Volufiline: Can a Serum Really Fill Facial Hollows?

What is Volufiline, exactly?

Volufiline™ is a trademarked trade name owned by Sederma, now part of Croda Beauty. It is a supplied, oil-like raw material; it is not the INCI name of a single active molecule. Croda lists its INCI as Hydrogenated Polyisobutene (and) Anemarrhenae Asphodeloides (Root) Extract. The plant extract is associated with sarsasapogenin, but Croda’s public product page does not specify the raw material’s sarsasapogenin fraction. (Croda Beauty ingredient page; Croda overview sheet listing the resource)

The trademark is not an INCI name and does not disclose a particular concentration of isolated sarsasapogenin.

What does “92% Volufiline” mean on The Ordinary’s serum?

The Ordinary’s US label assigns 92% to the branded Volufiline raw material and 1% to Palmitoyl Isoleucine. The page provides the finished product’s full INCI. It does not disclose a pure-sarsasapogenin percentage. Official US label.

A raw-material percentage is not a result on facial skin. To interpret a claim, you still need to know which finished formula was tested, where it was applied and what was measured. Nor does a headline percentage tell you whether an oil-like serum’s texture will suit your routine.

What did the supplier’s human study measure?

Sederma’s technical file describes a single-blind, controlled study: 5% Volufiline gel-cream twice daily on one breast, untreated other side, for 56 days. Of 32 women aged 18–35 who entered, 28 had evaluable day-56 measurements. The measured area was the upper breast/decolleté zone, assessed by 3-D FOITS imaging. (Sederma technical file, hosted as a PDF copy)

At day 56, mean volume changes were +2.2% on the treated side and +0.9% on the untreated side. The reported p=0.10 was for the treated-side change from baseline, not a treated-versus-untreated test, and did not meet a conventional p<0.05 threshold. The often-repeated 8.4% came from eight selected “best responders,” not the group average. Full technical file.

This is supplier technical data, not an independent, peer-reviewed facial trial.

Does Volufiline act like filler or permanently add facial fat?

Cell studies suggest mechanisms; they do not show that a face serum reaches fat or changes it in people. That distinction is especially important when a cosmetic is described as a filler alternative. Croda’s explanation of its cosmetic raw material.

A before-and-after photo cannot establish the amount of raw material or prove permanent fat growth. Lighting, angle, expression, hydration, makeup, and image selection can all change how full an area appears. The supplier’s photos and “best responder” result illustrate its claim; they are not independent confirmation of a lasting effect.

How does The Ordinary say to use it around the eyes?

The US directions identify targeted facial areas including under-eye hollows. They say to shake, apply as needed after moisturizer to clean, dry target skin, and use only on unbroken skin. Patch test; stop and rinse if irritation occurs. Official US directions.

A brand’s choice of application area is not clinical confirmation that the serum rebuilds facial fat. Keep it out of the eye itself. Follow the exact finished-product directions rather than copying advice for a different oil or raw material.

How should you decide whether to buy it?

If you want…	Check this	What the evidence lets you conclude
A branded Volufiline formula	Whether the seller identifies the maker and gives a full finished-product INCI	A trademark is not proof of a finished serum’s performance
A “92%” product	What the maker means by its percentage and which ingredients the raw material contributes	It is not a pure sarsasapogenin percentage
Visible facial volume	Whether a controlled human study tested that exact finished formula, facial site, and duration	The cited supplier study did not test the face or this serum
A light texture	The full base, including emollients and waxes	“Active percentage” does not tell you whether you will like the feel

Treat it as an optional cosmetic experiment, not a filler alternative or a way to permanently restore facial fat. If you try it, follow the directions and introduce it alone. The available study cannot promise a facial result or say how long one would last.

FAQs

Is Volufiline an INCI ingredient?

No. Volufiline™ is a trade name. Croda lists the supplier raw material’s INCI as Hydrogenated Polyisobutene and Anemarrhenae Asphodeloides (Root) Extract.

Does 92% mean 92% sarsasapogenin?

No. The Ordinary labels 92% as Volufiline™, the branded raw material. The supplier’s public page does not disclose its sarsasapogenin fraction.

Can it replace under-eye filler?

The evidence reviewed does not establish it as an alternative to under-eye filler. A targeted-area direction on a serum label is not a controlled facial-volume comparison.

How long until it works?

There is no established timeline for facial results. The supplier report measured its specific breast-area formula at 28 and 56 days; it cannot predict how another finished product will perform.