Review-Yves Saint Laurent: Forever Youth Liberator

Yves Saint Laurent have given their skincare line a shake-up this week, with the introduction of a new range called Forever Youth Liberator.  I would say the focus with YSL is usually on their fragrances and cosmetics, so it will be interesting to see a shift with this collection.  Inspired by Glycobiology (and 100 years of research into it), it's their first patented skincare which combines three glycans to help increase youthful activity in skin cells.  Glycans are found naturally in the skin but with age decrease, therefore slowing down the youth process.  To put it simply this skincare basically speeds up the regeneration of skin cells, plumping the skin and smoothing wrinkles etc for "forever youth"!  Now I was lucky enough to be picked for the YSL testing panel (something I enjoyed immensely) and started using the serum (the star product of the new line) last year.  Yes, before the shops even got any-how exciting!  I threw myself into the role, using the serum religiously for the 4 week trial and have been completely honest (as always) with my findings.

So here is a little background on my skin before the review.  I'll be 32 in a few months and my main skin concerns are adult acne (developed at the age of 25, but mostly under control for now) and ageing, although I credit being in the early stages of ageing on a good skincare routine since my teens. I have very fine lines around my eyes and on my forehead, otherwise my skin is normal. However I'm keen to step my anti-ageing  routine up a notch as prevention is better than cure and all that!  I don't always use a serum as part of my skincare routine (as I can't use too many different products at once); but have used both Lancome Genefique and No7 in the past year.

I started using Forever Youth Liberator 4 weeks ago, morning and night. Firstly I loved the packaging, the dropper distributes the perfect amount of product and the bottle reflects the luxury of the brand whilst remaining practical and easy to use.  I liked that the bottle had this ombre effect in pink, silver and black-it's different to other brands in terms of colour and style and would look pretty on any dressing table!  The scent is soft, subtle, inoffensive and in no way overpowering. That came as a pleasant surprise to me because YSL can be known for being very fragrant whether it's eye makeup remover or lipgloss!  The serum itself felt lightweight, non-sticky and was easily absorbed into the skin, providing a good base for moisturiser or makeup.  I noted that it didn't have that slippy, silicone-ish feel that some other serums have.  After using the serum for a week-I was happy to report that it hadn't caused any breakouts. As I said, I do have to be very careful with the products I put on my skin, but this serum has not caused me any trouble. I started to notice my skin felt firmer after application and looked a little more radiant in general. I didn't notice any change to my wrinkles.

Two weeks into the routine and my skin was definitely brighter, more radiant and the skintone seemed more even. On some days I even felt the fine lines around my eyes didn't seem so prominent.   My skin has remained firmer throughout the month and I definitely notice a little radiance. I can't say it's erased my wrinkles but on some days I have thought they weren't quite as noticeable (especially around the eyes). I'm most pleased that it didn't cause breakouts and if anything my skin seemed more clear over the month. It's been no bother at all to add this serum into my routine as it works so well with the products I already use and sinks into the skin quickly. While I can't say it has radically changed my appearance that others would notice, I've been happy with the firmer and more glowy complexion and for that reason I'd consider using it again.

The serum comes in a 30ml bottle, priced £60 which obviously reflects the technology (and 7 Nobel prizes), plus the serum contains a higher concentration of glycans than the other products.  My bottle was half that size and just lasted the 4 weeks, so you're looking at buying a new one every 2 months.  Six bottles a year...that's £360.  Pricey but cheaper than a face-lift if it works for you!  There's also moisturisers, cleanser and eye cream, prices start at £35.