The vast, unencumbered nature of the Internet means that most things gleaned online have to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially so when it comes to skincare—with everything from expired yogurt to banana peels being touted as the solution to complexion-related afflictions, a degree of wariness is expected as well as encouraged. Bearing this in mind, it comes as no surprise that alarm bells went off with the emergence of volufiline: a buzzy new plumping ingredient making waves for delivering on results that are comparable to injectables.
Or so they claim. Funnily enough, volufiline isn’t new per se; it is a patented plant-based blend created by French cosmetic ingredient company, Sederma. According to their website, it contains a mixture of extracts from Anemarrhena asphodeloides and hydrogenated polyisobutene, with the former being used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat fevers and lung infections.
That being said, how it functions as volufiline is vastly different. Its primary purpose is to bolster skin volume when applied consistently, thus helping to plump up areas that appear hollow and sunken—hence, its moniker of “filler in a bottle.” The general consensus amongst medical professionals, however, is that there’s not enough research out there to support its claims, though it is likely that products containing volufiline will provide a temporary plumping effect by hydrating and improving overall skin texture.
So while it won’t replace injectable procedures just yet, it’s fair to say that it does come with its fair share of benefits. This, thus, explains the cult-favourite status of several volufiline products, ranging from The Ordinary’s Volufiline 92% + Pal-Isoleucine 1% Plumping Serum to d’Alba’s Intensive Volufiline Grinding Cream. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg—below, a curation of other stellar products that have showcased promising results, from a snail mucin serum to a balm stick.
