The best anti-ageing creams
Our expert guide to wrinkle-hitting, glow-giving moisturisers your skin will love
Let’s get the bad news out of the way: we start losing collagen (the structural protein that keeps skin looking plump and young) at a rate of 1% per year from our mid-twenties onwards.
Now for the good news: there are skincare products that can help. These are the five key anti-ageing ingredients to look out for:
- Retinol increases cell turnover and kick-starts collagen production
- Peptides are amino acids, the building blocks of proteins such as collagen and elastin. They give skin bounce
- Antioxidants such as vitamin C are free-radical fighters that protect skin from pollution, UV rays and other environmental aggressors
- Hyaluronic acid is a moisture magnet that can hold 1,000 times its weight in water
- Ceramides are barrier-fortifying fats that help maintain a healthy barrier function – crucial for a youthful complexion
SPF should be a non-negotiable all year round because UV light accounts for 80% of skin ageing. If you’re not sure what’s the best suncare for your face, check out our expert guide to SPF.
But which anti-ageing cream is right for you? We love these moisturising skin heroes.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Gel Cream
Better than your average vitamin C cream and now in a light gel formula that’s perfect for warmer months. Sunday Riley’s supercharged moisturiser has THD ascorbate, a highly targeted vitamin C that’s less irritating and clinically proven to brighten, give an antioxidant boost and fight the signs of ageing caused by UVB. It also smells of gorgeous essential oils.
The Inkey List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing & Plumping Moisturizer
Accessible luxury brand The Inkey List has done it again with this powerhouse cream. After 28 days’ use, testers saw a clinical improvement in the signs of ageing (wrinkles, fine lines, plumpness, firmness, lift, elasticity and barrier function). Good for all skin types, the bio-active ceramides go even beyond barrier repair to strengthen and protect.
Kate Somerville +Retinol Vitamin C Moisturizer
This lightweight cream has clinical-grade retinol and vitamin C to firm, brighten and nourish skin while you sleep, improving tone and helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. If you’re new to retinol, start by using this one or two evenings a week at first to avoid irritation, and build up slowly.
Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+ Youth Power Creme
With 99% naturally derived hibiscus morning bloom, hand-selected in the morning for peak potency, exclusive moringa extract for visible anti-ageing benefits, hyaluronic acid with 72 hours of moisture, this silky cream sinks in quickly and promises to plump and lift skin. In consumer testing, 87% said lines and wrinkles looked reduced after four weeks’ use.
Medik8 Daily Radiance Vitamin C C-Tetra Cream SPF 30 Two-in-One Moisturiser
A light vitamin C cream that absorbs easily and is packed with antioxidants to help protect your skin from environmental damage. The vitamin C helps encourage collage production to smooth fine lines, while hyaluronic acid and glycerin hydrate, and broad-spectrum SPF 30 adds protection.
Lancôme Génifique Day Cream
This daily moisturiser from Lancôme has a velvety texture and is packed with moisture-boosting ingredients – including hyaluronic acid and vitamin C – to help give your skin a more youthful and even-toned appearance. A little goes a long way with this cream.
bareMinerals Ageless Phyto-Retinol Face Cream
Certified vegan, this moisturiser has all the benefits of retinol without the usual risk of irritation (redness, dryness and/or sensitivity). It’s formulated with gentle yet potent plant-based Phyto-Retinol to start reducing the appearance of fine lines and uneven texture after one week’s use, as well as hyaluronic acid for that much-needed hydration hit. A real crowd-pleaser.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF 30 Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream
This powerful cream contains padina pavonica and ginkgo biloba and, in independent clinical trials, has been proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in 14 days. Expect elasticity and firmness to improve with regular use. SPF 30 gives you some UVA and UVB protection without compromising on texture or leaving white streaks.
Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream
Bringing neuroscience to your regime, this silky cream features ReNeura technology which send internal sensory signals to help your skin respond to the other ingredients. Put simply, it contains anti-ageing components and it’s smart enough to help your skin get the full benefit from them so that wrinkles look smoother, lines appear plumped-out and you are more radiant.
Murad Resurgence Rapid Collagen Infusion
Murad is all about science-backed products to target specific issues and help you get healthy and nourished skin. This fast-acting formula promotes collagen and hydration to help you look more youthful, while its collagen support complex plumps and reduces the appearance of wrinkle depth from the very first use. It’s a small bottle but a little goes a long way.
Dermalogica AGE Smart Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50
Bring in the Dermalogica big guns. This daily moisturiser has SPF 50 so you’re getting a good base layer of protection from the get-go. It also has white tea, an antioxidant, polyphenols and a polypeptide that helps to improve the look of sun-damaged skin. Medium-weight, comfortable and – of course – hydrating.
Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Lift and Firm Day Cream SPF 15
The name ‘lift and firm’ tells you the headline news with this customer favourite. Ceramides give your face and neck a youth-restoring boost, retinol encourages cell turnover, and vitamin C helps with a more radiant appearance. SPF 15 is handy though do remember to layer up with more SPF throughout the day – especially in summer.
