20 Years of Research Have Gone This New Range Which Targets Skin Ageing at Every Life Stage. Here Are Our Thoughts
Sarah Tarca is a beauty journalist, writer and co-founder of Australia’s first dedicated beauty newsletter, gloss etc. Her skills involve applying lipstick without a mirror, bullying people to wear sunscreen and procrastinating washing her hair. She loves her kids, skincare and potatoes in equal measure — almost as much as she loves SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic. Almost. Find her on socials @tarca
In Partnership With Lancôme
In my 23 years writing about beauty, I have seen much innovation — it’s one of the things I love most about my job as a beauty journalist — so it’s become very easy to spot marketing hype from something to get truly excited about.
A decade ago, it used to be enough to label something as “anti-ageing” and have customers flock to it. But now, as consumers we have evolved, we know our ingredients and we expect more from our skincare, and no one knows this more than L’Oreal, the parent company of Lancôme, with this new range.
When I first read about the Absolue Longevity MD Range in May, my beauty radar went off— this was exactly the kind of thing that excites me. Back then, all I knew was that it was backed by 20 years of research, and it was developed in partnership with a Swiss Biotech leader, and that there were three collections to take your skin through each life stage. I was intrigued…
What is Lancôme’s Absolue Longevity MD Range?
More than just a new range of skincare, this launch also signifies the cultural shift away from “anti-ageing” to “well ageing”. That is, supporting your skin, and making it the best it can be at every life stage rather than trying to “erase” or “be younger”. This also works on the skin's biological age — not the age you have on your birth certificate.
Now, let’s get into the tech. Inspired by Longevity Integrative Science they first mapped out the skin’s ageing process using something called the Longevity AI Cloud, which categorised skin ageing into 9 different hallmarks.
These were further distilled into three groups, all which reflected different stages of ageing, and from there three collections, or “intervention models” were created to target the skin at each of those biological skin stages: Anticipate for under 35s when prevention is key, Intercept for 35-55 where skin ageing is accelerating, and Reset, for mature skin where ageing signs are more established.
This is where the Swisse Biotech company, Timeline, gets involved. They developed a proprietary molecule called Mitopure®, a patented form of Urolithin-A used in longevity supplements, which has over 15 years of research clinicals and testing. It is said to improve mitochondrial function in the skin cells which then improves collagen production, resilience and minimises fine lines.
With the Absolue MD range, they’ve harnessed that into highly effective topicals; the first global brand to use it in skincare. At 45, I sit right in the middle of the Intercept bracket, so I road-tested the Intercept serum.
Lancôme Absolue Longevity MD Intercept Serum Review
Key features of the Lancôme Absolue Longevity MD Intercept Range:
- Designed to correct visible signs of ageing, or “intercept” as it begins to accelerate.
- Targets firmness, smoothness and minimising the appearance of wrinkles.
- Clinical studies showed a -35% reduction in crows feet wrinkles*.
- Designed for use on face and neck.
- Can be used twice daily.
- Contains a micronised form of Urolithin-A, a molecule known to support skin structure.
- Sits within the brand’s premium, high scientific line: Absolue.
I’ve used the serum morning and night for the past three weeks.
The serum has a beautiful texture: a creamy gel that is lightweight on the skin and absorbs quickly leaving no residue and giving a satiny feel. On the occasion where I layered it with another serum, it played well on the skin (no pilling) and the scent was light too (my preferred).
* Clinical scoring, 80 persons after 3 months’ to ‘Cosmeto-clinical study, 80 subjects, after 3 months of twice daily usage.
Final Thoughts
Though three weeks is not enough time to see the full range of what this collection, and the studies, claim to do (a six week trial is needed for this), what I can say is that my skin is feeling nourished, hydrated and definitely more radiant, as more than one person has noted.
I’m intrigued by longevity and the possibility of it improving mitochondrial skin function, and the early indicators of how my skin is responding are so positive that I will definitely be using this for the next few months, and will hopefully be reporting back with fewer crows feet when I’m done.
The Other Lancôme Longevity MD Range Serums
Editor's note: While Sarah road-tested the Intercept serum, Lancôme has crafted a whole proactive skincare range formulated to change your skin's visible biological age. These equally powerful products include:
- Lancôme Absolue Longevity MD The Reset Serum - An advanced longevity serum designed for mature skin, that targets both visible and invisible signs of ageing. Lancôme Absolue Longevity MD The Reset Serum pairs advanced longevity research with a powerful blend of targeted ingredients to help reset visible skin markers associated with biological ageing. At its core is Mitopure®, a postbiotic recognised in the longevity field, combined with Lancôme's proprietary Reset Compound featuring Senevisium, rhamnose, niacinamide, Rose Pro-Xylane and taurine. Together, these ingredients help support the skin's natural youthful appearance, improve moisture retention and refine skin texture for a complexion that looks smoother, stronger and more luminous over time.
- Lancôme Absolue Longevity MD The Anticipate Cream - An advanced longevity cream for face and eyes, designed to help address signs of ageing before they appear. Powered by patented Mitopure® and the exclusive Anticipate Compound™, this innovative formula helps support cellular integrity, protect against oxidative stress, and target the early signs of ageing before they become visible. With continued use, skin appears brighter, smoother and more refined, while emerging fine lines are visibly reduced.
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