Ah Dr Lens. My favourite Italian. After Rocky Balboa. This bottle of whiteness saved my face from significant pigmentation and is therefore going straight into the Hall of Fame.
What is it?
'This advanced serum visibly brightens, smoothes and hydrates the skin.'
It's a serum to tackle dull and pigmented skin.
Who is it for?
Anyone with pigmentation issues, dull skin, skin with discolouration issues.
What’s in it?
Aqua (Water), Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Pentylene Glycol, Squalane, Phytic Acid, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Zinc Glycinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Pearl, Silanetriol, Silica, Polysilicone-11, Benzophenone-3, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Metabisulfite, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum (Fragrance), Linalool, Sodium Hydroxide
Possibly
acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?
fragrance
Natural? Organic? Man
made? Vegan?
A mix of naturals and super hi-tec/vegan
Tested on animals/sold
in China?
No/No
What's not in it?
mineral oil
parabens
How do you use it?/Where to use in your routine?
I applied 2/3 pumps all over twice a day until it ran out. After acids, under moisturiser.
What’s good about it?
Z Luminous was 95% responsible for removing the patch of pigmentation in between my eyebrows that I gained over the summer (despite using SPF50). Almost singlehandedly.
Whilst I was still using my acids and some retinols, I used this consistently throughout September/October until it ran out and my pigmentation has substantially faded. It's pretty much indistinguishable unless you're looking for it.
It is easily the most effective serum for my pigmentation that I have used.*
Dr Lens (Marko to regular viewers of my channel) is the King of Serums. The formulas are all well thought out and they work. There's really not much more to say.
Niacinamide, resorcinol, zinc-glycine complex and phytic acid all work together - at high %s - to target all signs of pigmentation/dullness and discolouration. I first wrote about the effects of niacinamide over 5 years ago here.
What’s not so good
about it?
It's £135.00. But in some cases, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. The second ingredient in this is niacinamide. It's an expensive formulation, and the proof is in the pudding.
To celebrate landing in the Hall of Fame, Zelens are giving all of you lovely readers, even those of you overseas, a 30% discount across the board from Zelens.com until next Wednesday evening.
As an extra, you will receive 1 x free Skin Perfectors Collection (worth £82.50) with a spend of £125 and above on anything purchased between now and Monday evening.
The 30% off code will remain open until 11.59pm UK time on Wednesday 2nd December.
Your Code is HIRONS30.
Your Code is HIRONS30.
*Bear in mind everyone's skin is different. I attacked my pigmentation early, and although it was a seasonal flare-up, how good something will work is dependent on a lot of other factors. I'll try and answer as many of your questions in the comments as possible to help ascertain if this is for you or not.
**No affiliate links and I have not worked with Dr Lens since Dec 2013.
Those of you that I know will ask - You will know what is in my Cult Beauty Box before this offer ends.
This is not in it.

Hi Caroline, this looks like the perfect x-mas present to my husband! But if it doesn't work he will think that it was a huge waste of money. He has a quite large round pigmentation (like the size of small blueberry) on his cheek that is really bothering him. He got it two summers ago after having been in Spain. Funny enough he is Spanish with olive toned skin but he got it anyway. The pigmentation is not raised, it's not very dark but noticeable. He tried some (cheap) cream to get rid of it but it didn't work at all.
ReplyDeleteHi Eva, I hope you don't mind me replying. I just wanted to say that if he's concerned about new marks/moles after being in the sun it might be a good idea to get them checked out by a doctor, just to be safe. I don't know what the mark is, so I'm quite likely barking up the wrong tree, but I've had two family members diagnosed with skin cancer this past year (one died), so I'm a lot more aware now. My general motto is it can't hurt to check. Just a thought. x
DeleteHas he spoken to a doctor?
DeleteNo, he hasn't. I told him to do it now. Although it hasn't changed at all in 2 years but will have him check it out anyway. Thanks. If it's nothing, do you think it could work for him?
DeleteI have medium toned Aftican American skin and hyper pigmentation from acne scars...is this serum the best way to go? A different serum perhaps? Or something totally different from the Zelens line?
ReplyDeleteEven if this isn't the best serum for my problem, thanks SO much for the code. I have been eyeing his sunscreen for ages but was a bit wary at the price. This will cause me to finally give it a chance.
