We Tried The Genaura Levagen+ Smart Face Serum – Here’s Our Report

Launching today, Genaura Levagen+ Smart Face Serum is spearheading the new ‘slow skincare’ movement by building resilience from within. Does this herald the start of a new healing era? Juliet Herd puts the next-gen smart serum to the test in the latest instalment of the C&TH Beauty Lab series.

C&TH Beauty Lab: Genaura Levagen+ Smart Face Serum

The Product

In a market saturated with cutting-edge skincare, it is a brave move for any fledgling brand to launch what it claims to be a revolutionary new serum with the potential to transform the beauty industry. Introducing Genaura, the London-based luxury skincare line featuring scientifically backed ingredients and patented technology. Aimed at today’s wellness-savvy consumer and part of the growing ‘slow skincare’ movement, it focuses on elevating the skin’s ability to maintain its own long-term health by creating formulations that build skin resilience and boost barrier function.

The brand’s first offering is Levagen+ Smart Face Serum (a sulphate-free botanical cleanser and performance treatment crème moisturiser will follow in 2026). If you haven’t heard of hero ingredient Levagen+ yet, the word will soon be tripping off your tongue as it makes its way into the mainstream beauty lexicon. Levagen+ is a bioavailable form of fatty acid amide, Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), which supplements natural production (this reduces as you age) and targets stressed skin at source, locking in moisture and reinforcing the skin’s natural barrier. This is the first topical product to feature encapsulated Levagen+.

‘It’s a remarkable anti-inflammatory ingredient that actually helps build skin resilience from within rather than just masking surface concerns,’ Michelle Reeve, Genaura’s lead New Product Developer, tells C&TH. ‘My approach has always been about moving beyond quick fixes to create formulations that deeply nourish skin health at a cellular level. What’s particularly exciting is that PEA is naturally occurring in our bodies, so we’re essentially giving skin what it already recognises and needs.’

Other ingredients include a synergic skin perfecting blend of hyaluronic acid and glucosamine, which work together to brighten and rejuvenate while niacinamide minimises pores and improves uneven skin tone. Added to the mix is a superfood “smoothie” of age-proofing botanicals, including fermented papaya, broccoli, kale and milk thistle, designed to fight dry skin. Using the dispersion technology, Lipisperse ®, Levagen+ is dispersed evenly in the product, ensuring deeper penetration. Cruelty free, the serum’s ingredients are responsibly sourced, and artisan techniques are employed in line with the brand’s sustainability ethos.

The Science Bit

A double-blind, comparator-controlled clinical trial involving 70 adults suffering from dry skin and redness, found that those participants applying 1.5 percent Levagen+ reported a significant improvement in their skin’s appearance after two weeks. After four weeks of use, they noted that redness, dryness and uneven skin tone were dramatically diminished. Nearly half (47 percent) strongly agreed that their skin felt softer and more supple.

While Genaura says its product is suitable for all skin types, it acknowledges that some users may experience slight redness on first use and recommends a patch test.

The Test Drive

Like many people, serums are now an essential part of my daily skincare routine. Containing a high concentration of actives, they are lightweight and designed to tackle specific concerns. The smaller molecules help to penetrate deeper and faster into the skin than moisturisers.

I was intrigued to try a serum that contained biocompatible ingredients and promised to generate my skin’s own renewal mechanisms. The recommended use is one pump, both morning and night after cleansing and before moisturising, but I found that two were necessary to give full coverage. While it absorbed easily enough, my hands and face felt sticky immediately after application. Don’t let that put you off, though – it’s only momentary.

Six weeks on and my skin feels – and, I hope, looks – plumper and smoother. I’ve even taken selfies to prove to myself that my overall skin tone and texture have visibly improved. With the launch of skin nutrition-focused products like Genaura, it really does appear we are moving away from fast fixes and entering an exciting new healing era in skincare.

The Verdict

Genaura Levagen+ Smart Face Serum could well represent a game-changer in the beauty world, fundamentally transforming how skin responds to stressors rather than simply masking the signs of ageing.

SHOP

Genaura Levagen+ Smart Face Serum 30ml, £294. genaura.com