I’ll be the first to admit that I often feel overwhelmed when scanning the endless drugstore shelves for products that will make a difference in the health of my skin. As a 20-something, one of my biggest goals is to do what I can to protect my complexion from environmental aggressors (which, for me, can mean anything from blue light damage to my cold-weather walks), but I do spend a good chunk of time taking cues from the women around me who are pros at keeping their mature skin healthy.
The countless conversations we Who What Wear beauty editors have had with skin experts also allow us to not rely entirely on social media for popular recommendations, as your skincare routine should be tailored to personal needs. As much as I love aesthetic-looking and high-performing products, one rule of thumb I use while deciding on skincare products is to avoid judging their effectiveness by the price point or packaging. It’s easy to step into a drugstore and misjudge a product’s contents.
Below, I’m decoding the complexities of anti-aging creams and diving into everything from the most effective ingredients to be on the lookout for to which products pair well with them.
If you pay close attention to the ingredients in each of our anti-aging cream picks below, you’ll notice that many of them have one in common: retinol (also commonly referred to as vitamin A). The ingredient has been witnessing what can only be described as renaissance in the past couple of years, making appearances in everything from liquid exfoliants and serums to hand creams and targeted topical ointments. But is it ideal for everyone? The answer is heavily dependent on your skin type, with mature skin perhaps benefiting the most from a retinol treatment.
Retinol is popularly used in skincare to renew the appearance of skin by promoting epidermal cellular turnover. As skin matures, skin cell turnover and collagen production slows, resulting in the signs we associate most with aging: fine lines, dark spots, and wrinkles. When used safely, retinol can vastly improve skin texture, reduce fine lines, and prevent dullness. However, retinol at a high strength can result in irritation, itchiness, and scaly patches. These side effects are noticeable in first-time users of retinol products, particularly for individuals with sensitive or easily irritated skin.
Retinol use can also make your skin more sensitive to UV rays, so it’s crucial to get your hands on a good sunscreen for protection (we’re talking at least SPF 30). In other words, it can be beneficial but shouldn’t be treated as a one-size-fits-all ingredient. If you’re worried about the effects of certain ingredients in your anti-aging cream, it’s best to receive guidance from a dermatologist. Before adding any new product to your skincare lineup, it’s also a good idea to try a patch test.
There are also hundreds of anti-aging creams on the market that use retinoid alternatives that provide all the same benefits without putting your skin at risk. Take The Inkey List’s Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer for example. It’s suitable for all skin types, strengthens the skin barrier, and targets the first signs of aging. Its unique formula also uses Gransil Blur to lessen the appearance of fine lines and shea butter to reduce water loss and protect your skin’s moisture barrier.
If you’re on the hunt for an effective anti-aging cream to add to your skincare routine, you’ll want to keep scrolling. We’ve rounded up eight of our top creams and corresponding serums with the help of thousands of glowing reviews, notable qualities, and details from the internet’s biggest sellers. Get ready to screenshot and bookmark links nonstop—you’ll definitely want to pull these up on your next trip to the drugstore.
