Avène Hyaluron Activ Procedure Retinal Lifting Serum 0.1% 30 ml

When should you choose this retinal lifting serum for wrinkles?

Avène Hyaluron Activ Procedure Lifting Serum combines three active ingredients in a fluid texture: 0.1% retinal, 3.42% trehalose, and 0.4% pure, naturally derived hyaluronic acid, all formulated with Avène Thermal Spring Water. Retinal belongs to the vitamin A family; in ex vivo tests, it has been shown to be three times more active than retinol. If you’re new to this family of active ingredients, our page dedicated to vitamin A skincare explains their different forms and concentrations.

The serum is primarily designed to address established wrinkles: it corrects the appearance of wrinkles. Trehalose, a naturally occurring sugar, is included in the formula alongside retinal. In a clinical study conducted on 43 participants, with once-daily application for 56 days, measurements showed a 10% reduction in wrinkles, a 24% increase in firmness, and a 41% increase in radiance.

The second key component of the treatment is hyaluronic acid, which hydrates the skin and improves its elasticity. It is hyaluronic acid that ensures the comfort of a retinal serum over the course of several weeks, making it ideal for skin showing signs of loss of firmness and radiance, where dryness further accentuates the appearance of wrinkles.

The serum can be used alone as part of an evening anti-aging routine, or as a follow-up to a cosmetic procedure, such as a peel or laser treatment. It then extends the results achieved in the clinic to your at-home routine, working in harmony with your skin’s natural rhythm.

We recommend pairing it in the morning withAvène Anti-Aging Sun Fluid SPF 50. Retinal works overnight on skin that is renewing itself; the fluid takes over during the day, filtering UVA and UVB rays with an invisible, fragrance-free texture, and thus preserves the benefits of your evening skincare. Serum at night, sunscreen in the morning: this duo is what makes a retinal treatment effective.

How can you incorporate this retinal serum into your routine?

Directions for Use

Apply the serum 1 to 2 times a week for the first 2 weeks, then gradually increase the frequency to once a day, preferably in the evening, depending on your skin’s tolerance. Face, neck, and décolleté.

Share your feedback on the usage instructions and dosage for Avène Hyaluron Activ Procedure Lifting Serum with our partner “Verified Reviews” after your purchase.

Precautions

• For external use only. Avoid contact with the eyes, the immediate eye area, the lips, and mucous membranes; if the product gets into the eyes, rinse thoroughly with clean water.
• If you experience any discomfort (tingling, redness, tightness, flaking), space out applications. If irritation persists despite spacing out applications, discontinue use and seek advice.
• Do not use with other products containing retinoids: retinol, retinal, retinyl palmitate, as well as creams and gels prescribed with tretinoin, adapalene, or tazarotene. If you are undergoing treatment with oral isotretinoin, do not use this product without consulting your prescribing physician.
• Do not use exfoliating acids (glycolic, lactic, or salicylic acid), a scrub, or benzoyl peroxide on the same night: combining these products increases irritation.
• Not recommended during pregnancy, when planning a pregnancy, or while breastfeeding: as a precaution, avoid using retinoids during these periods.
• Retinal makes the skin more sensitive to the sun: apply a broad-spectrum UVA-UVB sunscreen with SPF 50 every morning, and avoid prolonged sun exposure and tanning beds for the entire duration of use.
• After a cosmetic procedure (chemical peel, laser treatment, microneedling), wait until the skin has fully regenerated and obtain the practitioner’s approval before the first application.
• Do not apply to broken or irritated skin, sunburned skin, or areas affected by eczema or rosacea.
• Stop using the product a few days before waxing the face or upper lip: skin treated with retinoids is more sensitive to hair removal.
• Sensitive skin: Test the serum on a small area, such as behind the ear or in the crook of the elbow, 48 hours before your first application on the face.
• Product intended for adults.
• The list of ingredients is subject to change: check the list on the packaging of the product you purchased.
• Store away from light and heat, with the bottle tightly closed, and keep out of reach of children.

What are the ingredients in this anti-aging retinal serum?

Ingredients

Avene thermal spring water, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Trehalose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Glyceryl stearate citrate, Benzoic acid, Glyceryl caprylate, Helianthus annuus seed oil, CI 16035, Retinal, Sodium hyaluronate, Sodium hydroxide, Tocopherol, Xanthan gum.

Packaging

30 ml bottle.

Our Expert Advice on the Hyaluron Activ Procedure Lifting Serum

The most common mistake we see at the counter with retinoids is impatience. People skip the gradual build-up, apply it every night starting in the first week, and their skin peels after ten days—so the bottle ends up in a drawer. Following the instructions isn’t just a formality—it determines whether you’ll complete the full treatment. Among the precautions, the most important one is avoiding combination use: a retinol product accidentally included in your routine or a gel prescribed for acne is enough to overwhelm the skin.

Also, keep your expectations realistic. The term “facelift” refers to a gradual cosmetic improvement in the appearance of wrinkles and skin firmness, not the effect of an injection or surgery: the serum complements a cosmetic procedure; it does not replace it. So don’t judge the treatment based on the first few weeks—which are a period of adjustment—and opt for a series of regular treatment cycles rather than long breaks followed by resuming too quickly.

FAQ

What is the difference between the retinal in Avène Hyaluron Activ Procedure Lifting Serum and retinol?

In the skin, vitamin A is active only in its acidic form, retinoic acid. Retinol must undergo two conversion steps to reach this form, while retinal requires only one. This is why retinal is considered more direct than retinol and requires the same gradual introduction as retinol.

Is it normal for my skin to feel a tingling sensation or peel at first when using Avène Hyaluron Activ Procedure Lifting Serum?

Yes, to a certain extent. This phenomenon, known as retinization, corresponds to the acceleration of the renewal of the skin’s outermost layer: it manifests as tightness, slight redness, or fine flaking, and generally subsides within two to four weeks as the skin adjusts. A distinct burning sensation, swelling, or oozing patches are not part of this process.

Can I use a vitamin C serum with Avène Hyaluron Activ Procedure Lifting Serum?

Yes, provided you apply them at different times of the day: vitamin C in the morning, under sunscreen, and the retinol serum in the evening. The two active ingredients do not interfere with each other, but applying them at the same time increases the risk of tingling on sensitive skin. Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, on the other hand, pair well with retinal.

What is the difference between Avène Hyaluron Activ Procedure Lifting Serum and Avène Hyaluron Activ Procedure Retinal Lifting Cream 0.1% 30ml?

Both products contain the same concentration of retinal. The cream combines it with niacinamide in a richer texture, along with shea butter and squalane, making it suitable for dry skin. The serum combines it with trehalose in a fluid, lighter texture, suitable for normal to combination skin or for those who apply a moisturizer on top. These are two alternatives: choose one or the other depending on your skin type.