After reviewing hundreds of skin care products over the past five years as a beauty writer, I have to tell you one theme I’ve noticed: the majority of products these days contain almost identical formulations!
| Rank | Brand | Link | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrot & Stick | Review | |||||
| 2 | Formulyst | Review | |||||
| 3 | Skinceuticals | Review | |||||
| - | DefenAge |
While there’s nothing wrong with using tried-and-true ingredients that have proven efficacy, it’s always exciting to learn about a company developing products with truly innovative ingredients.
One brand doing exactly that is DefenAge. Touted as a breakthrough anti-aging ingredient, the Age-Repair Defensins found within DefenAge skincare products are said to naturally and effectively rejuvenate your skin.
To determine if these claims are true, below I’m going to give you all the details on DefenAge skincare products, including the key ingredients and the research that supports (or doesn’t support) their use in skincare.
Plus, like all of the reviews I write for The Derm Review, I’m going to share snippets of DefenAge reviews from real customers so that you can see what they really think of these products.
What Are The Top 7 Best DefenAge Skincare Products?
At the time of writing this review, DefenAge offers a total of 7 skincare products. Below I’ll give you the details on each one.
DefenAge 8-in-1 Bioserum
DefenAge 8-in-1 Bioserum is named “8-in-1” because the brand claims the results are equal to 8 separate serums.
The formula features DefenAge’s signature Age-Repair Defensins — I’ll give you all the details on “Defensins” in the Key Ingredients section below — along with several other beneficial ingredients, like peptides.
Peptides are commonly used in anti-aging products due to their ability to increase collagen production. Since collagen is a protein that helps to maintain smooth, firm skin, it makes sense to include peptides in anti-aging products like the DefenAge 8-in-1 BioSerum.
I love that the formula includes a decent amount of niacinamide, which is one of my favorite skincare ingredients.
Here’s why: A publication in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, states that niacinamide can repair the skin barrier and improve skin moisture, as well as reduce inflammation, blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkling.
And just when you thought niacinamide couldn’t get any better, it can! Niacinamide is an excellent ingredient for those with acne-prone skin because of its antimicrobial and sebostatic effects, meaning it can help protect against the bacteria that cause acne while also helping to reduce oil production.
Multi-tasking niacinamide is combined with skin-soothing sea whip extract and a blend of antioxidants, giving you a well-rounded serum that targets many skin concerns.
Bottom Line: DefenAge 8-in-1 Bioserum tackles multiple skin concerns thanks to the combination of Defensins with niacinamide, antioxidants, and soothing extracts.
ALTERNATIVE: If you are concerned about aging skin and looking for professional grade products that are also clean, Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains a peptide complex to target multiple signs of aging.
DefenAge 24/7 Barrier Balance Anti-Aging Cream
The DefenAge 24/7 Barrier Balance Cream features Age-Repair Defensins infused into a hydrating, lightweight cream that promises to revive radiance and improve overall tone and texture for smooth, even skin.
You’ll notice that your skin instantly feels soft and hydrated thanks to the emollients and humectants in this cream, such as shea butter, macadamia seed oil, sunflower seed oil, phospholipids, and hyaluronic acid.
Similar to DefenAge 8-in-1 Bioserum, this formula also includes niacinamide, sea whip, and antioxidants as key ingredients.
Bottom Line: A lightweight cream that instantly hydrates and softens skin while helping to improve texture and tone over time.
ALTERNATIVES: Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer. It’s overflowing with potent plant proteins, vitamins, peptides and amino-collagen.
DefenAge 3D Eye Radiance Cream
This DefenAge eye cream promises to do a lot, including fading dark circles, reducing puffiness, fading crow’s feet, visibly firming and smoothing the upper eyelids, and more. So can one eye cream really provide all of these benefits?
Based on the ingredients in this formula, it might! The anti-aging benefits of the brand’s patented “Defensins” are combined with several more ingredients to combat lines and wrinkles, such as peptides and antioxidants.
One interesting ingredient in this eye cream is silk tree bark extract, an ingredient that’s been shown to counteract the noxious effect of glycation.
Glycation occurs when sugars enter the circulation and attach themselves to the amino groups of tissue proteins, such as collagen, rearranging their structure into advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
As a result, AGEs cause once healthy collagen and elastin fibers to lose their elasticity, thereby becoming rigid, more brittle, and prone to breakage. Silk tree bark extract can also neutralize or detoxify the products as they are leading up to glycation, resulting in a reparative effect on tired skin, in particular a loss of radiance and suppleness.
Bottom Line: This DefenAge eye cream helps to reduce signs of aging, as well as undereye puffiness, thanks to Defensins, peptides, antioxidants, and silk tree bark.
ALTERNATIVES: If you are concerned about aging around the eyes including bags, one product we recommend is Carrot & Stick The Eye Cream.
DefenAge 6-Week Perfection Neck Cream
Is it true that you need a separate cream specifically for your neck? In my opinion, no, simply because there are plenty of anti-aging serums and creams that can work well for both the face and neck.
But that doesn’t stop companies from formulating neck creams to specifically address the signs of aging in thinner, more fragile skin on the jawline, neck, and décolletage. And that’s exactly what the DefenAge 6-Week Perfection Neck Cream is said to do.
The formula contains many of the same key ingredients as the other DefenAge products I’ve discussed so far, including shea butter, niacinamide, phospholipids, sea whip, peptides, antioxidants, and, of course, Defensins.
While this neck cream is formulated well, the formula isn’t much different than DefenAge 24/7 Barrier Balance Cream. So if you’re looking to save money, you could purchase one of these products and use it on both your face and your neck!
