Key Points
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The best anti-aging creams help lock in moisture, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and promote healthy-looking skin.
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Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid are two commonly used ingredients in the best anti-aging creams.
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Dermatologists recommend identifying your number one skin concern first before purchasing a product.
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Keeping the skin hydrated is important for overall skin health.
Don’t you wish there was a fountain of youth you could sip from whenever you noticed a new line or wrinkle on your face? Unfortunately, such a fountain doesn’t exist — but luckily some of the best anti-aging creams do, and they are very accessible. Some can be found at your favorite grocery store while others can be purchased online and delivered within a few days.
When To Start Using Anti-Aging Creams
Dermatologist Dr. Piliang recommends “getting in the habit of using face creams in your mid to late 20s.” She believes face creams are beneficial because they “keep the moisture and elasticity in your skin which can help reduce wrinkles, age spots, and other fine lines.”
Dr. Piliang doesn’t specify what type of face cream, but based on her comments, anti-aging creams are the best option to ensure you receive the maximum benefits from your face cream. The best anti-aging creams are specifically formulated to help reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Creams Versus Moisturizers
All moisturizers offer hydration, but creams go a step further. Creams are usually thicker than moisturizers or lotions. Creams are created to pack an extra level of hydration as a “protective skin barrier.” This makes creams the perfect base formula for any age-defying ingredient.
Because creams are a thicker formula, they are mostly sold in jars though you can find these in tubes as well. Both packaging options allow you to have a more personal experience with your anti-aging cream. You have full control over how much you apply to your face allowing you to use as little or as much as you want.
Effects of Aging on Skin
According to the National Institute on Aging, skin “becomes thinner, loses fat, and no longer looks as plump and smooth as it once did.” Skin also starts to sag and succumb to sun damage and environmental pollutants. Anti-aging creams have ingredients to combat those effects.
The Best Anti-Aging Creams List
When it comes to anti-aging creams, there are a lot of options. Options are great because it increases your chances of finding what you want, but too many options are overwhelming. Type “anti-aging cream” into the search bar on Sephora’s website and 888 results will populate. The same search on Amazon yields over 4,000 results.
How in the world do you pick the best one just for you?
This article highlights the best of the best creams on the market at the beginning of 2023. The below products have high reviews, a lot of positive feedback, and most importantly proven results when it comes to reducing signs of aging. The list breaks out anti-aging creams into eight subcategories including eye cream, face cream, and night cream to give you a thorough overview of what the world of anti-aging creams has to offer.
Overall Best Anti-Aging Cream
by Olay Regenerist
Winner: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream
Olay skincare brand was founded in 1952. They specialize in science-based skincare for the face. Their product categories include cleansers, serums, moisturizers, and creams. Olay is the first mass skincare brand to commit to no longer touching up photos in its marketing. This helps to foster a more realistic and healthy view of the concept of beauty.
© Age Defying Testing Lab.
The Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream is a part of their “advanced anti-aging skincare collection.” This product boasts a visible reduction in fine lines after the first day which makes it an exciting product for people who want to see results right away.
Cost: Under $30 for 1.7 oz size
Product Highlights
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Adds firmness back to the skin and gives users a “lifted look”
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Formulated to preserve the natural barrier which helps keep the skin hydrated, smooth, and less affected by environmental pollutants
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Reduces wrinkles and fine lines
Key Ingredients
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Niacinamide (vitamin B3): helps hydrate and regenerate the skin
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Amino-peptides: help the skin appear smooth and firm
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Hyaluronic acid: the “moisture magnet” that keeps the skin hydrated all day
Best Anti-Aging Cream for Men
by Kiehl's
Winner: Kiehl’s Age Defender Cream Moisturizer
Kiehl’s was founded as an apothecary in New York City, NY in 1851 and later purchased by pharmacist John Kiehl in 1894. Today, Kiehl’s sells a wide range of products for the face, body, and hair.
Kiehl’s was already considered by some to be a unisex brand, but over the past several years, they’ve added products specifically designed for men. Since men typically have course, thick skin, creating an anti-aging cream formulated to penetrate that thicker skin was important to Kiehl's.
Thirty percent of Kiehl's customers were already men, so they had a leg up in men's skincare. The Age Defender is not only highly rated by customers, but many of them are so happy with the product they are highly recommending other people try it too.
