This Icelandic Serum Is My Secret to Easy-Breezy Summer Skin

If you’ve ever been to Iceland or scrolled through a friend’s enviable travel photos, you’ve likely noticed that it’s a special place full of natural wonder. But did you know that effortless beauty extends to the country’s skincare?

Recently, I traveled to Reykjavik to learn all about Bioeffect. Between dips in the Sky Lagoon and a champagne toast on an active volcano (yes, really), I got to know the ins and outs of the brand’s innovative, growth factor-based products—including one recent launch that’s been ideal for maintaining dreamy summer skin amidst the New York heat waves, despite coming from a country that’s cold year-round.

Read on to learn all about Bioeffect’s innovative EGF formulas and the new day serum, from who should use it to the skin concerns it addresses.

Meet the Experts

• Madalaina Conti is a licensed esthetician, the founder of Synergistic Skincare NYC, and a member of the Violet Grey curation committee. She is best known for bringing quantum technology-based Qi Beauty treatments to New York City, but is also an expert in a wide variety of esthetic techniques and modalities.

What Is EGF?

EGF, short for epidermal growth factor, is a protein that plays a key role in cell growth and differentiation, including the production of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. It’s a key component to a plump, smooth complexion, but production declines starting in our twenties and into menopause and beyond, resulting in signs of aging like wrinkles and sagging skin.

Bioeffect’s Growth Factors

When natural EGF declines, Bioeffect aims to step in by boosting the skin with a biocompatible replica produced in barley. Growth factors have been the brand’s hero ingredient since its founding in 2010 by three Icelandic scientists, and the line now features three main types:

• EGF (epidermal growth factor): This is Bioeffect’s most well-known biotechnology, and replicates natural EGF by boosting cell renewal, collagen and elastin production, and hydration. You’ll find it in a wide variety of the brand’s products.
• KGF (keratinocyte growth factor): This growth factor supports the skin barrier and overall skin resilience. It works together with EGF in Bioeffect’s Power Collection, which is the next level up from the brand’s signature products and is ideal if your skin is already exhibiting signs of aging or you have existing damage to repair.
• IL-1a (Interleukin-1 alpha): The most recent hero ingredient to be part of Bioeffect’s products, this growth factor has properties that help with skin health and barrier function. It’s featured in the brand’s 30-Day Treatment, a potent formula for those looking to achieve noticeably firmer, smoother, plumper-looking skin as quickly as possible.

The EGF Day Serum Formula

Bioeffect’s signature, award-winning EGF serum has earned a cult following and rave reviews for its simple yet effective formula. The titular ingredient comes together with key hydrators plus barley seed extract for a product that’s gentle enough for everyday use, yet achieves noticeable results. Now, the brand has optimized its hero product for daytime use by adding vitamin B5 and a higher concentration of hyaluronic acid.

“For me, what really sets this product apart is the consistency of the formula,” says esthetician Madalaina Conti. “It’s super silky and gel-like, with just the right amount of hydration. I especially love that you can use it alone and don’t always need to top with a moisturizer, making it the perfect multitasking product for those who love a simple routine and/or hot summer months when you don’t want to feel like much is on the skin.”

Ali Webb

Who Should Use It?

The Bioeffect EGF Day Serum can benefit most people, as long as you don’t have a known sensitivity to any of its ingredients (which are not common allergens). “It’s a well-rounded product, great for most scenarios,” Conti says. “I’d say it’s great for anyone with sensitive or impaired skin due to its added vitamin B5 content.”

The product is nourishing yet doesn’t make your skin greasy, which makes it friendly to oilier and drier skin types alike. “It’s great for oily skin types who prefer a gel moisturizer, but it also can layer under your favorite Bioeffect moisturizer for those who need more moisture,” Conti explains. She adds, “my male clients really love the feel of this one, too, and it’s fab after a peel or laser.”

Ali Webb

The day serum is gentle and nourishing, creating a rare product of this efficacy that’s suitable for sensitive skin. “The growth factors themselves will improve the skin’s function and immunity in the most gentle way,” Conti tells us. “Soothing and hydrating ingredients like vitamin B5, low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, and barley extract support the efficacy of the growth factor, and the Icelandic water is always a welcomed touch. Overall, it’s pretty foolproof and is a champion multitasker.”

The Ideal Routine

When it comes to tailoring the best skincare routine centered around the day serum, “it works great with any EGF product in the Bioeffect line, of course,” Conti says. If you’re using other products, “a good rule of thumb is to wait 10 minutes in between using other actives and the day serum, to not interfere with delivery and efficacy.”

I’ve been testing out the EGF Day Serum for a few months, both alongside a full Bioeffect routine and in combination with some of my other go-to skincare products. Knowing that EGF is an active, I usually pair it with gentle formulas that won’t interfere, like a hydrating toner or essence and a basic moisturizer.

The formula is silky and substantial, which plays well with makeup—my resulting looks have been smoother and longer-lasting than with many other products. I’d compare the feel upon application to some of my favorite sunscreens that have priming properties, though it quickly sinks in to feel like nothing on the skin. That being said, I still finish my skincare routine with SPF, as avoiding sun damage remains crucial to both anti-aging and skin cancer prevention.

When to Use It

This serum is safe for daily use, which I’ve been doing as part of my morning skincare routine. You can also reach for it on occasion whenever your skin could use some rejuvenation and moisture, but consistency is the most effective way to see results from the formula’s anti-aging properties.

The product is also a game-changer in professional settings for many top MUAs and estheticians, including Conti. “I’ve been using it in treatment a lot after chemical peels or laser,” she says. “It’s so soothing and hydrating.”

You also might consider reaching for this day serum to help reduce inflammation and pigmentation. “It’s also acne-safe, so it’s a great addition to speed up healing in acne clients,” Conti explains. “For myself, it’s such a great integration in my existing routine—I have dry, acne-prone skin, so the added hydration is much appreciated.” In my experience, this serum has been helpful in fading a dark spot I developed following a stubborn breakout.

My Review

The arrival of summer is usually a stressful time for my combination skin: Changing humidity levels and rising temperatures lead to breakouts and heat rash, especially on my cheeks and neck. While this process seems inevitable as my complexion adjusts to a new season, integrating the Bioeffect EGF Day Serum into my routine has helped minimize my frustrations.

Ali Webb

I’ve been using the product almost every morning for about two months, and there’s been no purging or adjustment period. Instead, the serum has created a silky base for SPF and makeup that also has gradually improved and calmed my skin over time. As mentioned, the preexisting dark spot I had has been fading, plus the amount of whiteheads I tend to get on a daily basis during summer has decreased. My skin barrier feels stronger overall, with a texture that’s gotten smoother and plumper since I started using the formula.

Overall, I consider this serum one of two hero products in minimizing my summer skin concerns (the other is hypochlorous acid, which I like to spritz all over my face 15 minutes before completing my morning or evening skincare routine). It’s gentle on my complexion throughout intense heat waves while also keeping fine lines—which I’ve been just beginning to notice over the course of my mid-to-late 20s—at bay.

The Final Takeaway

For a skincare active that minimizes signs of aging while boosting moisture and barrier health—all while being friendly to sensitive complexions—EGF is worth a try. This new day serum from Bioeffect has transformed my morning skincare routine, layering well with other products while minimizing many of my top summer skin concerns. Consider my interest piqued in using growth factor products over time to see how it can continue regulating my barrier, tone, and texture while minimizing signs of aging.