This gentle yet potent formula works to deliver smoother, finer, and more radiant-looking skin with repeated use. Clinically proven to reduce the appearance of deep wrinkles up to 50% while you sleep, it uses pure RoC Retinol and the brand’s exclusive complex to deliver additional hydration and enhanced efficacy. Customer review: “I use this after I put on my daily after I was my face and massage in my daily moisturizer and facial oil. I just dab it under my eyes for wrinkles before putting on my makeup.” Pros: Brightens and smoothes the skin. Cons: Has a noticeable fragrance that lingers. Product specs: 1 oz tube
This rejuvenating eye cream targets the delicate skin around the eyes, addressing visible puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles. It’s designed to offer dramatic effects using a gently formula, visibly brightening and de-puffing the eyes in four weeks while reducing the appearance of fine lines in 12 weeks. Customer review: “I repurchased this eye cream because it performed so well. Retinol creams can be very irritating around the eyes, but not this one. I love that it has retinol and it is gentle enough to use around the eyes. It helps with crow’s feet, dark circles and puffy eyes.” Pros: formula is lightweight and gentle on the skin. Cons: none. Product specs: offered in a 0.2 oz and 0.5 oz tube
If you’ve been hesitant to incorporate retinol products into your skincare routine, this Neutrogena regenerating cream is a great starting point. Now featuring a soothing complex, the formula employs hyaluronic acid and pure retinol to hydrate the skin while combating fine lines, dullness, and dark spots. Customer review: “I have very sensitive skin, and this doesn’t cause any irritation. I love the smell, and it makes my face so soft. [I’ve] been using [it] about a week and have been told under my eyes is getting lighter, which is great!” Pros: instantly hydrates and smooths away fine lines. Cons: fragrance may be irritating for sensitive skin. Product specs: 1.7 oz jar
Use Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil to minimize the signs of aging skin. It features a super-concentrated, lightweight, and fast-absorbing formula that renews the look of skin overnight, leaving the skin healthy and youthful. Its key ingredients is 0.3% retinol SA, which provides more benefits than other vitamin A forms. Customer review: “I love this product and how it makes my skin feel. It glides on so smoothly and doesn’t make my skin red like other products I’ve tried. It’s now a key part of my skincare routine.” Pros: delivers intense, concentrated hydration. Cons: none. Product specs: 1 oz dispenser with dropper
Use this extremely effective, fragrance-free cream to restore and improve elasticity, improve texture and sagging, and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The superstar formula includes niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and amino peptide. Pro tip: For the best results, use daily and follow with an SPF. Customer review: “This cream is the best I’ve ever found, and I’m sticking with it. Luxurious feel for quality performance at a price I can reasonably afford. It really helps my desert-dry skin.” Pros: firms and sculpts the skin for a lifted look. Cons: challenging to distribute evenly on skin. Product specs: 1.7 oz jar
Extremely lightweight and creamy, this anti-aging serum by Olay is specially designed to regenerate surface cells and deliver skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide, vitamin B5, and amino peptide 10 layers deep into the skin’s surface. It also improves elasticity, firming and lifting the skin to diminish the look of wrinkles. Customer review: “I have tried multiple products at different price points for my face recently, and this one works! Just enough moisture for soft skin. My skin just looks and feels healthier and younger.” Pros: quickly brightens and firms the skin. Cons: lightly fragranced formula may be irritating. Product specs: 1.3 oz dispenser
The No7 Lift & Luminate face cream employs SPF 30 to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and even the tone using a unique brightening complex and intense moisture. Suitable for sensitive skin, the day cream is clinically proven to promote a more even skin tone in two weeks. Customer review: “I use this as my primary daytime moisturizer. I also use the night moisturizer, and together they keep my skin well hydrated and not greasy. I can tell over time, lines are less noticeable, and skin looks smoother and more vibrant.” Pros: offers a radiant, smooth finish. Cons: white cast on darker skin tones. Product specs: 1.6 oz jar
Designed for the delicate skin around the eyes, No7’s eye cream helps promote a refreshed and even skin tone. Its formula provides instant hydration for a brighter and firmer appearance that can be used morning and evening as part of your daily skincare routine. Customer review: “I love this eye cream! It is light and easy to apply, soaks in, and does what it needs to do to my eye area. You only need to use a little. My dark circles have lightened, and my eyes do look less puffy.” Pros: brightens and smooths the under-eye. Cons: small amount of product. Product specs: 0.5 oz tube
