When Versed made its debut two years ago, its range of clean, cruelty-free products gained instant editor approval, and its two latest releases — the Auto-Save Advanced Restoring Serum and Recovery Mode Advanced Night Cream — have something brand-new to offer. This product duo promises to go above and beyond to support aging complexions, a philosophy I can get behind. So I had to put them to the test.
Auto-Save Advanced Restoring Serum
I love an efficient product that cuts to the chase. The Versed Auto-Save Advanced Restoring Serum is like a veil of pure treatment: My skin absorbed its hyper-powerful ingredients like ferulic acid, phloretin, and microalgae within seconds, with the formula getting right down to work.
I find that many serums are too watery for my liking, and drip right off my finger before I apply them onto a clean face. But I immediately noticed that this formulation’s consistency is milky-thick, not runny, and spreads seamlessly into skin well before it dries. It also has just enough slip to thoroughly cover my face without getting sticky.
There’s no shortage of products that claim to smooth lines and brighten dull skin, but this serum made my skin look fresh, clear, and perked-up in just 24 hours. The benefits grew the longer I used the product, too. Los Angeles-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Anna Guanche tells me we have action-packed antioxidants — the aforementioned ferulic acid and phloretin — to thank for that.
In addition to neutralizing free radicals thought to accelerate damage, the combination can also improve the appearance of discoloration while brightening skin. “They are both outstanding additions to a daytime serum, as together they form a dual protective ‘liquid envelope’ against the oxidative stress from UV exposure,” adds Dr. Ava Shamban, a Los Angeles-based board-certified dermatologist.
Plus, it’s environmentally guilt-free: The packaging is made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastic, and Versed’s website includes instructions about how to break down the bottle before recycling.
This Advanced Restoring Serum is an instant winner. The name “Auto-Save” conjures very-‘90s memories of my computer crashing and losing an important document in the process, only to then miraculously restore it after a reboot. That’s precisely what my skin feels like today, after undergoing months in quarantine filled with flare-ups, dry patches, and dull texture.
Recovery Mode Advanced Night Cream
Like the Advanced Restoring Serum, the Versed Recovery Mode Advanced Night Cream is made with vitamin-rich fermented ingredients and comes with a velvety, luxe richness that felt barely-there on my complexion. I don’t love that so many night creams I try can leave a sticky or greasy layer on my skin, so I have a challenging time finding a formula I like that can also tackle issues like my fine lines, rough texture, and desert-style dryness.
This Advanced Night Cream, though, was a different story. I appreciated that the directions advised me to warm the cream between my fingertips and smooth it into the skin using circular upward motions to help lift my complexion. “Using circular motions up and outward helps increases circulation and facilitates absorption,” explains Dr. Shamban. The ritual also encouraged me to take my time and be present, rather than hastily slathering it on — a reminder, I think, we could all use right now. (I like to use a little extra to cover my neck and décolletage, too.) The formula contains a blend of potent fermented purple tea, green extract coffee, and microalgae. “Fermented purple tea and green coffee are both antioxidants that help protect the skin from UV damage and clean up free radicals to prevent oxidative stress to the tissues,” says Dr. Guanche. “They can help to prevent and reverse signs of aging.”
The product’s push-pump delivery system is my favorite way to dispense cream products, limiting any damaging oxidation that may occur with a twist-off lid, exposing delicate ingredients to oxygen. Pushing down on the top of the bottle releases a pea-size dose of product, which you simply swipe off with a finger. No mess or finger-dipping involved.
By the end of my three-week trial, I was impressed by how soft and radiant my skin not only looked, but even more importantly, felt. I thought my dreary, tired face needed professional intervention to get its glow back — but boy, was I wrong. The products didn’t seem to fade my deep forehead furrows, a genetic heirloom from my dad. But there’s only so much topical treatments can do! The products are both inviting and extremely simple to use, so much so that they have me looking forward to my routine in the morning and at the end of the day. I never expected to find my route to radically-radiant skin during a pandemic, but here we are.
