'There's a new serum that's supposed to "erase" lines in 10 minutes. I tried it.'

Mamamia's Tried and Tested series is your review of the latest to hit our desks in beauty, health and wellbeing. You won't find any #sponsored content here, just honest, relatable and independent advice. This week, Mamamia's Beauty Editor trials the new Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP.

"WELL, DOES IT WORK?" I hear you yell. And honestly, fair enough. With claims like this, I envision people will go absolutely nuts for this new wrinkle-fighting serum. So, I thought you'd probably like to know about it.

It's called Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP — quite a mouthful, I know.

Yes! Peptides. This is apparently a level-up from their original Liquid Peptides serum.

Watch: Speaking of beauty, here's Em Vernem trialling the foundation whisking hack. Post continues below.

Chances are you've seen peptides popping up everywhere — they're very much the buzzy ingredient of the moment and promise a lot when it comes to giving ageing skin a little leg-up.

For the uninitiated, peptides are basically the building blocks of important proteins like collagen and elastin (the stuff responsible for plump, bouncy skin). In a nutshell, they communicate with your skin and learn what it needs — helping to do lots of great things to keep your skin smooth, plump and firm.

So, do all the press and fancy claims live up to the hype?

Let's put it to the test.

What is Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP?

If you're a beauty enthusiast, you'll know Medik8 is one of those cosmeceutical brands that's up there with the likes of SkinCeuticals. They have very results-driven formulas in their range — like their retinol and vitamin C products.

mage: Supplied. Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP.

This newest member, however, comes with some lofty claims. Firstly, it promises to target the visible signs of repetitive facial movements, helping to relax and smooth the appearance of dynamic expression lines for visibly reduced wrinkle depth. It also promises to support the skin's deeper layers by visibly improving the appearance of skin structure over time, helping to boost the skin's collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid levels.

Ooft.

They say you'll notice a difference in the appearance of expression lines within 10 minutes. By eight weeks, you'll apparently see a difference in deep-set wrinkles.

How much does it cost?

The serum costs $160. While it isn't the most expensive serum on the market, it's certainly up there. And you'd certainly expect some good results.

My experience.

For context, I'm in my early thirties. While I don't have really deep-set wrinkles yet (don't worry, they're coming), I do have quite prominent expression lines around my eyes when I smile, as well as some cute forehead lines.

And look, I'm not necessarily looking to get rid of them, but as someone who can't use vitamin A/retinol at the moment (I'm pregnant) (otherwise I'd be slathering it on my toast in the morning), I am looking for alternative ways to keep my skin in check.

I've been trialling this newbie for over a week, using it morning and night. The serum is lovely and lightweight, comes in handy pump packaging (which I love, because I always go too hard with a dropper) and has the perfect consistency — not too runny and not too creamy.

Boasting a 'filler-like' wrinkle relaxation effect, it's meant to improve the look of fine lines in 10 minutes — that's quite a claim.

To start with, this serum feels beautiful on the skin. It feels rich and hydrating, yet super lightweight and sinks in like a dream. It also works brilliantly with other products — which is always a win because pilling truly sucks. I applied moisturiser and SPF over the top before following with my usual makeup routine, and my skin felt comfortable and happy throughout the day. I also love that it wasn't irritating to my sensitive skin.

Here's what my skin/eye area looked like before using it and after 10 minutes:

Image: Supplied.

While I think it's still too soon to see a major long-term difference in my expression lines, my skin is glowing and smooth, and there's a subtle yet noticeable difference in the fine lines around my eyes — they're a little plumper and softer. While they're still very much noticeable and not 'frozen', they don't appear to be as severe when I smile.

As I said, it's subtle! But you'll notice four lines around my eye on the left side before using the serum and three (softer) lines on the right side, after 10 minutes.

The verdict.

Whenever I get asked which topical ingredients actually work on fine lines and wrinkles, my answer is always retinol. It's the gold-standard ingredient. And while retinol will always remain my number one choice when it comes to tackling the signs of ageing, I do believe quality, well-studied peptides can have a great effect on the skin, too. You just have to be very consistent.

As you'd probably expect, with something like this, results do take a while to show. It also depends on your individual skin type and what kind of concerns you're hoping to target. But if you're like me and you're looking for a retinol alternative, this may be up your alley.

All in all, I'm impressed with the subtle softening of lines in such a short time, but I'm also keen to see what kind of results I'll experience over the next seven weeks.

So, watch this space (face?).

Would you try this new serum from Medik8? Share your thoughts with us below.

Feature image: Supplied.