Skinbetter Science Alto Defense Serum for mature skin
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Grape Seed Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Superoxide Dismutase
Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for mature skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate hydration and antioxidant protection for your normal skin, with ingredients like Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate and Glycerin providing humectant action, but lacks specialized anti-aging ingredients to directly address wrinkles and fine lines.
- The presence of antioxidants such as tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and ergothioneine offers general skincare benefits that you would notice, though they are not targeted for your primary concern.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients that would cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week, and work up to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this serum after your toner and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- You can apply the serum on dry skin for the best results against fine lines.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsMost users report a more luminous and even complexion without irritation. A few users note the high price point, small packaging, and occasional lack of visible results.
Highlights
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “evened out my tone and texture so well”
- “definite improvement in hydration and texture”
- “My skin tone looks more even and luminous”
- “makes my face smooth”
Reduces skin redness Often Mentioned
- “This is really helping to reduce the redness”
- “helped so much with the texture and redness”
- “improvement in some of my redness”
Expensive product Often Mentioned
- “4 stars due to the cost”
- “I don't like that is relatively expensive”
- “definitely on the pricier side”
- “the product is pretty expensive”
Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes Noted
- “so gentle that it causes no irritation whatsoever”
- “in derivative form, hence no irritation”
- “not irritating at all”
- “hasn't had any issue at all”
Hydrates the skin Sometimes Noted
- “helped my skin to feel more hydrated”
- “my skin feels extremely hydrated”
- “My skin is so soft and hydrated”
- “Gives skin good hydration”
No visible results Rarely Noted
- “I see absolutely no change whatsoever”
- “Hasn't been earth-shattering yet”
- “haven't seen any effect in terms of skin redness”
- “didn't do anything for me”
Small bottle size Rarely Noted
- “actual size of this travel size bottle is extremely small”
- “smaller than I thought it would be”
- “small amount for the money”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, realself.com, lazskincare.com, reddit.com, ellemesmedspa.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Alto Defense Serum work for mature skin?
Skinbetter Science Alto Defense Serum is an average fit for mature skin because it offers moderate hydration and antioxidant protection, but lacks specialized ingredients to directly address wrinkles and fine lines. A product of this type needs high concentrations of potent antioxidants, peptides, and skin-repairing ingredients to improve elasticity, retain moisture, and smooth out lines on mature skin.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for mature skin?
This serum fits mature skin reasonably well through hydrating agents like hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate and glycerin, alongside antioxidants such as tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and ergothioneine. However, a product for this skin type needs specialized anti-aging ingredients, potent antioxidants, and skin-repairing peptides to smooth fine lines and improve elasticity.
What does Grape Seed Extract do for mature skin?
Grape seed extract helps smooth out wrinkles and rough patches while boosting skin firmness and hydration. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may improve skin elasticity and reduce excess oil.
Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2021International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2015
What does Licorice Root Extract do for mature skin?
Licorice root extract helps calm mature skin and evens out skin tone by reducing dark spots and protecting against daily stress. It works to brighten the complexion while soothing irritation and supporting a smooth, healthy appearance.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, 2010
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, following general skincare guidance for active treatments. Mature skin routines need targeted anti-aging ingredients like peptides and retinoids to effectively address fine lines and wrinkles.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside a retinol, applying the treatment first and following with your retinol and moisturizer. A product for mature skin also needs specialized anti-aging ingredients like peptides or retinoids to directly smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum works well in your evening routine, and some people can also use it in the morning or twice a day. It offers moderate hydration and antioxidant protection, but mature skin needs targeted ingredients like retinoids and peptides to directly address wrinkles and fine lines.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for mature skin, as it contains no harsh or heavy ingredients that typically cause irritation. However, because it is only an average fit for your skin, a product of this type needs specialized anti-aging ingredients like retinol or peptides and richer moisturizers to effectively smooth fine lines and deeply hydrate mature skin.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Profhilo treatment led to significant improvements in superficial skin hydration and transepidermal water loss over time in Chinese females, while demonstrating good product tolerability.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026Topical application of a water-in-oil emulsion containing 2% Muscat hamburg grape seed extract significantly improved melanin, elasticity, and sebum content compared to a placebo in human volunteers over 8 weeks, with no reported skin hypersensitivity.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2015Topical CE Ferulic plus resveratrol BE serum following ablative fractional CO2 laser treatment reduced erythema index (308.9 vs. 325.3), shortened complete scabbing detachment time (6.0 vs. 6.5 days), decreased melanin index (-7.4% vs. +0.2%), and improved skin hydration compared to normal saline in 51 Chinese patients.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Resveratrol cream improved skin hydration and tightening compared to cream without resveratrol in a group of probands.
Acta Biochimica Polonica, 2019Topical treatment with a combination of pyridine-2, 4-dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester and resveratrol significantly increased hair density in 79 Caucasian female subjects starting from 1.5 months compared to baseline.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Topical application of curcumin or turmeric treats various skin conditions by leveraging antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2023Topical formulations of curcumin target oxidative damage and inflammation to improve wound healing in animal models.
Drug Discovery Today, 2017A curcumin-loaded spanlastic anti-aging gel utilizing formula F5 incorporated into 2% HPMC E50 demonstrated sustained release action, compatibility, and the ability to penetrate skin layers to a depth of about 112.5 um without signs of irritation.
Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 2024Topical application of TAT-SOD significantly suppresses UVB-induced erythema formation, blood flow rise, and apoptotic sunburn cell formation in human volunteers compared to a vehicle control.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2016Topical treatment with the synthetic SOD/catalase mimetic EUK-134 reduced lipid peroxide levels both at baseline on non-irradiated human skin and at the surface of UVA-exposed skin when applied before or after irradiation, compared to controls.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2004Topical superoxide dismutase formulations maintained physical stability and enzymatic activity for 6 months at 4 and 30 degrees C, and effectively inhibited UVB-induced skin erythema for 48 hours, whereas formulations combined with alpha-tocopherol were unstable.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2007Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Why other serums fit mature skin better
Caviar oil enhanced adipocyte differentiation in vitro, reduced MMP expression while increasing collagen and elastin formation ex vivo, and improved skin moisture, elasticity, and density in 102 participants over four weeks of Cavi Balm usage compared to baseline.
In Vivo, 2023Chronomodulated daytime application of baicalin and nighttime application of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 synergistically improved skin luminance by 16.29%, nasolabial fold depth by -36.35%, and firmness by 24.35% in 30 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Chlorogenic Acids, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Lauryl Lactate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ergothioneine, Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Carnosine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Grape Seed Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract Olive Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Extract Cell Leaf, Crocus Sativus Extract Cell Leaf Culture, Superoxide Dismutase, Ubiquinone, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sea Whip Extract, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Pca, Pentylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Wax Seed Sunflower Wax Seed, Acacia Decurrens Wax Flower, Lecithin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Propanediol Dicaprylate Caprate, Polyglycerin-3, Ceteth-20 Phosphate, Diisostearyl Malate, Xanthan Gum, Steareth-2, Acacia Senegal Gum, Carbomer, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dextran, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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