L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream Reviews and Ingredients Analysis

L'Oreal's Revitalift Filler HA Micro Volumizing Essence and Revolumizing Cushion Cream have both hit stores here in Singapore, and these are two new additions to L'Oreal's already-popular anti-aging Revitalift skincare range. The Revitalift Filler HA products contain hyaluronic acid, as you might have guessed from the "HA" in the names. I've had these two products for awhile, so I thought it was about time that I reviewed them properly!

L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream: The latest additions to the Revitalift line

Obviously, hyaluronic acid is a big selling point for the Revitalift Filler HA line, and also the "volumizing" or "filler" aspect. Basically, these claim to "fill up lines" and "restore skin plumpness" (I'm quoting those two claims directly from the packaging there). The idea is that it's not just wrinkles that make a person's skin look old, but also a lack of facial volume and plumpness, and the Revitalift Filler HA line is supposed to address both these concerns. We're already familiar with hyaluronic acid as a humectant, so in this sense it could be useful in skincare to help hydrate the skin. In addition to the "micrometic hyaluronic acid", there is also Fibroxyl, which L'Oreal explains is a derived from rye seed and is an anti-wrinkle and firming ingredient.


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream: Advertised as containing hyaluronic acid, and Fibroxyl
Well, that's a whole lot of claims for two products, so let's get down to the review! We'll take a look at the Essence first, and then the Cushion Cream. And of course, we're going to start right at the ingredients lists, to see if the products really live up to their claims. But first, let's talk about Fibroxyl, which appears in the products as Secale Cereale/Rye Seed Extract, and what that actually does in skin!

I couldn't actually find any published research papers on Secale Cereale/Rye Seed Extract when used topically (which is what you're looking for in skinccare), although there were a few studies looking at its nutritional benefits in food, and one study positing that "rye bran provides a source of dietary phenolic antioxidants". So unfortunately it seems that much of the research conducted is unpublished. But, I did manage to find the manufacturers of Secale Cereale/Rye Seed Extract for use in cosmetics, and it turns out that there are (as far as I could find,) only 2 companies that make this, and both are specialty chemical suppliers with a focus on natural and plant-derived ingredients - one is Silabs, a French company, which sells a mixture of Secale Cereale/Rye Seed Extract and water under the tradename Coheliss Bio while the other is Naturex Inc., a US-based company.

Fibroxyl is really just Secale Cereale/Rye Seed Extract, but has some potentially interesting anti-aging effects for skin (Source)

Fortunately, it turns out Silabs has quite a lot of information on its Secale Cereale/Rye Seed Extract. Silabs sells it as "the stretching program for the skin for an inside tensor effect", and markets its trademarked Coheliss Bio as a firming ingredient. Coheliss Bio was launched in 2009, and supposedly "increases the synthesis of smooth muscle actin (SMA) fibers by 22%"... [which] are responsible for the generation of retractile forces of fibroblasts. It thus increases mechanical resistance of the skin." So basically, it helps to I also found a sales brochure for Coehliss Bio online, which also claims that when "formulated at 4%, significantly reduces: the number of wrinkles by 17%,the total wrinkled surface by 21% and the total length of wrinkles by 25%." Of course, this is research put out by a company that's trying to sell the product, so it would be nice to see published research from other sources also showing similar results, but I suppose for now this looks promising. But, at least now we know where part of the firming and wrinkle-smoothing claims come from!

Now that we've looked at what Secale Cereale Seed Extract could potentially do in skincare, let's move on to the review proper! As usual, we're going to start off with the ingredients lists. Let's target the Essence first:


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Micro Volumizing Essence Ingredients
The ingredients in the Revitalift Filler HA Essence are Water, humectants (Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate), including hyaluronic acid, which here appears as Sodium Hyaluronate, silicones (Dimethicone, Carbomer, Methylsilanol/Silicate Crosspolymer), which have varying functions - some function more as an emollient, while others are film-formers and so on. Then there's also Alcohol Denat., which is included to help penetration of the ingredients, but could also make the product more drying for those with particularly dry or sensitive skin. There's also Silica, an absorbent, and the advertised Fibroxyl aka Secale Cereale Seed Extract. After these ingredients, we hit a pH adjuster (Sodium Hydroxide), which is typically not used in large amounts in skincare, so we know that we've looked at the key ingredients in the product.


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Micro Volumizing Essence: Primarily humectants, alcohol, and Fibroxyl
The rest of the ingredients include a variety of ingredients with different functions, including stabilizers and thickeners (Ammonium Polyacryldimethyltauramide /Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate), skincare ingredients (Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, an anti-irritant, and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, an exfoliant) preservatives (Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Benzoate), and fragrance ingredients (Linalool, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum / Fragrance). For the most part, the fragrance ingredients are in pretty small amounts, so while some people (including myself) prefer their products with less fragrance ingredients, I don't think it's a dealbreaker in this case. Interestingly, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid is an ingredient that is mostly found in L'Oreal group products that L'Oreal has done research on, and has previously been included in the products of its sister brands Vichy (where it appeared in the Normaderm line) and La Roche Posay (in its Effaclar Duo line).


