The first time I tried the Alleven Total Face Serum I had just used a resurfacing mask [1] that left my skin feeling a little irritated. I was in the middle of testing a new batch of skin-care products [2] and saw the words "intensive rejuvenating treatment" written on the bottle and figured I'd give it a try to see if it could calm my skin down a bit (dermatologists, don't be mad at me for testing two new things at once) — and I let out an audible "Oooh!" when I swiped it on.

The texture of the serum [3] feels like a hug for your skin; it's slightly thick and milky, but absorbs incredibly fast and leaves behind a soft, illuminated finish. The scent is faint and reminds me of getting a facial at a spa. Plus, it provides instant hydration and soothing relief.

I have normal to dry skin, leaning more on the dry side in the wintertime, so I'm always looking for serums to boost moisture while also tackling other skin-care concerns, like dullness and discoloration. Some of the benefits of the Alleven Total Face Serum [4] ($141) include restoring volume, strengthening your skin's moisture barrier, and helping encourage suppleness thanks to its peptide and vitamin B-packed formula.

There's no denying that it's pricy, but as an all-in-one serum it can take the place of a few treatments in your regimen, and a little bit goes a long way. As far as I'm concerned, if you're going to invest in a skin-care product you should make it a serum, because that's where you're getting most of your active ingredients. If you don't mind me, I'll be dousing myself in this for the foreseeable future.

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