at least, on me. 

Difference between Advanced Genefique and the older Genefique

Lancome claims that Genefique - the older version of the serum - is the result of 10 years' research and that the product will help make the skin smooth, soft and supple instantly, while over time, it will make the skin appear more radiant, even-toned, refined and younger. 
I have not bought the full-sized bottles of Genefique but have tried more than half a dozen sample tubes or bottles. There are two kinds of formulae where Genefique is concerned - a Youth Activating Cream, which is a transparent white cream, and the Concentrate, which is a transparent fluid.

Of these, the cream worked well enough for me as a moisturiser, preventing flaking in the drier months. But the serum did absolutely nothing for me, but just sat on my skin like water. I would not recommend the older version of Genefique serum, although the cream version was a nice face moisturiser that did not break me out.

Now take a look at the ingredients of the Genefique cream. It contains parabens. I do NOT argue in favour of or against parabens - please note that. However, the fact is that parabens mimic oestrogen, so those who have a family history of endometriosis (Thanks, Mum!) would do well to remember that and avoid cocoa and caffeine as well.

Difference between Advanced Genefique and Visionnaire

Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector basically targets wrinkles and pores. Lancome claims it contains a molecule known as LR 2412, which is supposed to penetrate into the underlying layers of the skin and correct flaws. I am not sure how far all the scientifics of it will work but it all certainly sounds fancy from an advertising point of view.
The best thing about this for me is the bottle, which is simply stunning. My Mum finished both bottles back in May or June but cannot bring herself to throw the bottles away. They look so good on her vanity, which is a very pale blue.

I am afraid my experiences with Visionnaire have not been pleasant. I tried it three times, one trial extending for a little more than a month. You had to see the breakouts. Every SA in every cosmetics counter in every country I visited at that time was trying to sell me acne treatment products. It was only a course of ciplafloxacin and OXY 10 that brought me back to my normal couple-of-breakouts-a-month stage. My Mum, on the other hand, loved Visionnaire, though she says she prefers Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronised Recovery Complex, so Visionnaire has not been repurchased.
The fact, though, is that Visionnaire does not absorb as easily and feels thicker than Advanced Genefique, which is probably what accounts for the breakouts.
Here are Visionnaire's ingredients:

Aqua / Water / Eau, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Tetrahydrojasmonate, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Polysilicone-11, Dimethicone, Bis-Peg/Ppg-16/16 Peg/Ppg-16/16 Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Ammonium Polyacryldimethyltauramide / Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ci 77891 / Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Adenosine, Argilla / Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dimethiconol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium Edta, Tetrahydrojasmonic Acid, Citronellol, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Parfum / Fragrance.

Use and results of Lancome Advanced Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate

I have been using Lancome Advanced Genefique each time after I wash my face, for about four months now. Just a couple of drops, dabbed lightly on my face and maybe neck. As I told you before, it is absorbed instantly and leaves my skin matte instantly, but not tight or drawn. I have large pores but I have not seen a visible difference from using this serum. I do not have wrinkles or fine lines yet, so it is too early to tell. But there is a blurrier effect to my face in the mirror now, like you see when you "soften" photographs (Tech idiot-alert. I don't know the term for that).
What I can tell you is what my Mum said the next time I saw her: that my skin texture had gone from slightly leathery to smooth. I have seen a visible difference in radiance and skintone, which is no longer blotchy, but glowing. The ravages of acne treatment are less visible now. There is no redness - there was a point when I was afraid I might have rosacea, thanks to the products I was throwing at my acne. My skin has improved drastically in four months, and colleagues, whom I had not seen in months, have remarked upon it.
Most importantly, I have not had any breakouts from Advanced Genefique.

I love how this feels on my skin and notice that primer and foundation go on smoother and my skin stays matte for a little longer. I can skip a moisturiser with this serum, although I do not know if that is a good idea.
I cannot say how well this would work on someone who is in need of anti-ageing products, but for those in their twenties, or even early thirties at a stretch, this is a great product that enhances radiance and imparts a lovely glow to the face, even without makeup. It also smooths out the skin and improves texture and unevenness. In other words, this is one serum that works, at least for me.

I have also been using Lancome Advanced Genefique on the eye area, whether I am supposed to or not, and have seen very good results, with less dry skin and more evenness, although it has not done much for dark circles. I used to love Lancome Genefique Yeux Light Pearl for dark circles until January, when my loss of sleep became too much for any cream to combat. You can read my review here. I also have a little pot of Genefique Yeux to try out and hope it will do a better job with dark circles, since the texture is thicker.

Summary

I know this review has been incredibly verbose, but there really was so much to tell you! Especially because I wanted to compare Advanced Genefique with the older Genefique version and Visionnaire.
Of all the serums I have tried so far, Lancome Advanced Genefique is definitely the best. I am on my second bottle already - 75ml - after using up a 30ml bottle recently (see empties post here), and some sample bottles. One sample bottle is good for two weeks, while the 30ml bottle lasted me for almost three months with two uses a day, so I expect the 75ml bottle to go on for seven to eight months. You need finish it up within 12 months of opening.
You can get this in any Lancome counter around the world. Sephora's listing can be found here. The price, which varies around the world, is worth every penny. The best part is that it doubles as eye treatment serum as well.

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Disclaimer: Not a PR sample. I bought all products mentioned except the samples, which were a GWP.  Contains affiliate links.