I Tried No7’s Line Correcting Booster Serum & The Results Blew Me Away

From L'Oréal's Wonder Water to the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Colour Correcting Treatment, a handful of brilliant beauty buys have achieved cult status this year. Right now, though, one product is uniting skincare lovers, dermatologists and aestheticians alike in their obsession: No7's Line Correcting Booster Serum.

The serum has been around for a while but this month Boots.com revealed that it was their number one bestselling product. It makes sense; currently, a lot more of us are interested in anti-ageing skincare and looking for non-invasive ways to minimize fine lines and wrinkles. The pandemic is a contributing factor, with lockdown-induced stress and anxiety taking its toll. After what has felt like the longest winter, more time spent indoors and around central heating might mean your skin is looking and feeling zapped of moisture and radiance, too. That's exactly why the serum is flying off the shelves (and at $44, it's a fraction of the price of Botox).

I've been a fan of No7 skincare for a long time, ever since the Advanced Retinol 1.5% Complex transformed my skin. In my late 20s, I'm starting to think about preventative skincare. While I'm pro-ageing and believe there is nothing wrong with natural skin changes, lockdown living has resulted in dry under-eyes and subsequently fine lines, which are only emphasized by makeup and affect my confidence. With its thousands of positive reviews, I had to add the serum to my list of hyped products to try, and the results are impressive.

Unlike other serums, which can be quite sticky, No7's Line Correcting Booster Serum is so silky and lightweight, and absorbs in seconds. The star ingredient is Matrixyl 3000+. Dr. Mike Bell, No7 head of science research, says this is a peptide, otherwise known as a protein. In skincare, proteins act like scaffolding within the skin, keeping it plump and intact, and repairing any damage. "The peptide blend of Matrixyl 3000+ in the Line Correcting Booster Serum is an ideal targeted solution for lines as it stimulates the collagen and elastic that is lost early on in the ageing process," said Dr. Bell in a press release.

Another great ingredient is glycerin, which attracts water to the skin, making it hydrated, moisturized, soft and supple. When skin is well hydrated and moisturized, lines are a lot less visible. Dr. Bell goes on to say that the serum is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles in eight weeks but the product's packaging states it takes as little as one week to notice a difference.

While the serum can be used all over the face to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, I wanted to target my under-eyes specifically. I don't particularly like using eye cream as I find it too heavy and often pore-clogging. Instead, I used the serum, concentrating it to my under-eyes and eyelids. My skin is quite sensitive and products applied around my delicate eye area often sting but this was very soothing. It's not magic so I didn't notice any immediate line-reducing effects but it instantly helped get rid of the dry skin around my eyes.

I've been using the serum for just over a week now and as you can tell, it really does work to iron away lines. In the before image, my under-eye creases extended outwards; looking at the after shot, it's as though someone has taken an eraser to my skin. In all the years of trying eye serums, balms and creams, nothing has worked quite as well as this.

As serums are lightweight in texture, they work best layered under moisturizer. After cleansing (both in the morning and the evening), apply all over or concentrate the serum on target areas, and follow with your moisturizer. For added line-reducing benefits, apply a high factor, broad spectrum sunscreen in the morning. Studies suggest the sun is responsible for 80% of facial ageing signs.

While Matrixyl 3000+ is an exciting ingredient in preventing fine lines and wrinkles, another component which dermatologists love is retinol. The No7 serum doesn't contain this but it's one of the only clinically proven ingredients which really tackles and prevents lines on a more permanent basis, as it forces the skin to regenerate at lightning speed. If you're a retinol beginner, try bareMinerals Phytoretinol Eye Cream, or The Inkey List Retinol Eye Cream, $12.99. Medik8's Advanced Night Eye, $102.96, features both retinol and Matrixyl 3000 and is a favourite among beauty editors. There are downsides to retinol, though. It can cause sensitivity in the form of flaking, redness and sore skin, and while it works over time, a product which champions Matrixyl 3000+ instead might be a better option for reactive or sensitive skin, particularly as the under-eye area is extremely fragile.

I now understand the hype around No7's Line Correcting Booster Serum and I'll use it to the very last drop.