Exuviance Radiance Serum

Exuviance Radiance Serum is a 30ml PHA-led treatment built around a 9% blend of Gluconolactone and Lactobionic Acid, formulated to help improve the appearance of seven signs of photo-ageing. Designed for twice-daily use — including sensitive skin — it has a lightweight, fast-absorbing finish that sits well under makeup or a moisturiser.

What it is

Radiance Serum is Exuviance's flagship PHA/AHA serum, part of the brand's wider line alongside Wrinkle Smooth Topical Peptide, Overnight Transformation Complex and Age Reverse Rebuild 5 Cream. It's built on Exuviance's patented Bionic technology — a 9% complex of Gluconolactone and Lactobionic Acid, two Polyhydroxy Acids (PHAs) with larger molecular structures than traditional Alpha Hydroxy Acids. That larger molecule size is the mechanism behind the brand's positioning: it slows the rate of penetration into the skin, which is why Exuviance markets the formula as suitable for daily AM and PM use rather than the night-only routine typically recommended for glycolic or lactic acid products. Mandelic Acid, also a larger-molecule AHA, is included alongside the PHA complex, together with an antioxidant blend built around Vitamins A, C and E.

Key ingredients

Exuviance doesn't publish a full INCI list on the product listing, so this table covers the named actives from the brand's own description rather than an exhaustive ingredient deck:

What are the "seven signs of photo-ageing"?

Exuviance markets Radiance Serum against seven signs of photo-ageing — the cumulative visible effects of sun and environmental exposure on skin over time. These are generally understood to include fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone, rough or uneven texture, enlarged pores, dullness or loss of radiance, blotchiness, and loss of firmness. Radiance Serum's approach is to combine gentle daily exfoliation from the PHA/AHA complex, which addresses texture and tone, with an antioxidant blend intended to help defend against further environmental damage rather than treat existing sun damage directly.

Texture and how it feels on skin

It's a lightweight, silky serum that spreads easily and absorbs within about a minute, leaving a smooth, hydrated finish without greasiness. Exuviance's own guidance is a few drops for the entire face and neck — using more than that is the main way to leave a tacky residue rather than a clean finish. Because it dries down quickly, it layers well underneath a moisturiser or SPF, and Exuviance positions the finish as suitable for priming skin before makeup.

Who it suits

• Skin showing dullness, uneven tone or the visible signs of photo-ageing
• Sensitive skin that has reacted to traditional glycolic or lactic acid AHAs before — PHAs are generally considered gentler due to their larger molecule size
• Anyone wanting a single AM-and-PM exfoliating step, rather than an acid reserved for night-only use
• Those looking for a lightweight layering serum that sits comfortably under makeup

Not the pick if you want a dedicated peptide-firming step — Wrinkle Smooth Topical Peptide is built for that instead. As with any exfoliating acid product, daily SPF is essential while it's part of your routine.

How to use it

Exuviance positions Radiance Serum for both morning and evening use, applied after cleansing (and toning, if that's part of your routine) and before a moisturiser. Use a few drops across the face and neck — the formula is concentrated enough that a small amount covers the full area. If you're introducing an exfoliating acid product to your routine for the first time, patch test first and consider easing in with once-daily use before moving to twice-daily, even though Exuviance's own guidance supports AM and PM application from the start for most users.

Where it fits in a routine

Radiance Serum is designed as Exuviance's everyday exfoliating and antioxidant step, sitting alongside rather than replacing more targeted treatments. For wrinkle-specific support, it layers with Wrinkle Smooth Topical Peptide; for a PM-focused renewal step, see Overnight Transformation Complex; and to seal in moisture afterwards, Age Reverse Rebuild 5 Cream is built for that role. If fine lines and wrinkles are your main concern rather than photo-ageing broadly, our round-up of the best products for fine lines and wrinkles covers where Radiance Serum sits against other options. See the Exuviance brand page for the full range.

How it compares to Exuviance's stronger exfoliating treatments

Exuviance's range includes more intensive exfoliating formats — a citric-acid overnight peel pad and a microdermabrasion-style polish among them — positioned for occasional, higher-strength use rather than a daily step. Radiance Serum sits at the gentler, everyday end of that spectrum: it's formulated for twice-daily wear rather than the two-to-three-times-a-week cadence typical of a physical or higher-strength chemical exfoliant. If your skin already tolerates daily acids well and you want an occasional deeper-resurfacing step alongside it, that's a separate product decision worth introducing slowly and one at a time.

Our verdict

Radiance Serum earns its place as a genuinely daily-wearable acid serum — the larger-molecule PHA and AHA blend is the reason Exuviance can position it for AM and PM use, where most traditional glycolic serums are reserved for night. The trade-off is that it's a broad, everyday exfoliating and antioxidant step rather than a targeted treatment for a single concern, so skin wanting dedicated peptide or overnight-renewal support will likely want to pair it with one of Exuviance's other serums. For skin new to acids generally, the twice-daily positioning is worth easing into rather than adopting from day one.

FAQs

Can Radiance Serum be used every day, morning and evening?

Yes — Exuviance positions the formula for twice-daily use, which is the main way it differs from traditional glycolic or lactic acid AHA serums that are typically reserved for evenings only. If you're new to exfoliating acids, easing in with once-daily use first is a sensible precaution regardless of the brand's guidance.

Does it contain retinol?

Not free-acid retinol. The formula's Vitamin A component is an antioxidant ester, commonly formulated in Exuviance products as Retinyl Palmitate — a gentler form than retinol itself.

Is it suitable for sensitive skin that's reacted to AHAs before?

Exuviance markets the Gluconolactone and Lactobionic Acid blend as gentler than traditional AHAs because of their larger molecular structure, and states the product suits all skin types including sensitive skin. As with any new acid product, patch test first.

Can I use Exuviance Radiance Serum if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, please contact our team for advice before use.

Can it be layered with a peptide serum or vitamin C product?

Yes — Radiance Serum is designed as a base exfoliating and antioxidant step, so it layers with a dedicated peptide serum such as Wrinkle Smooth Topical Peptide. It already contains a vitamin C ester as part of its own antioxidant blend, so if you're building a routine around a stronger, dedicated vitamin C serum, introduce the two gradually and watch for sensitivity.