It’s the twenty-first century, and wrinkle-fighting skin care products are almost as prevalent as men and women looking for solutions. Unfortunately, there are almost too many possibilities (see today’s post on Choices!), which can be super confusing for consumers! Thankfully, I’ve done my research over the past decade and have found amazing products with retinoids, AHAs, vitamin C, vitamin E (and other antioxidants), peptides,niacinamide, nicotinic acid, and more! Here are my picks for the best products for fine lines and wrinkles:
Cleanser
Best for Normal to Dry Skin: Eve Lom Cleanser ($100.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop). Eve Lom Cleanser is like the La Mer of cleansers, even more so than LaMer cleanser. (Bear with me here). With a ton of hydrators like mineral oil, lanolin oil, and other hydrating oils, Eve Lom Cleanser is a rich moisturizing cleanser that leaves skin soft — and wrinkles just a little less apparent. I promise. Full review
Best for Normal to Oily/Very Oily Skin: Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser. Brimming over with charcoal to draw out impurities and glycolic acid to increase cellular turnover, this no-nonsense cleanser gets rid of oil, dirt, and non-pustular acne, big-time. Full review
Daytime Antioxidant Serum
My vote for daytime antioxidant serum is, of course, one that contains at least 15% vitamin C and 2% vitamin E.
Best for Normal to Dry Skin: FutureDerm Vitamin CE Caffeic Serum ($89.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop). I did formulate this serum myself, but I continue to recommend it for those with normal to dry skin because it really is the best one I’ve found. The serum has microencapsulated vitamin C, so it will not destabilize as readily in light, heat, and air. It has a light silicone base that those with normal to dry skin really love.Full review
Best for Normal to Oily Skin: Skinceuticals CE Ferulic ($100.99, Amazon.com). Despite the effort spent in creating our own, it’s hard to top Skinceuticals CE Ferulic for normal to oily skin. Its light, thin texture absorbs into the skin quickly, and won’t create any oil issues for those with normal to oily skin types. Definitely a must-have.
Daytime Moisturizer with Sunscreen or SPF
Best for Normal to Dry Skin: NEOVA Physical Sunscreen SPF 30 ($39.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop) is one of my all-time favorite treatment products. This broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen contains some of my all-time favorite anti-agers, including vitamins C and E, sodium hyaluronate, and L-ergothionene (a potent antioxidant). Add in DNA repair enzymes that have been shown in promising preliminary studies to work, and you have yourself a winner! Full review
Best for Normal to Oily Skin: NIA 24 Physical Sunscreen SPF 30 ($48.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop). On the one hand, it’s like, Whoa, this sunscreen is strong! You will likely get redness from it, and you mayalso be a little sore afterwards. So why do I love it? After about a week’s use, it leaves the skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth. I recommend it only for oily/resistant skin types, though; you need a tough skin for this one!
Best for Sensitive Skin: LaRoche Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid ($35.60,FutureDerm.com/Shop) This lightweight sunscreen provides SPF 60, but without harsh chemicals likeoxybenzone or avobenzone that can disrupt sensitive skin types. The lotion drinks into the skin quickly and provides lightweight protection all day.
Nighttime Treatment Serums (use with Retinoid)
If getting rid of wrinkles is your aim, the first thing you want to do is apply a retinoid. I recommend either a prescription retinoid, or our own FutureDerm Time-Release Retinol 0.5 before applying any of the following:
Best for Normal to Dry Skin: Apothederm Firming Serum ($75.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop). Formulated with two patented peptides, hydrators, and a fermentation by-product (Thermus ferment), ApothedermFirming Serum helps to toughen up loose, lax, sagging skin. Like most firming agents, it takes a few weeks of regular use to notice real results, but it does work, in my opinion.
Best for Normal to Oily Skin: Your Best Face Boost ($65.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop). Formulated with some of the best and hardest-to-find ingredients out there, including Homeostatine, Renovage, Leucidal, niacinamide, and Your Best Face’s characteristic spin traps, this is a must-have for persons with oily/acne-prone skin who also want to fight fine lines and wrinkles. Full Review
Nighttime Treatment Serums (non-Retinoid)
If you want to stay away from retinoids for any reason (i.e., pregnant, nursing, etc.), try the following:
Best for Normal to Dry Skin: AminoGenesis AGE Control Serum ($50, ControlYourAge.com). Wrinkles aren’t only caused by UV damage and inflammation leading to less collagen formation (or damaged collagen formation). Glycation, the hardening and aging of collagen, also plays a role. This serum may take down glycation levels and restore your skin’s amino acid levels, leaving it firmer, softer, and smoother. Full review
Best for Normal to Oily Skin: MaMa Lotion ($44.50, Cosmeticville.com). A dermatological-grade potent combination of 20% unique alpha hydroxy acids (10% mandelic acid, 10% malic acid), MaMa Lotion has what it takes to become a new regular in my skin care line-up, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, freckles, acne blemishes, acne scarring, hyperpigmentation, and rough skin. Warning: This is strong. It’s best if started once/week, like a potent retinoid, and then you work up every other night.
Nighttime Moisturizer (Normal to Dry Skin Only)
Best for Normal to Dry Skin: Davi Skin Care Le Grand Cru ($185.00, DaviSkin.com). I have tried many, many skin care creams in the past decade or so. But none is as luxurious or as skin-softening as this one has been; I am not one to save skin care creams, as they lose potency, but I keep this in my medicine cabinet and apply it any time my skin gets reddened or irritated from trying another product. It is incredibly hydrating and works extremely well. Just a small drop goes a long way.
Eye Cream
I treat undereye skin in two steps:
Your Best Face Correct ($150.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop). YBF is a very ingredient-conscious brand, and it shows in how many times I’ve recommended their products here! Your Best Face Correct Eye Cream is one of my all-time favorite products. It brightens and firms the undereye skin, and reduces undereye puffiness. It is also likely to somewhat reduce dark circles that are caused by pigmentation with its lightening ingredients, as well as dark circles that are caused by blood pooling. It’s extremely rare to get both!
I follow with AQ Skin Solutions Eye Serum ($99.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop). AQ Skin Solutions knocked it out of the park with this miraculous serum. (Yes, I said “miraculous.” On a science of beauty blog. But bare with me). Human growth factors from a refined cell culture line truly make this product stand out. And according to the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, topically-applied human growth factors may be beneficial in reducing signs of skin aging due to their capacity in promoting skin cell turnover, and increasing the production of skin proteins, including collagens. I’m thrilled with this product!
Exfoliant
Best for Non-Sensitive Skin: ($82.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop). NOT to be used more than once per week, and NOT to be used with retinoids or additional AHAs, these pads work. The two-step process will exfoliate and refine your skin, leaving fine lines and wrinkles appearing less apparent.
Best for Sensitive Skin: LARA Beauty Microexfoliating Scrub ($40.00, FutureDerm.com/Shop) This scrub is one of my all-time favorite products. It is lightweight, with very small granules, which helps to exfoliate the skin. Truly a must-have. I use it once or twice a week to keep my skin feeling fresh after trying, like, waaaay too many products all of the time!