Bottom Line: DefenAge Neck Cream contains a blend of beneficial ingredients to target multiple signs of aging, but keep in mind that the formula is similar to other DefenAge products.
DefenAge 10 Luxe Hand and Body Cream
If you want your body moisturizer to do more than just soften your skin, DefenAge Hand and Body Cream is for you.
Like most body moisturizers, the formula contains humectants and emollients to hydrate and soften skin, such as aloe vera, shea butter, caprylic/capric triglyceride, and more.
But this moisturizer does way more than your average body moisturizer thanks to anti-aging ingredients like Defensins, antioxidants, peptides, niacinamide, and several skin-soothing extracts.
Plus, like all DefenAge skincare products, the formula is fragrance-free, so skin sensitivity shouldn’t be an issue.
Bottom Line: A multi-tasking hand and body cream that not only hydrates and softens skin, but also helps to brighten and fight signs of aging.
DefenAge 1-Step Multi Cleanse
Taking off makeup and dissolving impurities is simple with DefenAge 1-Step Multi Cleanse, a facial cleanser that cleans while also supporting the skin’s barrier with prebiotics.
Like most cleansers, the key ingredients are surfactants, such as cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine and sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate.
A surfactant molecule contains one end that is hydrophilic (attracted to water) and one end that is lipophilic (attracted to oil). This allows surfactants to attract and suspend oils, dirt, and other impurities that have accumulated on the skin and wash them away, leaving the skin clean.
The prebiotics in this cleanser, such as alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, help to feed the skin’s good bacteria. Ultimately, this promotes healthy, comfortable skin.
Bottom Line: A gentle facial cleanser that removes makeup, excess oil, and impurities while supporting the skin’s microbiome with prebiotics.
DefenAge 2-Minute Reveal Masque
The DefenAge 2-Minute Reveal Masque is a triple enzyme resurfacing masque that is said to brighten skin within minutes.
This masque exfoliates the top layers of skin through a blend of ultrafine sugar crystals along with three enzymes: pumpkin ferment extract, papain (from papaya fruit), and pomegranate extract.
Additionally, this masque contains lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that exfoliates the skin by targeting corneocytes (dead skin cells that make up the stratum corneum) in a process called corneocyte desquamation. By enhancing their breakdown and increasing the separation of skin cells, the rate of cell turnover is increased, leading to smoother, brighter skin and a more even complexion.
Plus, there’s hydrating ingredients in this masque — such as squalane and aloe vera — to help prevent skin dryness.
Bottom Line: A rinse-off mask that reveals fresher, younger-looking skin in minutes thanks to exfoliating ingredients like ultrafine sugar crystals, enzymes, and lactic acid.
How Much Do DefenAge Skincare Products Cost?
DefenAge skincare products are mid to high-range in terms of cost. For example, the DefenAge 1-Step Multi-Cleanse costs $62 USD for 5 fl oz, while the DefenAge 8-in-1 Bioserum costs $264 for 1.5 fl oz.
Where to Buy DefenAge Skincare Products?
DefenAge skincare products are sold on the brand’s website (defenage.com), as well as a few third party online retailers such as lovelyskin.com and harbenhouse.com.
What is The DefenAge Return Policy?
The DefenAge return policy states, “If you are unhappy with your purchase for any reason, contact us within 30 days of purchase and we will honor your decision to return that item for a refund or for store credit. To make your experience as simple as possible, we offer free return shipping to customers who choose to return for a store credit. Customers who choose to return their purchase for a refund will be issued a refund in the full amount of the returned purchase less the cost of shipping and handling (services rendered). All refunds will be credited to the same account used for the initial purchase.”
Is DefenAge Cruelty Free?
Yes, DefenAge is cruelty free.
DefenAge Reviews
We went over to LovelySkin.com in order to evaluate DefenAge reviews. The product with the most reviews is Defenage 8-in-1 Bioserum, which has earned an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars after more than 100 customer reviews.
The positive reviews for Defenage 8-in-1 Bioserum mention that it has a nice texture and produces noticeable results.
For example, one review says, “This product is just amazing! I love it and serves its purpose. Totally expensive and totally worth it, Results don’t lie and backed by science which is great. No filler ingredients and just an overall top pick.”
Another 5-star review says, “Absolutely love DefenAge products! I’ve been using this serum along with the cream and am very pleased with the results!! I’m 54 years old and people constantly compliment me on my skin.”
However, there are a handful of negative reviews for Defenage 8-in-1 Bioserum, which are mostly from customers who were disappointed that they didn’t see the results they were hoping for with this serum.
For example, one review says, “This is just okay. It didn’t irritate, I liked the texture, but I really didn’t see a difference either. I used it up but I won’t buy it again.”
Another negative review says, “I have been using this for about 6 weeks. I haven’t seen any difference in sun damage spots on my cheek and no improvement to my skin firmness. I will continue to use it up but I won’t repurchase it. Not for me.”
Our Verdict
Overall, we think that DefenAge skincare products are formulated well, and the “Age-Repair Defensins” in these products sets this brand apart from the thousands of other brands in the industry.
Pros
- “Age-Repair Defensins” are unique to DefenAge
- Formulas contain beneficial supporting ingredients, such as peptides, niacinamide, antioxidants, and more
- Many positive DefenAge reviews
- DefenAge is cruelty free
Cons
- Mid-range cost
What Are The Best Some Alternatives?
If you’re looking for skincare products to address the signs of aging, we recommend Carrot & Stick. Carrot & Stick maximizes the use of powerful ingredients and minimizes the use of superficial ones, resulting in advanced skincare solutions that help promote healthy, more youthful-looking skin.
References:
J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2010 Feb; 3(2): 22–41
DefenAge “What Are Defensins and What Makes Them So Great for Skin Care?”
