AS viral brand The Ordinary unveils a £20 serum that promises plumper skin in weeks, Beauty Editor Tara Ledden asks if the wonder stuff can measure up to the online hype . . .
Move over retinol, there’s a new beauty buzz word on the block and it’s about to steal your skincare crown.
There’s a new beauty buzz word on the blockCredit: Getty
The Ordinary’s new Volufiline product is a big TikTok hit
Volufiline, dubbed filler in a bottle, is the hero ingredient in The Ordinary’s £19.50 Volufiline 92% + Pal-Isoleucine 1%, which officially landed in stores this week.
And if skincare lovers’ recent shopping habits are anything to go by, it is going to be huge.
-approved beauty brand The Ordinary already has form, with its cult “Botox in a bottle” duo (Argireline Solution 10%, £9.20, and Matrixyl 10% + HA, £10.40) racking up tens of millions of views for their skin-smoothing, line-busting powers.
Plus, its new Volufiline product launched early, via – selling 23,000 bottles in just ten days.
It promises to target the volume loss that naturally occurs as we age, in key areas such as under-eyes, smile lines and neck.
There are also claims it can help plump the lips, chest and, yes, even your bum.
So it could be very good news for those unwilling (or too scared) to spend hundreds on irreversible fillers.
Early reviews are encouraging, too.
“This is amazing stuff,” said one TikTok shopper.
“I was shocked that I could actually see a result from first use.”
Another said: “This product is so good that after only four days of using it, I’ve just ordered another bottle.”
Feedback on The Ordinary’s Volufiline is limited, however, given the brand advises that it usually takes at least three weeks to notice visible differences and the product has only been available for half that time.
However, despite the current hype, it turns out Volufiline isn’t a new ingredient at all.
In fact, it has been around for almost 20 years.
It recently gained traction on as a solution for those who had lost fat and plumpness around their eyes after using lash growth serums.
Until now, it was hard to get hold of, often only sold by third-party sellers on platforms such as , and YesStyle.
You also had to mix it with moisturiser at home, which made it fiddly to use.
Feedback on The Ordinary’s Volufiline is limitedCredit: tiktok/@devonkelley_
Regular use of the serum can get resultsCredit: tiktok/@devonkelley_
Devon Kelley, who first started using Volufiline two years ago, says: “I could never get the consistency right, and I wasn’t sure if I was using enough moisturiser to make it safe to apply directly to the skin.
“I basically felt like a guinea pig for the product.
“After using up the first bottle, which took about ten weeks, I stopped using it, and I didn’t feel like my results went away, which is amazing.”
The anecdotal evidence is strong.
The brand Volufiline, which sells a 100 per cent you have to dilute at home, boasts an average rating of 4.8 stars out of five from more than 5,000 reviews.
And a four-week study of 25 users reported that 96 per cent saw noticeably plumper, more youthful-looking , 92 per cent saw a visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, and 89 per cent saw a noticeable reduction in under-eye bags.
Granted, that’s a small sample of people, but the stats are compelling.
Paula Cramer, 50, put The Ordinary’s serum to the test and says: “The claim of ‘adding volume’ was new and innovative, so I read up to be sure I used it correctly.
Very little fanfare
“I did notice a difference both under my eyes and lips and, although subtle, it was enough to justify continuing to use it.”
Yet, I can’t help but feel sceptical about the “filler in a bottle” claims.
Volufiline has been available for decades, but there’s been very little fanfare and no big-name brands have jumped on the ingredient.
I spoke to Dr Ahmed El Muntasar, aka The Aesthetics Doctor, to find out what the experts think.
He explains: “Volufiline is a plant extract that comes from certain oils.
“It is marketed as a volume enhancer that helps fat cells to differentiate, multiply and mature.
“When it comes to results, it’s generally a slow process.
“After two months of consistent use, it can increase volume by about two per cent.
“Some people report up to eight per cent, but generally it’s much smaller.
“However, studies on humans are very, very limited.”
Dr Ahmed also points out that while there are several pros – it’s non-invasive, cheap and low effort – it’s not all good news.
“There are just as many cons,” he warns.
“There isn’t enough evidence to support it, it’s oil-based so it can cause acne, and it’s not a substitute for injectables.
“It might make a minimal difference for someone who needs volume, but you can’t replicate filler with a topical product.
“Trying to is a waste of time, effort and energy.”
