This Innovative Serum Defies the Aging Process by Mimicking Your Skin's Regenerative Process

Welcome to Deep Reviews—your one-stop destination to discover the absolute best products and brands the beauty industry has to offer. The Who What Wear staffers you already know and trust will research, test, and review the market's most sought-after and buzzed-about products to see which formulas (of the hundreds up for consideration) are worth your hard-earned money and attention. You can expect honest, uncensored feedback and no-BS recommendations our hard-to-please testers endorse without reservations.

The majority of our Deep Reviews will feature our editors' honest, ultra-hot takes on entire product categories or multiple products from a particular beauty brand, but every so often, we'll sprinkle in a special single-product format called Honestly, I Love It. As the name suggests, these reviews will hone in on one standout beauty formula our editors can't shut up about. This time around, I'm highlighting Eighth Day's Regenerative Serum ($195).

If you've read any of my other writing, you'll know I shout out Eighth Day often because it's truly one of my favorite brands. I'm always hesitant to back pricier brands because, honestly, many of them aren't worth the money, but in this case, I wholeheartedly support this $195 serum from Eighth Day. It's magic in a bottle. You start to see results within a few weeks, and I'd definitely say that's something that's worth a bit of extra money. Although I'm focusing on the Regenerative Serum in this article, I've now been able to try the entire Eighth Day line and continue to be impressed by how good each product is. Particularly, the sunscreen is a hit for me, but the Reparative Moisturizer and Eye Renewal Cream are now nonnegotiables in my skincare routine.

I've been dealing with skin barrier damage, dark spots, and dehydration for quite some time, and after using Eighth Day's Regenerative Serum for just two weeks, I've noticed a big improvement. Wondering what makes this serum so powerful? I've got you covered. I'm breaking it all down ahead.

I actually first tried this serum about a year into my career as a beauty editor but didn't stick with it, which was a huge mistake. I only put it down due to the fact that I had other products to test out and review. Now that I've reintroduced it into my routine, I have no idea why I ever stopped using it. This serum is a great option for Black and Brown folks who struggle with hyperpigmentation like I do. Not only does it help lighten existing spots, but it also contains ingredients that stop new dark marks from forming.

I combine this serum with a retinoid in the evening, and the two together have produced stellar results for my skin. In addition to the lightening of dark spots, my skin feels so much more hydrated than it was previously, but the serum never feels heavy or greasy. It's also oil-free if you're concerned about a serum potentially breaking you out. I have skin that's pretty sensitive, and this serum just gels so well with it. There are so many great ingredients in it that I'll talk about more below, but whether you're someone who's acne prone, sensitive, dry, or dehydrated, this serum is gentle and great for all of the above.

The key ingredient in this formula is what Antony Nakhla—board-certified dermatologist, dermatologic surgeon, and founder of Eighth Day—calls Peptide-Rich Plasma, a blend of 24 potent bioidentical actives that mimic and stimulate your skin's natural ability to renew and regenerate. This blend is key for anyone who is dealing with barrier damage, as it can speed up the healing process. It addresses skin aging in such an innovative way and gives your skin a youthful glow fast.

Another superstar ingredient in the formula is niacinamide, a dermatologist-loved addition that targets hyperpigmentation and reduces redness and inflammation. It also helps repair the skin barrier. Pigment inhibitor nonapeptide-1 regulates melanin synthesis so your skin doesn't overproduce it after a breakout. A super-light amount of glycolic acid in the formula retexturizes the skin, lifting congestion and evening out your skin tone.

Honestly, I think Nakhla is a genius, and his approach to skincare is really cutting-edge. If you're wondering what inspired Nakhla's innovation, you should first know that he has an extensive scientific background. As I mentioned above, he's a dermatologist and reconstructive surgeon specializing in skin cancer treatment and Mohs micrographic surgery. "I have dedicated over two decades to helping more than 10,000 patients reclaim their natural appearance," he says. "In my practice, my beauty philosophy is that you look best when you look like yourself, at any age, and that begins with the health of your skin. The meaning of Eighth Day is synonymous with timelessness and renewal. My approach in developing the line was inspired by my observations of the innate healing powers of human skin. Treating aging skin is like treating wounded skin—only it is wounded by the sun, the environment, and the passage of time."

Eighth Day works by speaking your skin's natural language. Nakhla describes Peptide-Rich Plasma as a technology that harnesses growth factors, amino acids, and peptides that stimulate and supercharge your skin's own regenerative mechanisms. The Regenerative Serum contains the highest concentration, but most of the brand's other products also contain this powerful blend. This patent-pending ingredient improves so many different aspects of aging skin, including a loss of elasticity and volume, fine lines, dehydration, and more.

I can't say enough good things about Nakhla and his approach to skincare. In the future, I'm hoping the brand will create an oil cleanser of some kind and an oil-free moisturizer—ahem, just throwing that out there!

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