Key takeaways
- Serums have higher concentrations of active ingredients in the bottle compared to lotions and moisturizers.
- Good anti-aging ingredients include vitamin C, niacinamide, retinol, and more.
- Good Molecules’ Super Peptide Serum was best overall due to its price, ingredients, and effectiveness.
- Best anti-aging serum with SPF: Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Face Serum SPF 60+ | Skip to review
Serums can be beneficial for targeting a variety of skin concerns and skin types. It’s an opportunity to incorporate more active ingredients in your regimen, though a serum shouldn’t replace your moisturizer.
According to board certified dermatologist Jenny Liu, MD, FAAD, “Serums contain higher concentrations of active ingredients but don’t usually work as well as moisturizers to minimize water loss through skin…because they are often formulated as a liquid or light emulsion and don’t contain occlusives or emollients to hydrate and moisturize skin.”
Instead, serums complement moisturizers, targeting other skin concerns like fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and other signs of aging. Take a look at some of the best serums we found to help you age more gracefully.
Try a patch test
Even if a product says it's safe for all skin types, make sure you test the product on an area of skin to gauge any negative reactions. Everyone's skin is different, so it will react differently and show different results.
| Price | Skin type | Key ingredients | When to use | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good Molecules Super Peptide Serum | $12 | all | copper tripeptides, acetyl hexapeptide-8, acetyl octapeptide-3 | morning and evening |
| Cetaphil Healthy Renew Serum | $22.99 | all | purified peptides, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, botanical glycerin, niacinamide, tocopherol | morning and evening |
| Naturium 12% Niacinamide + 2% Zinc | $17 | sensitive skin, dry skin, acne-prone skin, aging skin, combination skin | niacinamide, zinc, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E | morning and evening |
| Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Face Serum SPF 60+ | $21.32 | all | vitamin E, feverfew, ginger, glycerin | morning |
| La Roche-Posay Vitamin C12 Serum | $44.99 | normal skin, sensitive skin, dry skin | 12% vitamin C, neurosensine, salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid, thermal spring water | morning |
| The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane | $9.30 | all | evening | |
| CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum | $22.99 | all | retinol, ceramides, hyaluronic acid | evening |
To choose the best serums for anti-aging, we considered a variety of traits that make a good serum. First, though, each product has to go through our rigorous vetting standards to ensure it’s quality and that the companies behind the products are reputable.
Price, ingredients, customer reviews, skin types, and when to incorporate these serums into your routine are some of the other factors we considered while choosing these products.
Since serums have a higher concentration of active ingredients, the results tend to be faster when addressing signs of aging. Moisturizers and other skin care products may contain these same ingredients, but in smaller amounts.
Other skin care products also tend to focus on ingredients that retain moisture in the skin, while anti-aging serums are formulated to address specific concerns.
“A serum is simply the vehicle in which active ingredients in a product are delivered to the skin,” explains board certified dermatologist Adeline Kikam, DO, MS, FAAD.
“They are also lightweight and easier to layer or be mixed in with other skin care products,” Kikam adds. Some of the active ingredients that Kikam recommends for signs of aging include:
- peptides
- retinol
- antioxidants, like vitamin C
She also recommends serums with sunscreen filters, since “sunscreen is the gold standard anti-aging ingredient in skin care.”
Other common active ingredients found in serums include:
- hyaluronic acid
- niacinamide
- resveratrol
- alpha arbutin
- azelaic acid
- exfoliants
- vitamin E
Sunscreen is the gold standard anti-aging ingredient in skincare.
Not all serums are formulated for signs of aging. To choose an anti-aging serum, consider the concerns that are important to you, and choose a serum that contains the appropriate ingredients for targeting those concerns.
“Serums formulated with vitamin C and other antioxidants help to fight free radical damage, improve skin texture, and even out skin tone,” Liu explains.
“Retinol helps with wrinkles and fine lines by increasing the production of collagen. Some serums contain a cocktail of ingredients like AHAs, niacinamide, peptides, etc. that all work together to improve the signs of aging,” Liu adds.
Also consider your current skin care routine. Certain ingredients do not mix well, such as retinol and glycolic acid. A retinol serum and exfoliating treatment should not be used in the same skin care routine, so use these products on alternating days.
Similarly, retinol might not pair well with vitamin C, so use your antioxidant serum in your morning routine and retinol serum in your evening routine.
You can also account for your skin type. Sensitive skin might not react well to certain active ingredients, like retinol, exfoliants, and niacinamide, so opt for a serum with gentle and soothing ingredients.
People with oily skin may prefer oil-free serums that are lightweight, while people with dry skin may benefit from heavier serums.
Anti-aging serums can help prevent and reverse signs of aging. Look for a serum with ingredients proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration.
Ensure that the ingredients in a serum pair well with the other products in your skin care routine. Some serums can be layered with each other, while others should be used on alternating days.