4 Editors Put This AI-Backed Skin-Care App to the Test
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Beauty is getting a lot more customized — and we're talking more than just a quick online quiz. Tech is constantly evolving, and brands are coming up with ways to take their products even further than the skin's surface-level needs. Revea is a prime example of this new wave of beauty. Founded by a group of industry experts and scientists, Revea uses advanced diagnostics to determine exactly what your skin needs based on biology, then formulates custom treatments based on the results.
The process starts with its imaging technology, which uses Artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze over one million data points and assess your skin health. This is done through a virtual skin scan online or in the flagship store in San Fransico, CA. Once your scan is complete, you are given a comprehensive rating of "compromised" to "excellent" on a scale of 0-100 on seven scales: your skin's radiance, tone, milieu, surface texture, hydration, energy supply, and dermal fibers.
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From there, Revea creates a custom regimen with a personalized morning and nighttime serum to help improve your skin in those seven areas. All of Revea's products are refillable, so every three months you can re-assess your skin and get a new shipment of products — including your custom AM and PM serums and a moisturizer — for $250.
Four of our editors with different skin types put Revea's formulations to the test in their skin-care routines. Keep reading to read each of our reviews of the custom skin-care brand.
Revea For Sensitive Skin: Review
"Tech in skin care is getting smarter and smarter, and Revea is proof. After scanning my face via my iPhone camera, I learned that my skin's radiance score clocked in at about 69 out of 100, indicating I needed to re-up my energy supply, hydration, and dermal fibers (in other words: my collagen and elasticity). This made sense to me, as did the suggested AM and PM serums that promised to combat the dullness, dryness, and overall bleh-ness I've been experiencing. I wouldn't say the ingredients in either formula were revolutionary or anything I haven't seen before — I've tried many a serums with vitamin C, peptides, and plant lipids — but I do appreciate the brand's personalized approach and that you can even choose your preferred texture. (You rarely find a cream serum, which would be my preference in winter, so that was a nice perk.)
When I tried the products, I was pleasantly surprised. There are no bells and whistles here, which is just how I like it, and I was impressed with how neither serum irritated my sensitive skin or pilled under my makeup or other skin-care products. Overall, this makes for a great starter set. The app thoroughly explains the basics of what's going on with your skin, which I think would make it perfect for anyone just dipping their toe into the skin-care world."
Rating: ★★★★☆
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Revea For Dry to Normal Skin: Review
"My Revea skin scan suggested I focus on replenishing moisture, boosting radiance, and revitalizing tired-looking skin. I was immediately impressed by how in-depth each category went — it's truly the most comprehensive data I've ever seen on my skin. The morning serum it created for me features benthi plant peptides (a biotech-engineered ingredient) to rejuvenate and smooth skin, coenzyme Q10 to protect and energize, and vitamin C to brighten. I typically use a vitamin C serum in the morning so this was standard for me, but I particularly loved the texture of this formula. It's silky and fast-absorbing, without the bad odor that occasionally comes with the ingredient or the tacky feeling. After using it for a couple of months, I noticed a difference in my skin's radiance and overall tone. I looked dewier and more refreshed after doing my skin-care routine.
My nighttime serum focused on replenishing moisture and promoting a dewy surface texture — right up my alley. It contains sclareolide to restore and hydrate, vitamin C to brighten, and salicylic acid to smooth pores. Having vitamin C in my nighttime routine was new for me, but I think that helped improve my skin tone after a few uses. Immediately after applying two pumps to my face, I'd feel a slight tingling sensation presumably from the salicylic acid, which would pass seconds later without any discomfort or irritation. What I love about Revea is that you can re-measure your skin after using the custom regimen for a few months to see if it's made a difference or if anything needs to be adjusted." — Jessica Harrington, beauty editor
Rating: ★★★★
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Revea For Combination, Oily Skin: Review
"Even though I have oily skin, my Revea skin assessment concluded that I need to focus more on hydration when it comes to my routine. My AM serum was formulated with the goal of replenishing my moisture levels, as well as creating a soft and dewy surface texture. My PM serum had a combination of vitamin C and hexylresorcinol, which the brand promised would help with minimizing areas of hyperpigmentation. I can definitely tell an immediate difference when using my AM serum. My skin looks plump, dewy, and glossy, allowing it to be the perfect base for a light makeup application. I haven't noticed much change in the hyperpigmentation of my face using the PM serum, but some of the marks are years in the making so given how much I've enjoyed the AM serum, I will continue using the PM version to see if I get the results that I'm looking for." — Ariel Baker, assistant beauty editor
Rating: ★★★☆
Revea For Dry, Acne-Prone Skin: Review
"After using Revea's facial scanning through my iPhone, the platform created two personalized products that would aim to help with brightening my complexion and creating an even skin tone, which are two things I desperately needed help with. My AM serum included vitamin C, which I was already using, but it also added in carnosine and coenzyme Q10, which were two ingredients I wasn't familiar with and had never previously used. I found that the serum itself was silky smooth and didn't leave my skin feeling sticky or tacky, and I liked that it wore well under makeup without pilling. However, I did notice that I began breaking out a few days after I began testing, which I think may have been in part due to the vitamin E in the coenzyme Q10.
My PM serum also included vitamin C, which was a bit different for me because I typically only use that ingredient during the day, but I actually found that I liked adding it into my nighttime routine. The serum also included hexylresorcinol (which I still have no idea how to pronounce) to minimize hyperpigmentation, and marrubium extract to protect my skin from pollution. My PM serum was creamier than my AM serum, and I found that combining this serum with the brand's moisturizer left my skin feeling refreshed and hydrated in the morning when I woke up." — Renee Rodriguez, staff writer and social producer
Rating: ★★★★☆