On the Rise Firming Serum

Anti-aging skincare has a recurring problem: the ingredients with the best evidence for meaningful results — tretinoin, adapalene, well-formulated retinol, high-strength acids — are also the ingredients most likely to irritate, peel, and drive new users away from the category entirely. The industry response has been to build a whole tier of 'gentle anti-aging' products that use peptides, resveratrol, and the milder vitamin A derivatives, which are tolerable for almost anyone but which also deliver much smaller results. On the Rise sits squarely in that tier. It is one of the more coherently-built examples of the genre, but you should understand what it is before you buy it.

The active story starts with a peptide duo — palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 — that is a common pairing in firming serums and is sold commercially under the name Matrixyl 3000. The mechanism is that these signal peptides mimic fragments of broken collagen and trigger fibroblasts to produce new collagen in response, with some supporting evidence of reduced inflammatory signaling in the dermis. The published research on this peptide combination is modest but real: several studies have shown measurable improvements in the appearance of fine lines and skin firmness over several months of daily use, generally at concentrations that work out to around three percent in finished products. Versed doesn't disclose the exact dosing here, which is a legitimate complaint, but the peptides are at a reasonable enough position on the INCI list to suggest they are not cosmetic window dressing.

The next interesting inclusion is resveratrol, sitting unusually high at the sixth position on the list. Resveratrol is a polyphenol antioxidant from red grapes with a growing evidence base for topical photoprotection and anti-inflammatory activity. Its inclusion at this concentration — plus the supporting vitamin E duo of tocopherol and tocopheryl acetate — gives the formula a small multi-antioxidant defense system. Not a blockbuster result on its own, but a thoughtful supporting layer.

Then comes retinyl palmitate, and here is where the honest assessment has to get sharper. Retinyl palmitate is the gentlest form of topical vitamin A you can buy, and it is several metabolic steps removed from the active form, retinoic acid. When you apply retinyl palmitate to your skin, your own enzymes have to convert it through retinol, then to retinal, and finally to retinoic acid before it can do anti-aging work. Each conversion step loses efficacy, which means that a retinyl palmitate serum at a given percentage will deliver substantially less active retinoid to your skin than a retinol or prescription retinoid at the same percentage. In published research, retinyl palmitate has the weakest anti-aging evidence of any vitamin A derivative, and dermatologists generally view it as a 'marketing retinoid' — present on the label for the anti-aging association but not doing much of the heavy lifting.

That doesn't make On the Rise a bad product. It makes it a specific kind of product. If you are brand-new to anti-aging skincare, if you have sensitive or reactive skin that has stung with previous retinols, if you want a fragrance-free daily firming step that layers comfortably with other serums and moisturizers, On the Rise is a reasonable and well-tolerated option. It will produce mild improvements in texture, a subtle plumping effect from the humectants, and over two to three months of disciplined daily use, a gentle firming effect that is probably real but that you will not notice dramatically. For the user who wants 'something' rather than 'nothing' and who values daily comfort over dramatic results, this is a fair product.

If, on the other hand, you have normal-to-tolerant skin and you want anti-aging results that are actually visible in the mirror within a few months, On the Rise is a soft pick at the same price range where harder-working products exist. A well-formulated adapalene 0.1 percent gel is available over the counter for a similar price and has decades of clinical evidence for both acne and photoaging. A drugstore retinol at 0.5 to one percent produces visibly more effect than retinyl palmitate. A prescription tretinoin is the most-studied anti-aging ingredient in dermatology history and is not dramatically more expensive once you factor in insurance. None of these are gentle, and none of them are right for every skin type, but for the buyer who wants results, they outperform peptide-plus-retinyl-palmitate serums on the same timeline. Knowing where On the Rise sits on that spectrum is the key to deciding whether it's the right purchase for you.

Application is unremarkable in a good way. The serum is a clear, thin gel that sinks in within about a minute without tingling or residue, and it layers cleanly under moisturizer and sunscreen. There is no sensory drama, no pilling issues, and no fragrance. Used twice daily, it delivers a soft, hydrated finish that is pleasant to wear and that stacks reasonably with other products in a routine. For pregnancy, the retinyl palmitate content disqualifies it — vitamin A derivatives of any form are generally avoided during pregnancy out of caution, even though the systemic absorption from a daily topical is small. For acne-prone fungal skin, the PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil and polysorbate 20 in the formula mean this is not a fungal-acne-safe product.

On value, twenty-two dollars for one fluid ounce is a fair price for a gentle daily firming serum. A bottle lasts two to three months at twice-daily use. Against more expensive department-store firming serums with similar formulation stories, it's significantly cheaper and holds its own on gentleness. Against better-performing retinol or adapalene products at the same price range, it is the softer, slower, less effective choice. Both of those positionings are valid, and which one is right for you depends entirely on what you're actually trying to accomplish.

