Before you go and roll your eyes, inflammaging is not a new word made up by marketing execs. It's actually a medical term that refers to chronic low-grade inflammation that develops with advanced age and contributes to the development of age-related diseases. The Heraux Molecular Anti-Inflammaging Serum (£200) was actually a byproduct of research being done by stem-cell scientists around inflammaging and arthritis.
Whilst developing a lipid-based molecule that targeted inflammation in the joints (which leads to arthritis), the scientists realised the same molecule could have the same anti-inflammatory affects on the skin, resulting in younger-looking, more resilient skin. The molecule, called HX1, works by targeting the one protein on the surface of your stem cells that regulates the ageing process (think of it like the master regulator on your stem cells that maintain the balance between healthy and unhealthy cell activity in your body). HX1 binds to that protein and shifts the balance from degeneration to regeneration, promoting healthy cell activity and slowing down the inflammaging process going on in your cells.
So does the serum actually work? After three weeks of using it, I'd have to say . . . yeah! My skin looks smoother and more radiant, and the rosacea on my cheeks has faded significantly. And because it's made to absorb fairly instantaneously (HX-1 is a teeny tiny molecule, which means it can get to the dermal layer quite easily), you can layer your favourite day or night cream over it with no problem.