Review: Vichy Idéalia Life Serum (Lancôme Visionnaire dupe BUT BETTER)

When I was watching Top Chef with my host family on some Monday night (it's a family ritual), an advertisement for the Vichy Idéalia Life Serum came on. The commercial was super cheesy, but the product itself, which promises to make your skin perfect despite your age and lifestyle habits (awesome, right?), sounded really good, and upon reading the ingredients list, I knew I had to pick it up. And oh my, was it love!

It contains an ingredient, jasmonic acid (LR2412 + LHA), that L'Oréal had been working on for ten years to perfect and make absorbable for the skin. It also has hyaluronic to plump the skin and salicylic acid to exfoliate. You know how much I love my BHA!

I find that this made my skin feel more hydrated, my pores look smaller, and it really really helps to reduce dark spots or any blemishes. You know my Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion that I keep going on about for those under the skin zits? I haven't had to use it ever since using this serum, because I haven't had any of those zits with this. This stuff is incredible! I find that even if I do get a small breakout (after a night of drinking or if I have to skip this in my routine because I slept over at my best friend's place) it'll clear up in a matter of two days.

The serum has a gel-cream-silicone consistency with rose gold color particles suspended in it to give you some glow. I have oily skin, and those particles don't bother me. They're subtle, not like glitter. It also doesn't smell like toxic waste, but has a rather nice soft floral scent.

But you know what's better? L'Oréal is the owner of both Vichy and Lancôme, so they share their research and formulas across the brands from time to time. This Vichy version basically took everything I wasn't happy about with the Lancôme Visionnaire out of their serum (Lancôme's version of this costs way more, has a super heavy fragrance, and contains alcohol). The Vichy feels more silky and hydrating, and I like the smell. So that's why I'm calling this the dupe but better.

Vichy Idéalia Life Serum ingredients:

Lancôme Visionnaire ingredients:

If you want something even cheaper and more readily available in the US, L'Oréal Paris also makes a serum like this (Sublime Skin or something like that; it's in the pink to white gradient tube), but my only gripe with that is that it contains the denatured alcohol. So I think the Vichy one is worth that extra you pay. If you're on the Lancôme Visionnaire, this is cheaper. It comes in at around 30 euros in a French pharmacy. I found mine at Pharmacie Monge, my favorite cheap pharmacy in Paris.

This stuff is gold, y'all!