Cost: Under $50 for 1.7 oz size
Product Highlights
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Suitable for all skin types
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Reduces the appearance of aging by reducing wrinkles and fine lines
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Firms and strengthens the skin
Key ingredients
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Capryloyl salicylic acid: used to exfoliate and smooth imperfections
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Linseed extract: reduces wrinkles and firms skin
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Caffeine: energizes and reduces dullness
Best Anti-Aging Eye Cream
by CeraVe
Winner: CeraVe Eye Repair Cream
Eye creams are made for the skin around your eyes. They are usually sold in sizes of one ounce or less because only a small amount of product is needed for each use. This eye cream tops the list of anti-aging eye creams for its proven record to treat puffy eyes, dark circles, and all other aging concerns around the eyes.
CeraVe was founded in 2005 which makes it fairly young compared to Olay and Kiehl’s. CeraVe’s product offerings include face, body, baby, and sunscreen. They put a large emphasis on their products being developed with dermatologists, and all products are created with ceramides.
This eye repair cream is a great value considering how effective the formula is. You get the benefits of a more expensive eye cream at a fraction of the price.
Cost: Under $15 for 0.5 oz size
Product Highlights
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For all skin types
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Non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores)
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Safe for use around the eyes (ophthalmologist tested)
Key Ingredients
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Ceramides (lipids): keep in moisture and keep out environmental and skin pollutants
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Hyaluronic acid: assists in keeping the skin hydrated by maintaining the skin’s natural moisture
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Niacinamide: helps hydrate and regenerate the skin
Best Anti-Aging Face Cream
by Drunk Elephant
Winner: Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream
Drunk Elephant is also a relatively young skincare brand founded in 2012. It was purchased by Shiseido in 2019. This company has done a lot in its short time including formulating some very popular clean beauty face products.
A-Passioni Retinol Cream does everything you want for your anti-aging face cream. You will be paying a premium for this product as you do with most clean beauty brands. If this price point works for you, give it a try! If it doesn't, that's okay too. There are plenty of other options on this list to choose.
Cost: Over $70 for one oz size
Product Highlights
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The website states this formula “dramatically diminishes the appearance of fine lines, deep wrinkles, and sun damage.”
Key Ingredients
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Vegan retinol: smooths skin, reduces the appearance of uneven skin tones and protects the skin from sun damage and environmental pollutants
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Triple peptide blend: helps firm and strengthen the skin
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Kale leaf extract: contains vitamins A and E and provides the skin with antioxidants that hydrate and decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
Best Anti-Aging Wrinkle Cream
by Dr. Dennis Gross
Winner: Dr. Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Intense Wrinkle Cream
A wrinkle cream is an anti-aging cream that focuses on reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on your face. Hydration plays a huge factor in this.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare was founded in 2000. According to their website, they offer science-based skincare. They specialize in skincare face products including cleansers, peels, masks, moisturizers, serums, sunscreen, self-tanners, and even devices. They offer a few body care treatment products as well.
Their Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Intense Wrinkle Cream is highly rated and offers impressive results.
Cost: Over $70 for two oz size
Product Highlights
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24-hour hydration
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Immediate reduction in fine lines for the majority of users
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Can firm skin in as little as 2 weeks
Key Ingredients
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Phyto-Retinol Blend™: helps natural collagen production and reduces fine lines and wrinkles
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Hyaluronic acid: produces 24-hour hydration
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Rambutan: a botanical active that enhances skin elasticity
Best Anti-Aging Night Creams
by RoC
Winner: RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Night Cream
Anti-aging night creams are meant to be applied at night on a clean face. Night creams are thicker than day creams and are known for working their anti-aging magic on your face as you sleep. Since these night creams contain powerful ingredients they are not recommended to be used during the day.
RoC was founded in Paris, France in 1957. According to their website, they developed the first hypoallergenic skincare formulation. RoC specializes in skincare for the face such as eye creams, daily moisturizers, night creams, cleansers, serums, and sunscreens.
Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream is not only highly rated but also a multi-year award-winning cream.
