This article has been updated since its initial publish date to include more expert insight.
With an oversaturation of skincare products on the market these days it can be difficult to determine which ones are actually useful in smoothing and brightening your appearance and which are simply sitting atop the skin and wasting your money.
Depending on your skin texture, your complexion may need certain ingredients to glow, but across the board there are some universally beneficial ingredients that most people should be using to tighten and refine the skin for a younger-looking complexion.
We checked in with Dr. Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist, and Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, dermatologist and writer at My Psoriasis Team, for their input on the top serums to use for fighting off sagging skin so you can look effortlessly ageless throughout the years.
First Off, The Main Essentials— Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol
Antioxidants are great for protecting your skin from free radical damage which is one of the most common causes of aging on your complexion. In combination with a retinol serum, not only will these ingredients keep damage at bay, but they will also promote collagen production within the body which will naturally maintain that firm and elastic skin we associate with youth.
“These ingredients work well to help brighten the skin and improve the overall skin tone by improving hyperpigmentation and blemishes on the skin,” explains Garshick. “They also help to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and boost collagen, while hyaluronic acid and peptides may work to boost moisture and strengthen the skin, giving the skin an overall plumper and firmer appearance.”
Making sure to hit all the potential causes of premature aging with your skincare ingredients will be the most well-rounded approach to bolstering your beauty, and focusing on plumping and hydrating the skin can minimize any fine lines that may have already begun to develop, while ensuring that you complexion will not sag.
“This combination works to prevent and protect the skin from environmental stressors that can contribute to skin aging through antioxidants helping to address free radical damage while also helping to correct and repair skin changes that may have already occurred using retinol and peptides,” says Garshick. While there are a multitude of accessory ingredients you could be using that sound like positive additions to your skincare routine, sticking to the basics will ultimately provide you with the most significant results over time.
Glycolic Acid
Skin firmness, plumpness, and elasticity are all characteristics of collagen, the vital protein. Stimulating its production is necessary for anti-aging skincare, and this can be done with the help of gycolic acid, Chacon says.
Glycolic acid, a collagen-boosting skincare ingredient, brings about a range of beneficial effects on your complexion, she notes, from smoothing away wrinkles and lines to enhancing tone and texture. "Glycolic acid is my favorite ingredient that is rejuvenating with anti-aging properties other than retinol," says Chacon, who notes that it is also a "skin brightener."
She goes on: "I have many skincare products that contain it including cleansers, lotions, and serums. It has never stung my skin or caused irritation in any way." The more you know!
Peptides
Peptides, amino acids that are vital building blocks for skin proteins like collagen and elastin, are produced by your body. Kung suggests that incorporating a peptide-rich serum can result in skin that appears more youthful, firm, and supple.
“Peptides are amino acids that are building blocks that can be used for collagen synthesis,” she says. “Peptides in serums or creams can penetrate the skin barrier, whereas collagen itself is too bulky.”
She recommends a peptide-based serum rather than a collagen cream since “collagen creams only sit on top of the skin as a glorified moisturizer, whereas peptides in serums have been clinically shown to help.”
The Bottom Line
Sagging skin often comes from a loss of collagen, and although it is a naturally occurring protein within the body, it loses its abundance over the years. It’s here that a retinol serum becomes particularly important to use in the evenings for re-upping collagen and consequently fading wrinkles and prominent signs of aging. But while retinol is ideal for use at night as it can make your skin more susceptible to sun damage, the other vital ingredients are best used to kickstart your day.
“In general, vitamin C and other antioxidants are often recommended for daytime use to help protect the skin from free radical damage that can occur from environmental factors such as UV exposure and pollutants,” says Garshick.
“Peptides and hyaluronic acid can be used either 1 or 2 times per day.” Utilizing vitamin C, retinol and hyaluronic acid together within your anti-aging skincare routine is decidedly the best way to fight off sagging skin and wrinkles while effectively firming and priming your skin to look more youthful for years to come.
While it’s naturally still important to keep up with your SPF routine and protect your complexion from other outside factors that can play into looking older, these serums will be the most useful players in preserving flawless skin down the line.