Formula

The Science

The peptide combination in On the Rise — palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, together known as Matrixyl 3000 — has some supporting research for improvements in fine lines and skin firmness. A study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science and cited in dermatology reviews demonstrated measurable improvements in wrinkle depth and skin tonicity with Matrixyl 3000 over several months of daily application. The mechanism involves signal-peptide mimicry of broken collagen fragments, which stimulates fibroblast activity and new collagen synthesis, and is one of the better-documented peptide approaches in cosmetic science.

Resveratrol has an expanding research base for topical photoprotection and anti-inflammatory activity. Studies published in Experimental Dermatology and other journals have shown that topical resveratrol provides measurable antioxidant protection against UV-induced free radicals and may reduce inflammatory signaling in photoaged skin. Its position at the sixth slot on this formula is high for a resveratrol-containing serum and suggests a functional rather than decorative inclusion.

The retinyl palmitate evidence base is the weakest of the vitamin A derivatives. Published comparative research on topical vitamin A forms has consistently shown retinoic acid as the most effective, retinol as the best-studied over-the-counter option, retinaldehyde as an intermediate, and retinyl palmitate as the gentlest but significantly less efficacious on anti-aging endpoints. The FDA has recognized retinol for OTC cosmetic use but retinyl palmitate is generally viewed in the dermatology literature as a weak anti-aging ingredient. The inclusion here is consistent with a gentle beginner positioning rather than a serious anti-aging mechanism.

The overall formulation — peptides plus antioxidants plus a gentle vitamin A derivative in a humectant-heavy base — is coherent for a soft-introduction firming serum. It is not a formulation strategy that will match the results of a well-formulated retinol or a prescription retinoid, and the honest science assessment is that it is more supportive than transformative.

Dermatologist Perspective

Dermatologists generally view peptide-and-retinyl-palmitate serums like Versed On the Rise as reasonable soft-introduction products for patients who are new to anti-aging actives, have sensitive or reactive skin, or are not comfortable with the irritation profile of stronger retinoids. Board-certified dermatologists frequently note that retinyl palmitate is the weakest form of topical vitamin A and that meaningful anti-aging results in clinical populations are typically associated with retinol, retinaldehyde, tretinoin, or adapalene rather than retinyl palmitate. The typical clinical guidance is that a product like this is appropriate for daily maintenance and gentle early-stage use, but that patients seeking significant improvement in photoaging, fine lines, or skin laxity should progress to a retinol or prescription retinoid when their skin can tolerate it. Dermatologists also emphasize that peptide serums work on a multi-month timeline and that expectations should be calibrated accordingly. This product is avoided during pregnancy because of the vitamin A derivative content.

Guidance

On the Rise launched as part of Versed's original 2019 catalog as the brand's answer to users who wanted to start using firming ingredients but didn't want to commit to a stinging retinol or an irritating acid. Its layered peptide-and-gentle-vitamin-A approach was pitched as a daily-use alternative to stronger products, and the formula has remained in the brand's core lineup largely unchanged.

About Versed Established Brand (5–20 years)

Versed launched in 2019 with On the Rise as one of its original firming serums. The brand does not publish peer-reviewed efficacy data, and this particular formula leans on peptides, resveratrol, and a gentler retinyl palmitate rather than more aggressive retinoids. The ingredient story is competent for the price, but the peptide and vitamin A dosing is invisible to consumers.

Brand founded: 2019 · Product launched: 2019

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

Retinyl palmitate works the same as retinol.

Reality

It doesn't. Retinyl palmitate is several metabolic steps removed from retinoic acid — the active form of vitamin A — and has to be converted through retinol and retinal before it reaches the active form. By the time that conversion happens, the effective dose is much smaller than what you'd get from a retinol product of the same labeled strength. It is gentler, and it is also less effective.

Myth

Peptides in a daily serum deliver dramatic anti-aging results.

Reality

Peptides can contribute real but modest improvements in skin firmness and the appearance of fine lines over months of daily use. They do not match the evidence base of tretinoin, adapalene, or well-formulated retinols for serious anti-aging endpoints. Peptide serums are supportive, not transformative.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Gentle enough for daily use"

"Nice texture and layers well"

"Fragrance-free formula"

"Affordable firming serum option"

Common Complaints

"Results are subtle and slow to appear"

"Retinyl palmitate is a weak form of vitamin A"

"Peptide concentration is not disclosed"

"Not suitable during pregnancy because of the vitamin A content"

Notable Endorsements

Featured in editorial 'gentle anti-aging' roundups at launchRecurring Target beauty staff-pick

Appears In

best beginner firming serum best gentle anti aging serum best drugstore peptide serum best firming serum for sensitive skin best budget anti aging serum

Related Conditions

aging dullness dehydration

Related Ingredients

peptides resveratrol vitamin a vitamin c hyaluronic acid