Cost: Under $50 for one oz size
Product Highlights
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Clinically proven to diminish the appearance of deep wrinkles
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Tested by dermatologists and is non-comedogenic
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Won a Shape Beauty award
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Won an InStyle Best Beauty Buy award twice
Key ingredients
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Retinol: replenishes the skin by removing old skin cells
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Squalane: helps skin retain its moisture and look firmer
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Glycolic acid an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA): gets rid of dead skin cells making the skin look and feel smoother
Best Affordable Anti-Aging Cream
by Pond’s
Winner: Pond’s Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream
Affordability is very important. You should buy something you can afford to keep buying. Don’t go into credit card debt for an anti-aging cream. Affordable creams are still effective creams. You don’t need to purchase the most expensive cream to see results.
Pond’s was founded in 1846. They say they’re the world's first skincare brand and also that they developed the world’s first cold cream that didn’t need to be refrigerated. All of their products are for the face. Their offerings include cleansers, moisturizers, sheet masks, facial wipes, and serums. Check out the article "Everything You Need To Know About Pond’s Cream" for an in-depth look into Pond’s company and its other top-selling products.
With such a rich history, it’s no wonder they top the best affordable anti-aging cream list. They trailblazed the skincare industry and they’ve stuck to what they know best. Pond's has been able to create not only a highly effective cream but an extremely affordable one.
Cost: Under $20 for a 14.1 oz size
Product Highlights:
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Decreases wrinkles and fine lines in as little as two weeks
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Gentle and is suitable for all skin types
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Dermatologist tested
Key Ingredients:
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AHA: removes dead skin cells and decreases fine lines
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Collagen: helps improve skin firmness and elasticity
Best Anti-Aging Skin Cream
by Skinfix Barrier+
Winner: Skinfix Barrier+ Lipid-Boosting Body Cream
Everything so far has only covered creams for the face, but there are anti-aging skin creams for the rest of the body. These creams have similar functions to the face and eye creams. They’re designed to first and foremost help your skin stay hydrated. They're also filled with nourishing treats that help defy signs of body aging. Body creams are found in mostly jars giving users full control over how much cream they can scoop out at a time. Body creams are sometimes referred to as body butters depending on the skincare brand.
Skinfix was founded in 2012. They refer to themselves as “skin barrier experts” that formulate clean products that are "validated by dermatology". Skinfix makes a wide range of skincare products for the face including cleansers, creams, balms, and serums and body care products such as body creams, washes, scrubs, lotions, and balms.
Clinical studies with the Barrier+ Lipid Boosting Body Cream show 100 percent of the users experienced immediate improvement in hydration. Many people also experience improvements in their dry and flaky skin.
Cost: Under $50 for 10 oz size
Product Highlights
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Won Allure's Best of Beauty in 2018
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Vegan body cream
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Rich and fast absorbing
Key Ingredients
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High concentrations of healthy fats (such as shea butter, moringa, sweet almond, and jojoba oil): help add lipids back to the skin and hydrate the skin barrier
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Colloidal oatmeal: calms and nourishes dry skin
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Ceramides 1, 3, and 6: help retain moisture and protect skin from environmental damage
Tips for Choosing the Best Anti-Aging Cream for You
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests choosing your main aging concern before looking for a product. For example, if wrinkles are your biggest concern, then focus on finding a wrinkle cream. It’s not a good idea to jump from one product to the next within days of each other because changing products rapidly can “irritate your skin” which is the opposite of what you want.
Next, make sure to read the label on your anti-aging cream and follow the directions. Misusing these anti-aging creams could irritate your skin, clog your pores, or make your skin dry.
Finally, The AAD also suggests people “give the product time to work.” Don’t expect changes overnight. They say a product could take around six weeks and even as long as three months to show results. Consistent use over some time is the best way to see the results you want.
Final Thoughts
As you can see from the list of best anti-aging creams, these products can help address most of your age-related skin concerns from deep wrinkles to regaining firmness. Also, you don't have to break the bank to get a high-quality product that delivers great results. While you certainly can spend a lot on these types of creams, you most definitely don't have to. There's something for everybody.
Excited about all these tips and options, but still not sure which anti-aging cream to start with? Hit the internet and read reviews. Ask your friends what they use. And trust your gut and pick one. The best way to find a product you like is to start trying out creams. Sooner or later, you will find the perfect anti-aging cream for you.
