Looking through perricone md rejuvenating moisturizer reviews online, you’ll see people either swearing by this cream or side-eyeing the price tag like it personally offended them. And honestly? I get both reactions. When you’re dropping this kind of cash on a moisturizer, you want to know if it’s actually doing anything besides making your bathroom counter look expensive. So I’m going to walk you through what’s actually in this jar, what these ingredients do when they’re not busy being buzzwords, and whether this moisturizer is worth it or if you’re better off spending that money on literally anything else.
Key Ingredients in Perricone MD Essential FX Acyl-Glutathione Rejuvenating Moisturiser: What Makes It Work?
S-PALMITOYLGLUTHATHIONE (ACYL-GLUTHATHIONE)
Alright, so this is the ingredient they named the whole moisturizer after, which means it better be doing something impressive. Glutathione is this antioxidant your body makes on its own: it hangs out in your cells and basically acts like a bodyguard against all the crap that ages you. Free radicals from pollution, sun damage, the cortisol spike you get every time you check your email, all of it. Your body naturally makes less of it as you age, which is part of why your skin starts looking tired and dull.
Here’s the problem though: you can’t just slap regular glutathione on your face and expect it to waltz through your skin barrier. It’s too unstable, breaks down too fast, and your skin’s like “nah, we’re good” and doesn’t let it in. So what Perricone did was attach a fatty acid to it. That’s the palmitoyl part, which makes it fat-soluble so it can actually penetrate. Once it gets into your skin, enzymes cut off that fatty acid tail and boom, you’ve got active glutathione doing its thing.
TETRAHYEXYLDECYL ASCORBATE (VITAMIN C)
This is vitamin C, but the fancy stable version that doesn’t throw a tantrum every time you open the bottle. Regular vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is incredible for your skin but it’s also a huge pain in the ass. It oxidizes if you breathe near it wrong, needs to be at a low pH that can sting like hell, and basically requires its own shrine in a dark, cool place or it turns orange and useless.
This version doesn’t have any of those problems. It’s oil-soluble, which means it can get deeper into your skin, and it’s stable enough that you’re not racing against time every time you use it. Once it’s in, it turns into active vitamin C and starts fading spots, getting your skin to pump out more collagen, and adding another layer of protection on top of the glutathione.
The research shows this form actually works. It fades dark spots, smooths texture, does all the vitamin C magic without burning your face off.
Related: Is Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate The Best Form Of Vitamin C?
LACTIC ACID
Lactic acid exfoliates but it’s not aggressive about it. It’s an AHA that breaks down the glue keeping dead skin cells on your face so they finally fuck off and stop making you look dull. You get smoother skin, brightness, and everything else in here can actually get absorbed instead of trying to push through dead cell buildup. I like lactic acid because it’s gentler than glycolic,: bigger molecule, doesn’t go as deep, less likely to irritate. And it pulls moisture in while it exfoliates, so you don’t get that tight stripped feeling some acids give you. This is a daily moisturizer so the concentration is low. You’re getting just enough to keep things smooth without peeling. Over time you look brighter and smoother but it’s not dramatic: you’re just helping your skin shed the way it’s supposed to naturally.
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The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- Water/Aqua/Eau: It’s literally just water. Every moisturizer needs a base, and water is it. It also hydrates the top layer of your skin.
- Ethylhexyl Palmitate: This is a lightweight oil that mimics what your skin naturally produces. It makes the formula spread easily and sink in without leaving you looking like you rubbed bacon grease on your face.
- Glycerin: One of the best hydrators out there. It’s a humectant, which means it grabs water from the air and deeper layers of your skin and pulls it up to where you need it. Your skin stays plump and your moisture barrier stays happy.
- Dimethicone: It’s a silicone, and before you freak out, silicones aren’t evil. This one creates a smooth barrier on your skin that locks in moisture and makes everything feel silky. It also fills in fine lines temporarily so you look smoother immediately after applying.
- Cetearyl Alcohol: Don’t panic at the word alcohol:this is a fatty alcohol that’s actually good for your skin. It’s an emollient that makes the formula thick and creamy, and it helps everything else absorb better.
- Glyceryl Stearate: This keeps the oil and water in the formula from divorcing each other. It’s an emulsifier that also adds a little extra moisture and makes the texture feel luxurious.