Hi Caroline
ReplyDeleteI've always thought I had hyper pigmentation, but on looking back, the marks appeared after I miscarried. The pigmentation is across my forehead and onto the tops of my cheeks. It gets a lot worse in the sun. I use azelaic acid, along with OTC retinol and it has lightened.
Could this be melasma?
Would this serum help?
Thank you x
Ooo and I've just read the small print: we will know about your CBB by next Wednesday!!! Yay!!!! Xx
ReplyDeleteWhoops may have just made my first Zelens purchase with a fantastic 30% off :-)
ReplyDeleteMrs Hirons, you are going to ruin me! Order placed and still waiting for that ultimate box of yours! Thank you for everything you do X
ReplyDeleteWould this be good for those terrible red marks you get after spots too?! Gosh, I do hope so.....
ReplyDeleteIs it better than Sunday riley Good Genes?
ReplyDeleteDitto this. I have a fair amount of redness (I suspect too much 'hot' cloth cleansing with the Liz Earle a few years back before I read your blog!) Would either of these help regulate that for a more even tone?
DeleteHi Caroline, thank you for this offer �� I have terrible pigmentation on both lower cheek areas from spots (currently on meds for acne) and also on both sides of forehead which isnt so bad, how lucky am I lol! Do you think this would help? Thank you in advance xx
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of post inflammatory redness. They are mostly new/pink because my acne flared up in the last few months (possibly due to an allergic reaction* and/or stress) and the scars make it look so much worse. Is this better/necessary if I have Good Genes and Luna? What are your "top of the head, no brainer" recommendations for dry/dehydrated/acne prone skin? I am studying your blog like crazy... Thank you in advance for your help.
ReplyDelete*Side note: Is it possible I could have been allergic to zinc oxide, the ingredient supposedly "recommended for acne prone skin" in SPF?
Plenty to be thankful for today!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline, I have some dark pigmentation around my mouth - the corners around my lips and laugh lines. A bit towards the chin too. Would this help with that? Thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline, I have some dark pigmentation around my mouth - the corners around my lips and laugh lines. A bit towards the chin too. Would this help with that? Thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteNot sure what it was with this but it broke me out in massive cystic spots :-(. I kept trying and trying hoping it was something else but, every time I went back to it, the spots came right back. I still have the aftermath skin discoloration from them. Needless to say I was gutted.
ReplyDeleteThe same happened to me
DeleteThree times I tried it and three times I got large cystic spots as well. So sad especially after all of the lovely Carolines other recommendations have cleared my skin up. Think I might have a reaction to Dimethicone?
Just goes to show that everyones skin is different - mine loves fragrance and most chemicals and hates shea butter!
Ditto for me. Three times I tried this and three times I broke out in large cystic spots and they took ages to clear up. Think I might have problems with Dimethicone? Such a shame after my skin had cleared up with the lovely Carolines other recommendations. Everyones skin is different - mine loves fragrance and acids, hates shea butter and something in this product.
DeleteHe's not Italian though!! lol
ReplyDeleteAnd yay for the discount, thank you!
Yeah, I thought he was from Serbia, I read somewhere that he graduated in Belgrade, but Lens is not a typical Serbian surname, so who knows...
DeleteMy extremely close and good friend is what I would describe as a 'Cosmopolitan Italian' who graduated in Italy and then went to Harvard to get his Master of Science and THEN Oxford for his PhD. I have no intention of discussing his private life further, suffice to say the man can swear in 5 languages.
DeleteGoing to the zelens siyr now...
ReplyDeleteI've just purchased my third bottle of this amazing serum with your superb 30% discount... I nearly went crazy and got 2.
ReplyDeleteI've just purchased my third bottle of this amazing serum with your 30% discount code. I almost went crazy and got 2...
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI earned some pretty severe pigmentation issues 3 years ago after several (yes looking back, too harsh) IPL treatments. It is better than it was but I still slather on the makeup and am always looking for any product that could diminish it further.
Thank you,
Laura
p.s. LOVE YOUR BLOG!
Another great offer. I made use of the kate somerville one last week and am waiting to buy your box next but i wanted to let you know that i think what you are doing for your readers with all of these offers is brill
ReplyDeleteOh dear lord, you're killing me. I've wanted to try Zelens for the longest time and 30% off is awesome.
ReplyDeleteThe Beauty Bloss
Thank you Zelens and Caroline! With the Australian exchange rate so woeful, I could justify a purchase with this discount. Now coveting the lip gloss and satin primer.....
