I Thought This Jaw-Defining Serum Was Too Good to Be True, Then I Tried It

This SickScience ShapeShift Serum Changed My Relationship With My Face.
Courtesy Tanya Edwards

Whatever your feelings about aging — peaceful acceptance, maintenance, or trying the latest and greatest products — it’s absolutely coming for all of us. Personally, I’ve got a pretty easygoing attitude about aging, meaning I want to look my best, but I’m not chasing an unrealistic route to look like a teenager at this point.

That said, I'm still very open to trying anti-aging products, especially this popular SickScience ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum, a gel-based serum that targets skin toning, sagging under the chin and jawline, skin laxity, and of course, the dreaded tech neck.

SickScience ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum

I spent about six weeks testing this product, which, according to the brand, should be applied to the jaw and neck in the morning and night before moisturizing. I did as instructed about 90% of the time over those six weeks, missing a few days due to travel, and one night before bed, I was tired and forgot. Sticking to this routine, along with my normal skin care routine, was not difficult — and I definitely saw results.

What is SickScience ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum?

With an impressive 4.7 rating on Amazon and 4.6 rating on the brand's website, this serum touts its ability to support a sculpted, contoured jawline and neck, help visibly tighten and firm, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, crepiness, and skin slackening, and to soften, smooth and hydrate the skin. That’s a tall order, and the ingredient that the brand claims is game-changing is "Sh-Decapeptide-1 Sr-Pineapple Stem Bromelain (NX35™ Sculpt Technology)."

“Sh-Decapeptide-1 Sr-Pineapple Stem Bromelain (NX35™ Sculpt Technology) is a complex cosmetic ingredient complex that combines a synthetic peptide with bromelain enzymes from pineapple stems,” explains Doctor of Nursing in family medicine and dermatology Dr. Jodi LoGerfo. “It is claimed to provide facial contouring and sculpting effects. It reportedly targets fat cells and provides exfoliation. Additionally, it is supposed to have anti-inflammatory benefits that can result in a more chiseled facial contour and decreased facial fat as well as water retention.”

Why I Like SickScience ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum

When the product arrived in the mail, I was immediately attracted to the packaging, which is a shiny purple and silver container that slightly resembles a pill. The purple top popped right off, and it was easy to get a few pumps onto my hands and massage into my skin twice a day, as directed.

The serum itself is light, almost clear in color, free of dyes and fragrances and vegan. It has a slight medicinal scent, but nothing overwhelming. It smoothes on more like a gel than a serum, and the product promises a sculpted, smooth jaw and neckline in about four weeks.

SickScience ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum dispensed on hand.
SickScience ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum dispensed on hand.Courtesy Tanya Edwards

What to consider

I started testing the product in early April, applying twice a day to my jawline, neck, and up my cheeks a little bit (hoping for snatched cheekbones). It’s cool on application, and a little bit sticky initially, but soaks quickly into the skin, which felt tight right after I applied the serum. Since the serum is sticky, you’ll want to let it absorb before going to bed or putting anything else on your face.

My results

Over the course of the six weeks, I noticed an immediate tightening after use, probably due to the caffeine in the product (we’ll get into that below). Over time, even though it sounded too good to be true, I noticed a tightening of my jawline. I also love that this product isn’t super expensive, as in-office treatments for sagging jawlines can be, and it’s totally pain-free.

Edwards applying the SickScience ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum.
Edwards applying the SickScience ShapeShift V-Line Jaw Defining Serum.Courtesy Tanya Edwards

My skin type

My skin type is normal, with a tendency to dry out in the winter, and I have psoriasis. I’m always looking for products that will give me a dewy look and don’t feel heavy on my skin. With psoriasis, I’m always looking to avoid a flare-up, so I steer clear of heavy makeup except for special occasions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Beyond the hero ingredient, the serum also contains niacinamide, which we see in many skincare products. It’s become a go-to ingredient in skincare, particularly in products designed to combat the signs of aging.

LoGerfo explains that this ingredient is helpful to visibly minimize enlarged pores, tighten sagging skin, and improve uneven skin tone.

“If you’re dealing with fine lines and wrinkles, niacinamide has your back—it softens their appearance and brings a healthy glow to your complexion,” she says.

Niacinamide also helps strengthen your skin’s natural barrier, which makes your skin better equipped to resist environmental stressors. This can lead to healthier-looking and feeling skin. “Known to boost the production of ceramides, which are essential lipids that help maintain your skin’s protective barrier. This can lead to noticeable improvements in wrinkles, fine lines, and overall moisture retention,” LoGerfo adds.

Another key ingredient is caffeine, which is often in skin treatments meant to tighten the skin temporarily, says LoGerfo. The tightening effect, she says contricts blood vessels and makes cells dehydrated, which shows that firming effect. “Unfortunately, this is a temporary effect. The combining vasodilatory and dehydrating effect almost immediately gives a feeling of tightening the skin and make the skin look it,” she says.

Caffeine also “Has antioxidant properties that may help protect against free radical damage and may potentially stimulate collagen production with regular use,” LoGerfo explained.

As for the hero ingredient, the Sh-Decapeptide-1 Sr-Pineapple Stem Bromelain (NX35™ Sculpt Technology)? “It is important to know that the workings of this product are based on the properties of bromelain and topical peptides,” says LoGerfo. “More research is needed. The degree at which they say the product contours and sculpts is probably minimal.”

SickScience Labs, the brand behind ShapeShift, considers itself a biotech research company and was founded by two women who met while getting PhDs in genetics and bioengineering. They createdNX35™, an exosome technology that supposedly sends coded instructions to cells when applied, which could trigger a more effective response.

According to the NIH, proteins, metabolites, and nucleic acids delivered by exosomes into recipient cells can alter their biological response. They basically deliver the product to the desired target.

More SickScience products to shop

SickScience DropOff Body Sculpting Serum

If you want to try this formula for the whole body, DropOff will help target crepey skin, stretch marks and more skin concerns, says the brand.

SickScience PowerCycle Scalp Treatment Serum

Commerce editor and producer Julie Ricevuto had impressive results while including this scalp serum into a new haircare routine. Along with a shampoo and red light therapy, Ricevuto says she used this serum two to three times per week. "The liquid-serum texture was easy to apply and, when massaged into damp hair, didn’t leave a residue," she wrote in a review article.

Meet our expert

  • Dr. Jodi LoGerfo is a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a family Nurse Practitioner certified in Family Medicine and Dermatology at Orentreich Medical Group.

Why trust Shop TODAY

The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the product and brand to make shopping easier for our readers.

Tanya Edwards is a freelance writer with two decades of experience and a frequent contributor at Shop TODAY.