- Polysorbate 60: Another emulsifier keeping everything blended. Without this, your moisturizer would separate into layers and you’d have to shake it like a bottle of salad dressing before every use.
- Palmitoyl Glycine: This is a conditioning agent that helps regulate oil and can make your pores look smaller over time. It’s subtle, but it’s contributing to that refined skin texture.
- PEG-100 Stearate: Emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps create that smooth, creamy feel and makes sure other ingredients can penetrate your skin instead of just sitting on top.
- Ribose: A sugar that’s said to support collagen and elastin health.
- Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil: Also called flaxseed oil, and it’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that calm inflammation and help repair your skin barrier. It absorbs well and doesn’t feel heavy.
- Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil: This oil is super similar to the sebum your skin makes naturally, so it absorbs like it belongs there. It delivers fatty acids and makes your skin feel soft without any greasiness.
- Phospholipids: These are literally what your cell membranes are made of. Using them topically helps strengthen your skin barrier and helps other ingredients penetrate deeper.
- Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate: A gentle emulsifier that keeps everything stable and smooth. It’s plant-derived and doesn’t irritate sensitive skin.
- Ethylhexylglycerin: A conditioning agent that also helps preserve the formula. It makes the moisturizer feel nice on your skin and helps it stay fresh without needing a ton of harsh preservatives.
- Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil (Chia Seed Oil): Packed with omega-3s and antioxidants. It hydrates, soothes, and protects your skin from environmental damage, all while feeling super lightweight.
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E): A powerful antioxidant that protects against free radical damage. It also works synergistically with vitamin C, so they make each other more effective at protecting your skin.
- Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil: Rich in linoleic acid and vitamin E. It strengthens your skin barrier, delivers hydration, and doesn’t clog pores for most people.
- Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract: An antioxidant extract that also has antimicrobial properties. It helps preserve the formula naturally while giving your skin some soothing benefits.
- Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate: A chelating agent that binds to metal ions so they don’t mess up the formula. It’s basically keeping the product stable and effective over time.
- Sodium Hydroxide: Used in tiny amounts to adjust the pH so the formula doesn’t irritate your skin. It’s not actively doing anything to your face, just making sure the product is balanced.
- Polyacrylamide: A thickener that gives the moisturizer its body. It helps it spread evenly and feel substantial without being goopy.
- Sodium Acrylates Copolymer: Forms a smooth film on your skin and helps with that luxurious texture. It’s part of why the formula feels high-end when you apply it.
- Polysilicone-11: Another silicone that adds to that silky, smooth finish. It makes the product glide on beautifully without feeling heavy or sticky.
- Hydrogenated Polyisobutene: An emollient that makes the formula feel like it’s gliding on. It mimics natural oils and helps everything spread effortlessly.
- C13-14 Isoparaffin: A solvent that helps dissolve other ingredients and keeps the texture light and smooth. It’s part of why the formula doesn’t feel thick or heavy.
- Laureth-7: A surfactant and emulsifier in small amounts. It helps keep everything blended and stable so the texture stays consistent.
- Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that stops bacteria and mold from growing in your moisturizer. It’s widely used and safe at the concentrations in skincare products.
- Fragrance/Parfum: Added for scent. If fragrance irritates your skin, this might be a dealbreaker, but most people handle it fine in the amounts used here.
- Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool: These are fragrance components that can also occur naturally in essential oils. They’re listed separately because they’re known potential allergens, so if you react to fragrance, you’ll know exactly what’s in here.
Texture
So the texture is honestly really good. It’s creamy when you scoop it out but then it just melts into your skin. Absorbs super fast and doesn’t leave you greasy. Your skin just feels soft and smooth after. Only thing is if you glob too much on, it gets a bit tacky. But a tiny bit is all you need.
Fragrance
Okay so the smell is… a lot. It’s strong and herbal and kind of medicinal? Like evergreen mixed with something floral maybe? I don’t know, it’s just not good. And it hits you right away when you open the jar. If you’re sensitive to smells or you get headaches from fragrance, this is gonna annoy the hell out of you. I wish they’d just left it unscented honestly.
