SheFinds emphasizes that this review has not been monetized, compensated, or sponsored in any way, and the evaluation of this product is based strictly on the expertise of beauty industry experts.
To step up your summer skincare routine, incorporate a firming, anti-ageing face serum into your routine. The great thing about these serums is that they can be tailored to your individual skin type and concerns, whether that be dryness, wrinkles or discoloration.
To help you on your search for the perfect hydrating and lifting serum, we enlisted the expertise of board-certified dermatologists to handpick six must-have anti-aging serums that experts say will help you achieve firmer, more supple, and more radiant skin this summer by incorporating these products into your morning and nighttime routine.
Read on for tips, suggestions, and insights from Dr. Anna Chacon, board-certified dermatologist and writer from My Psoriasis Team, Dr. Daniel Lévy, board-certified dermatologist, injector and educator at Nue Vue Plastic Surgery, and Dr. Elaine F. Kung, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Future Bright Dermatology.
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Neutrogena
Dermatologist’s picks: 6 anti-aging serums to combat wrinkles, fine lines, and blemishes
1. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil
Chacon considers retinol to be “the dermatologist-recommended type of vitamin A” and “the powerhouse ingredient in this anti-wrinkle serum that fights fine lines, dullness, wrinkles, and dark spots.” When searching for a retinol serum at your local drugstore, she suggests looking at Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil.
The serum, which can be purchased on the Neutrogena website for $30.99, “also contains hyaluronic acid,” which Chacon says “plumps, hydrates, and revitalizes skin.” As for how often to use it, Chacon recommends “apply twice daily to a cleansed face and neck.”
Use a pearl-sized amount and “distribute evenly, massaging until fully absorbed,” advises Chacon. And be sure to “tighten the cap” when not in use, Chacon says.
ThriveCausemetics
2. Thrive Causemetics Overnight Sensation™ Gentle Retexturizing Solution
This serum is perfect for mature beauties over 40 who often suffer from sensitive skin or find retinol too harsh on their skin. “I personally recommend the Bigger Than Beauty Skincare Overnight Sensation Gentle Retexturizing Solution to my clients who have specific anti-aging needs,” says Levy.
“Not only does it contain bactiol, which is a great alternative to retinol, but it also contains a 10% AHA + BHA blend that helps to minimize pores, tighten, refine skin texture, and provide an overall gentle yet effective exfoliation,” he explains. The serum can be purchased from the brand’s website for $59.
Levy continues, “Bactiol is a great alternative to retinol. It’s plant-based, gentle, and helps visibly firm skin and reduce signs of aging while you sleep. If you have sensitive skin or are prone to other skin conditions, bactiol is definitely preferable to retinol, but it provides similar benefits.”
Urban Skin Rx
3. Urban Skin Rx Advanced Even Tone Day & Night Treatment
Kung says this serum-like formula is particularly effective at fading stubborn dark spots and acne scars in people over 40, while also helping to make skin more supple. “Skin care ingredients that have been scientifically and clinically studied to help reduce pigmentation include kojic acid, tranexamic acid and bactiol, which are all found in this product,” she explains.
The clean serum product can be purchased from Urban Skin Rx for $58, and Kung says it effectively combats hyperpigmentation. He points out that the ingredients in the product work to reduce the appearance of stubborn dark spots, smooth out uneven skin tone, and visibly reduce the signs of aging.
Plus, it’s gentle enough to be used twice a day, so you can target blemishes day or night.
SkinCeuticals
4. SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 Serum
When talking about effective skincare ingredients, the positive properties of retinol cannot be ignored. Derived from Vitamin A, retinol is scientifically proven to boost collagen production and reduce fine lines and wrinkles, making it an excellent anti-aging agent. In addition to its skin thickening effects, it also helps exfoliate, promoting skin cell turnover and reducing the appearance of acne.
There are many over-the-counter retinol-based products available, but for best results, your best bet is to see a dermatologist and get a prescription for Retinol A. Your doctor may start you off with a lower concentration of the ingredient until your skin gets used to it. SkinCeuticals Retinol is an over-the-counter favorite among dermatologists and is sold in three different strengths: 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0. This $90 non-comedogenic product (via Dermstore) is free of parabens, fragrance, and gluten.
According to the manufacturer, this product “reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, pores and blemishes.” Use it at night and be sure to follow it with a good moisturizer, as retinol is very drying.
Skin Medica
5. SkinMedica TNS Advanced + Serum
SkinMedica TNS Advanced + Serum ($295 via Dermstore) is highly praised by dermatologists for its innovative formula, which contains a blend of growth factors specially created to promote skin cell regeneration, improve collagen and elastin levels, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while firming sagging skin.
Plus, it features a blend of powerful botanicals, peptides, and marine extracts and is fragrance-free, making it suitable for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin.
According to one reviewer, “SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum is a must-have in my skincare routine. I’m obsessed with this serum because it leaves my skin feeling smooth. Last night I got three compliments on my skin, which has been an issue with dry, red and creepy looking skin. I highly recommend this serum to improve the look of aging skin.”
Sente
6. Cente Bio Complete Serum
Kun also recommends the serum to women over 40, describing it as a “complete” serum that can be used at night: “I’m a simple skincare person who wants to use just one product after cleansing and before moisturizer to address all my skin concerns, including blemishes, fine lines and skin barrier repair,” she says, explaining why the serum is so effective for these reasons.
Though the product is more expensive than others on this list ($118 on Senté’s site), it’s a practical solution for those with sensitive skin, as it can reduce the appearance of fine lines and give your complexion a more refined, balanced appearance. Plus, Kung says the product is gentle enough to use even if you’ve never used retinol before.
Shutterstock
Conclusion
Many of these products contain retinol, which “has been scientifically and clinically studied to aid in skin turnover and stimulate collagen,” Kung says.
Retinol in the form of a serum or cream “is probably included in every dermatologist’s skin care routine because long-term use has been shown to help prevent and treat skin discolouration, fine lines and wrinkles, and sagging skin,” she concludes.
Good to know!