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Micro Volumizing Essence: A really cool airless packaging that looks like a syringe
Now that we've looked at the ingredients lists, how does the product fare aesthetically? First, I'd like to say that the packaging of the Micro Volumizing Essence is pretty cool - it looks like a syringe, to reinforce the "Filler HA" image. But, it's not just pretty packaging - this is also an airless dropper with a pump dispenser (so you press the pump and the Essence will come out of the syringe), so it also is quite functional, in that it prevents the product from getting into contact with air. Form and function - I dig it!


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Micro Volumizing Essence: A lightweight gel that absorbs fast
The Revitalift Filler HA Essence itself is a slightly milky gel, which absorbs quickly into skin, thanks to the alcohol present in the product. There is a fragrance in this one, and it's stronger than I would like, although my fragrance preferences tend to be on the mild side. It doesn't feel heavy or oily on skin, and seemed to do a good job of generally moisturizing my skin. I do wish the alcohol content were lower, but since this is an Essence that you're suppose to follow up with a second moisturizer, I can see why L'Oreal wanted something that absorbed more cleanly into skin and penetrated further, although it's definitely not my preference.

The Revitalift Filler HA Revolumizing Cushion Cream is next, and of course we're looking at the ingredients list first:


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Cushion Cream Ingredients
The ingredients consist primarily of water, humectants (Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate) including the advertised hyaluronic acid, emollients (Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Synthetic Wax, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol), Silica (an absorbent, but also perhaps included for its light-diffusing abilities to optically make skin look better), as well as the advertised Secale Cereale Extract/Rye Seed Extract. There are also emulsifiers (PEG 30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Ceteareth-6) pH adjusters (Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Citrate), some polymers (Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Nylon-12), and some anti-irritants (Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate). After this, we hit the first preservative, Disodium EDTA, and we know we've covered the bulk of the product.


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Cushion Cream: A highly moisturizing formula, with good amounts of Fibroxyl
The rest of the ingredients, which are present in smaller amounts include emollients (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride) humectants (Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol), and some shimmer for an optically brightening effect (Synthetic Fluorphlogopite). There's also Isopropyl Alcohol, which ordinarily I'd be concerned about for dry skin, but here seems to be present in pretty miniscule amounts. Lastly, there are also some anti-settling agents (Disteardimonium Hectorite), and preservatives (Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Benzyl Benzoate), and fragrance ingredients (Linalool, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum/Fragrance).

From a formulation perspective, we can see that this is a pretty emollient moisturizer - it's definitely going to help if you have dry skin. It's also got a good amount of humectants, as well as the Rye Seed Extract. The inclusion of some optically brightening ingredients (Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite) isn't really necessary, but perhaps a nice touch to just make skin look better, which might be useful in a day cream.


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Cushion Cream: Also has some optically brightening ingredients, as a bonus
So how does the product fair on skin when applied, and what is a "Cushion Cream"? I found the term quite intriguing, because it makes it suond like the cream is going to be all bouncy and have a really interesting texture. Turns out, it isn't really anything super-novel, but it is a nice lightweight product. I'd call the texture a heavier gel, since it doesn't quite have the oiliness that most people associate with creams. It does glide on skin pretty nicely, though, thanks to all the emollients and polymers.


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Cushion Cream: A good moisturizer that glides on skin
When I used the Revitalift HA Cushion Cream, I found that it was a nice solid moisturizer, without being too heavy or oily. Again, like the Essence, the fragrance is stronger than I typically like, although that's more of a personal preference. I also don't really like the jar packaging, because it's a bit too finnicky for me, and just seems so boring after the syringe-like coolness that is the Essence's packaging. But, that said, I felt it did a good job of hydrating and moisturizing my skin, and as a good base for makeup.


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream: A good moisturizing line with Fibroxyl as a novel ingredient
So, would I recommend the L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Line? I think it's a decent line, with a fast-penetrating Essence, and a Cushion Cream that is indeed moisturizing. The addition of the Rye Seed Extract is also pretty novel - at least as far as drugstore brands go, this is probably the first time I've seen it included in skincare. And, it seems to be included in fairly high amounts too, so that's a plus. Between the two, I prefer the Cushion Cream, just because it has a much lower amount of alcohol. Perhaps the only downside is the fragrance, but that, like my preference for less alcohol, may not be a concern with other people. Overall, I think in summary it's not a bad line of products, but I don't think I've really fallen in love with it yet.

Recommended?	Formulation	Packaging	Ease of Use	Effectiveness
Yes, a decent line with interesting ingredients	6/10	8/10	9/10	7/10
The Bottom Line: The L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA line has a couple of novel ingredients, and does a good job at moisturizing the skin. I personally prefer the Cushion Cream for its lower alcohol content.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)