ReplyDeleteWould you say this is a more effective formulation than, say, Olay's high level niacinamide containing serums? I guess the Dr Lens serum has some different ingredients in it as well, and I always wonder why some things work better/differently than others.
ReplyDeleteI've been using the Intense Defence for a little bit. About half way through my first bottle. Can this be used at the same time? Would you recommend any of the Zelens cleansers? Mid fifties with sensitive skin that turns red if you look at it the wrong way. (Not really, but close to it, only use anything with retinol twice a week.)
ReplyDeleteHi, Caroline!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to point out that the Skin perfectors collection is actually valued at 42£ as per NKs website:http://uk.spacenk.com/en_GB/skin-perfector-collection/MUK200013972.html
Noetheless, thank you for the 30% (browsing as we "speak") !
Just ordered the Brightening Serum for my mother and the Intense Defence one for myself, thank you so much for the discount code, Caroline, can't wait to try my first Zelens purchase! Also can't wait for the next cult beauty box, looking amazing so far. Keep up the good work! :-)
ReplyDeleteWill this be effective on melasma? Acquired around the age of 41 on cheekbones and forehead after I had my daughter. The only thing that's worked so far is hydroquinone, and when I stop it comes back despite religious zinc oxide sunscreen usage. Right now I'm beginning to try vitamin C and retin-a. Either way I will be placing an order from Zelens, and thank you!
ReplyDeleteNevermind, had a look at your post referencing melasma and it doesn't seem like anything topical (other than hydro-Q, which I dislike using and the melasma comes back anyway) will really work. Maybe this would help with overall brightening and tone but for the money I think I'll hold off. Heard good things about the eye cream...
DeleteThe prices in US dollars are ridiculous. The price is basically double on the dollar. Try Cult Beauty -- they just convert directly to dollars, remove VAT and don't charge shipping (it $13 from Zelens). Even without the discount it is less, and today you can get £20 off. That is if it's in stock. If not, wait and get what you want there anyway because it's a better deal
ReplyDeleteOkay, don't try to order this from Cult Beauty. They can't seem to manage to send anything with a pump. We're just not getting a deal In the US.
ReplyDeletePigmentation and overall unevenness are the pains of my skin life. Not only do I have a forehead about 2.5 shades (precise, I know) darker than the rest of my face but I get the same shade around my mouth and it's worse on pigmentation coming from spots. I am not against investing in a product that will deliver results but the most active vitamin C serums have not helped, could this be it? Alternatively, what would be your recommendation? I never comment because I don't think I should bother you personally about my small life worries of skin pigmentation, but I wish I were more comfortable with its state...urgh.
ReplyDeleteThank you! sent to my mom who was just complaining about dark spots and saying that she is thinking of going to have some laser work done (big Buk$$$) at the derm. I told her to try this before she goes to the laser:)
ReplyDeleteGenerally speaking, does "pigmentation" include red scarring from acne? If not, what is a general term used to refer to that?
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you are in the midst of clearing up breakouts, rosacea, etc., is it smart to build a serum into your routine to add brightness, fight pigmentation, etc.? Or, should you wait until things are totally clear and then start to add in a serum such as this?
Oh I must add my twopeneth here, I got misdiagnosed with melasma on my face.after getting very tanned in Oz. I Was given azelic acid which just made it worse. Then after reading up I wondered if it was tinea vesticolour a fungal infection so tried selsun shampoo on it, which made a dramatic difference, went back to G.P who agreed and started me on oral antifungals got much better, took a while to get rid of but nearly there. Hope that might help someone and save them money too!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering with this and other "active" products / serums if there is a benefit to re-applying several times a day to areas of concern. I'm guessing that any actives only "work" for a matter of minutes rather than hours with the product then becoming another moisturising layer until night time application. Was just wondering if products like this can be used in this way to supercharge / speed up results?
ReplyDeleteJust a heads up - trying to use your code and the discount is being applied but no bonus gift. Letting them know as I know you cannot sort it but FYI. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteNooooo, I've just read your post! Can't believe I missed it :-(
ReplyDeleteNooo I've just read your post! I can't believe I missed it… Thanks for your reviews, you're the best :-)
ReplyDeleteDo you do consultations? At 33 I've been struck with acne. Mum and brother had it as teens but I dodged the bullet. Always been sensitive and had excema but this is a nightmare and no idea why it's happened :(
ReplyDeleteThis serum did not work on my pigmentation. :(
ReplyDelete