If you'd told me earlier in the year that I'd have a "zombie cream" on my beauty shelf, I probably would have rolled my eyes. But alas, here we are. The name alone may sound strange, but trust the process. This type of cream is designed to target specific cells in the skin that could be causing damage without you even realizing it. In the beauty community, folks have deemed these troublemakers "zombie cells."
If there's one brand I trust to deliver a solid innovation to address this issue, it's K-beauty favorite Peach & Lily. I've loved Peach & Lily products for years because they're well-formulated and safe for my ultra-sensitive, acne-prone skin. This new launch from the brand, aptly titled Advanced Rebound Bioglow Zombie Cream ($59), is designed to make quick work of these unwanted invaders in the skin. I know it might sound a little out-there, so let's get into it. Ahead, I'm sharing everything you need to know about this cream along with my honest thoughts on who it's truly for.
Peach & Lily Advanced Rebound Bioglow Zombie Cream
This cream is designed to target senescent cells, or what those in the beauty industry have coined zombie cells. If you're wondering what that term even means or how it applies to your skin, same. I deferred to Alicia Yoon, master aesthetician and Peach & Lily founder, on this. "Zombie cells are what scientists call senescent cells—damaged cells that linger in your skin and can often be harmful," says Yoon. "They can release inflammatory signals and are linked to wrinkles, sagging, and dullness and can also turn other healthy cells into zombie cells."
The unique thing about Peach & Lily's Advanced Rebound Bioglow Cream is that it isn't powered by one star ingredient. Instead, it was thoughtfully formulated as an ecosystem. It considers how the skin environment works to build a strategy that approaches zombie cell damage from multiple angles. "The first-ever patent-pending 6.1% Tri-Senolytic System that targets signs of zombie cell damage is also combined with a rich formula featuring our shield and defend ingredients and deeply nourishing moisturizers," Yoon adds.
The Ingredients
- Eterwell Youth: visibly clears signs of zombie cell damage, including deep wrinkles and sagging skin
- Fisetin: calms signs of visible inflammaging that can be linked to zombie cells and accelerated signs of skin aging
- Biosynthetic Placenta Growth Factor Complex: delivers growth factor peptides to rebuild firmness, bounce, and glow
- 17 amino acids, collagen peptides, and five superantioxidants: defend against signs of oxidative stress and work to repair the moisture barrier
My Review
I'll preface this review by saying that I was already a huge fan of Peach & Lily before trying this cream. I have a lot of trust in Yoon and her products because they're thoughtfully formulated for sensitive, acne-prone skin. Everything in Peach & Lily's line is designed to be effective, noncomedogenic, and glow inducing—my kind of products!
I'll also admit that I've never quite been sold on the whole zombie cell conversation in beauty. After all, shouldn't a good retinoid solve the issue of old, damaged cells? I'm no scientist, though, so what do I know? I've dealt with skin damage for a while after a bad five-year run with tretinoin, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to give this one a go to see if it helps.
My first impression upon trying this cream was that it's definitely a little thicker than your average moisturizer, but it does give you a really nice glow. This is something to keep in mind if your skin is highly acne prone. While Peach & Lily products have never once broken me out, it's a thicker moisturizer that might be more suited for the colder months. That said, though, after only a few days of use, I noticed really solid radiance in my skin that definitely wasn't there before. I should also note that I'm 33 and don't have any serious deep sagging or wrinkles, so I can't speak too much to what it does there.
While I did notice a nice overall glow after using this for a month, I can't really say that my skin issues stemmed from zombie cells. I didn't notice a crazy difference in my skin overall or a change in barrier health (my main concern) after using it for a little over a month. I do, however, think this is a fabulous cream for mature skin or those dealing with signs of premature aging. It's nice and rich, and people with those skin types will probably notice more of a difference in deeper wrinkles. Overall, this is a great cream and not a bad price for an innovative, targeted treatment. A lot of skincare products take much longer than one month to show visible results, so that's something else I'm noting here. I really like this cream and will continue to use it, but it may require patience if you're looking to buy it for specific visible skin concerns.
Shop More Peach & Lily Products I Love
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This is one of the few acid-powered exfoliating masks I can use on my ultra-sensitive skin. The exfoliants are in just the right concentration to provide a super-effective pore cleanse without drying me out or making my skin more irritated and inflamed. I wake up the next day with brighter, clearer skin every time I use it.