How To Use It
Just massage it onto your face and neck after you cleanse. Morning and night, or whenever. If you’re using serums, put those on first and then this locks everything in. Don’t use too much though or you’ll get that sticky feeling. Like a small scoop is enough for your whole face and neck. Warm it up in your fingers first and press it in instead of rubbing.
Packaging
It comes in this sleek black jar which looks nice, but when you open it for the first time it looks half empty. Like someone already used it. Apparently they sell it by weight not volume so the jar is bigger than it needs to be? Which feels shady as hell when you’re spending over $100. Also it’s a jar so you’re sticking your fingers in it every time which isn’t great. Would’ve been better with a pump. Oh, and antioxidants can degrade when exposed to light and air (when you open the jar, basically).
Performance & Personal Opinion
Okay so does it actually work? Yeah, it does. My skin feels way more hydrated after using this for a few weeks. Like genuinely plump and moisturized, not just for an hour after I put it on. My face looks dewier in the morning and some of my fine lines around my eyes and forehead look smoother. Not gone, but less noticeable. My skin texture got better too: softer, more even. I wasn’t expecting it to do much for redness but that actually improved? I’ve got some redness around my nose and cheeks and it calmed down quite a bit. My skin just looked more balanced and healthier overall. Brighter, more even. The hydration is no joke either. My skin wasn’t getting that tight, uncomfortable feeling I usually get when it’s cold out.
But here’s where I get stuck: is it worth $105? I mean… it’s good. Really good. But I’ve used moisturizers that cost like $40 and gave me pretty similar results. The science is cool and I think the acyl-glutathione is probably doing something deeper than cheaper moisturizers can, but I can’t say for sure if that translates to enough visible difference to justify the price.
If you’ve got money to spend and you want something luxurious with solid actives and you don’t care about strong smells, you’ll probably love it. The texture alone makes it feel fancy. But if you’re trying to stick to a budget or you need to see major before-and-after differences to justify luxury prices, there are definitely other options that’ll get you close for way less money.
What I Like About Perricone MD Essential FX Acyl-Glutathione Rejuvenating Moisturiser
- Texture is amazing, absorbs fast, no grease
- Actually hydrates, like really hydrates
- Made my skin smoother and softer
- Helped with my redness which was unexpected
- Plays nice with other products
- You don’t need much so it lasts
What I DON’T Like About Perricone MD Essential FX Acyl-Glutathione Rejuvenating Moisturiser
- The smell is too strong and kind of gross
- Jar looks half empty when you get it which feels like a scam
- So expensive
- Jar packaging, not hygienic
- Gets tacky if you use too much
Who Should Use This?
If you’ve got dry skin and you need serious moisture and you’re okay spending money on skincare, this’ll work for you. Also good if you’re dealing with dullness, rough texture, fine lines, or redness. If you’re into luxury skincare and you like products with interesting science behind them, you’ll appreciate this. But if you have oily skin this might be too heavy. And if strong smells bother you or you’re on a budget, skip it.
Does Perricone MD Essential FX Acyl-Glutathione Rejuvenating Moisturiser Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| A deeply hydrating, fast-absorbing, skin firming Moisturiser that delivers the optimal nourishment to strengthen and replenish skins moisture barrier for plumper, firmer-looking skin. | True. Keep in mind, the moisturiser only promises to make your skin look firmer, not be firmer. |
| Visibly improves etched creases making them appear more shallow. | True. Anything hydrating does this by plumping up skin. Plus, silicones fill in nooks and crannies, so they look smaller. |
| Minimises the appearance of skin imperfections and imparts a beautiful radiance. | True. |
Price & Availability
$105 at Cult Beauty, Face The Future, Look Fantastic, and Perricone MD
The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
Look, it’s good. Really good. The formula works, the texture is nice, and my skin looked better using it. If you’ve got the budget and you want something fancy, go ahead. But if you’re wondering if it’s worth the hype or if you’re on a tighter budget, honestly? There are cheaper things that’ll give you like 80% of the same results. The acyl-glutathione is interesting but it’s not gonna change your life. Plus the smell might drive you insane and the packaging is annoying for the price. Get a sample or the travel size first and see how you feel about it. If you love it, cool, buy the full size. If you’re like “eh it’s fine,” save your money.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