The cheat code of this affordable cream is retinol, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C. This powerhouse trio smooths, plumps, and brightens the skin all at once. What’s more, the formula is non-greasy and fast absorbing. Customer review: “My skin was looking dull and sad. I started using this cream two weeks ago, and I don’t think I will ever stop using it. My skin already feels firmer, more plump, and has a glow! Love this and definitely recommend it.” Pros: delivers a light and dewy finish. Cons: does not promote skin firmness. Product specs: 1.7 oz jar
L’Oréal fragrance-free, anti-aging cream visibly reduces wrinkles, de-puffs, and brightens the under-eyes in just one week with a powerful formula that features pro-retinol, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin B. Customer review: “I’ve used this twice along with the nighttime mask and am already seeing results. I have very dark circles and slight puffiness under my eyes, and the circles have lightened considerably in just two uses. Can’t wait to see what a full week does!” Pros: non-greasy and fast absorbing. Cons: None. Product specs: 0.5 oz tube
Eucerin’s Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream is formulated to provide protection against the damaging effects of free radicals that speed up the aging process. Its formula is enriched with antioxidants and vitamin B to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, leading to soft and smooth-looking skin. It can also be used alone or under makeup as a hydrating base. Customer review: “This is a very nice face cream. Love that it’s unscented and feels very lightweight on the skin while still delivering great moisture! Would repurchase again and again.” Pros: formula is gentle for use on all skin types. Cons: none. Product specs: 1.7 oz jar
Eucerin’s Daily Protection Face Lotion is enriched with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to provide broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection. In addition to being fragrance-free and noncomedogenic, it’s non-greasy, fast absorbing, and gentle enough for use on sensitive skin. Customer review: “I really, really love this sunscreen! It’s one of my first skincare steps, and I’m glad it protects from the sun but is also a great moisturizer. Plus, it’s definitely more budget-friendly than a lot of other products.” Pros: helps lock in hydration for up to 24 hours. Cons: leaves a white cast on darker skin tones. Product specs: 4 oz dispenser
If you liked Olay’s Regenerist Micro-Sculpting cream, then you’ll love its Regenerist Whip cream. It provides light-as-air moisture and a whipped, fragrance-free formula using advanced Amino-Peptide Complex II to improve elasticity and firm skin for a lifted look and the brand’s powerful Active Rush Technology. Customer review: “If you are looking for a product that stands up to all it claims, this is the one. It really gives the face and neck a lift. I found it also moisturizes without feeling greasy and decreases redness on the cheeks.” Pros: lightweight, easy-to-use formula. Cons: offered at a high drugstore price point. Product specs: 1.7 oz jar
Perk up your skin with the help of Olay’s Tone Perfection Serum. Using niacinamide and vitamin C to refresh your complexion, the serum renews skin cells to promote noticeably brighter and more toned skin in just two weeks with daily use. It’s also fragrance free and fast absorbing and leaves absolutely no greasy feeling behind. Customer review: “Great value for an effective skin repair product. I actually saw changes in my age spots and pores over time. No side effects at all! Would definitely recommend it to all, but especially if you have any sun damage!” Pros: quickly moisturizes and tones the skin. Cons: has a noticeable fragrance. Product specs: 1.3 oz dispenser with dropper
This high-potency retinol cream helps diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, leaving the skin looking luminous and youthful. Its powerful formula is crafted with vitamin E, allantoin, and panthenol to help nourish and moisturize the skin. Customer review: “I’ve been using this for a full month, every night before bed, and I’ve noticed my neck lines disappearing! So happy that it didn’t cause any kind of breakout on my skin. I love this stuff!” Pros: moisturizing and smoothing formula. Cons: potentially irritating to sensitive skin. Product Specs: 4 oz jar
Use Derma E’s retinol serum to gently exfoliate the skin and diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness. The formula features vitamin A, vitamin E, and glycolic acid to refresh and nourish the skin while removing dead surface skin cells. Customer review: “I have tried a handful of products, and this one is still my favorite!! It soaks into your skin quickly and smells nice. It has evened my skin tone, left my skin soft, and diminished fine lines. Not sure I will be hooked on another product more than this one! Happy I found it.” Pros: fast absorbing without greasy residue. Cons: potentially irritating to sensitive skin. Product Specs: 2 oz dispenser
