INvo Exosome Serum Review: The Beauty Grail That Replaced Plated
I hunt grails for a living. A Vacheron 222. A Hermès bag from a collector in Japan. The thing you'd buy again without thinking.
Skincare has grails too, and for a long time mine was Plated. This fall it got replaced. The challenger is INvo Rejuvenating Complex, an exosome serum I now use every morning and every night.
I've been on INvo for three months now, and my VISIA scans keep my TruSkin Age down.
Heads up: this is my passion, not a paid placement. When you shop through these links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. I’m also the fractional CMO of The Piazza Center, so I have a stake in anything sold there.
Why we went looking for a Plated alternative
Full disclosure up top: I'm the fractional CMO of The Piazza Center, Dr. Rocco Piazza's plastic surgery practice in Austin. So I watched this switch happen from both sides of the counter.
Plated is stocked at every med spa. They've done an amazing job, and it has the most brand awareness in exosomes. That's great for Plated. It's less great when you want patients to find something at your practice they can't get down the street. We were looking for something newer and more niche.
What sold Dr. Piazza and me was the three stem cell sources: fibroblast, umbilical cord and bone marrow. I also love a challenger brand. And INvo's back bar for microneedling is amazing, so it earns its place in the treatment room too, not just on the shelf.
What makes INvo different
Brand awareness isn't the same as the best formula. INvo pulls exosomes from three cell sources: fibroblast, umbilical cord and bone marrow. Plated INTENSE is built on one, platelets. INvo also comes in a bottle twice the size, and it has vitamin C and a peptide complex built in.
INvo vs. Plated INTENSE: the receipt
| INvo Rejuvenating Complex | Plated INTENSE | |
|---|---|---|
| Exosome sources | 3 (fibroblast, umbilical cord, bone marrow) | 1 (platelet-derived) |
| Bottle | 30 mL | 15 mL |
| Retail price | $285 | $258 |
| Price per mL | about $9.50 | about $17 |
| Vitamin C + peptides | Built in | Separate serums |
The math is the part people miss. INvo replaced my vitamin C and my other growth factor serums. The one thing I kept is Sweet Chemistry, for its matrikine peptide. Nothing else is like it.
Shop INvo (BRIAN10 takes 10% off)
INvo is sold at The Piazza Center. Dr. Piazza now stocks INvo in place of Plated, and he explains the switch in his guide to the Plated INTENSE alternative.
How I use INvo every day
It's not just a recovery product for me. It's the first step, twice a day.
Morning: INvo on clean, dry skin, then sunscreen.
Night: INvo first, then Dieux Firm Revival retinal, then Sweet Chemistry Hydra Cream on top as the buffer. The cream comes in a duo with the Hydra Serum (code Brian20 takes 20% off).
The brand says to give it eight weeks of twice-daily use before you judge it. I'm past that, and I've already rebought. My first bottle came from EIA in Atlanta, and I just bought my second. My partner Jason is hooked too.
Why retinal and not retinol: Retinol Is Two Steps Slow.
Every other product in my routine, splurge to K-beauty, lives in my Skin Hub.
INvo after Moxi
INvo is also my laser recovery serum. After my Moxi laser with April in September, I got the INvo exosome booster in the chair, then used INvo at home once my provider cleared me. My face was healed by day 3.
Who should skip it
I'm not a derm. If your skin is happy on Plated, you don't need to switch mid-bottle. If you're pregnant, mid-treatment or on prescription skincare, ask your provider first. After any laser, follow their timing, not mine.
INvo exosome serum FAQ
Is INvo better than Plated?
For me, yes. It has three exosome sources instead of one, twice the volume, a lower price per mL, and vitamin C and peptides built in. Plated is still a good product.
What's the best Plated INTENSE alternative?
INvo Rejuvenating Complex is the one I switched to, and it's what Dr. Piazza stocks in place of Plated INTENSE. You can finish your Plated bottle and move straight to INvo with no gap.
Can I use INvo with a retinoid?
I do, every night. INvo goes on first, then my retinal, then a moisturizer.
What do exosomes actually do?
Short version: exosomes are tiny vesicles cells use to send signals, carrying proteins, growth factors and RNA. I'm not a derm, so I'll let the doctor explain the rest. Dr. Piazza breaks down exosomes vs. growth factors on his blog.
How long does INvo take to work?
The brand recommends eight weeks of twice-daily use before judging results.
Where can I buy INvo?
The Piazza Center sells it online. This link applies BRIAN10 for 10% off.
Piazza links apply BRIAN10 for 10% off and pay me a commission. I'm the fractional CMO of The Piazza Center. Other links may pay me too. I only link what I use. Not medical advice. Comparison based on published product information at retail; individual results vary.
