This Vitamin C Powerhouse Is Great for Sensitive and Oily Skin Types
This Vitamin C Powerhouse Is Great for Sensitive and Oily Skin Types
We updated this article in January 20223 to ensure all products were correctly priced and in stock. Our original top-rated picks based on extensive testing done by the Good Housekeeping Institute remain the same.
Serums are the superheroes of the skincare product world, made with fewer fillers and more powerful skincare ingredients than face moisturizers. That means a good serum delivers maximum anti-aging benefits when it comes to skincare. With lightweight gel-like or liquid formulas that are beneficial for targeting all types of skin — including sensitive, oily, combination and dry — serums are an excellent addition to any skincare routine, especially if you're looking for an anti-aging product that will reduce lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and sagging.
GH Beauty Lab scientists at the Good Housekeeping Institute test anti-aging serums in the Lab using technical instruments that can measure changes in wrinkles, dark spots, pores and firmness. The serums are also evaluated by consumer testers, who rate them on factors like ease of use, scent, texture and look of skin after use over a set time period. These data sets are then tallied to find the top formulas on the market. In our most recent test, 7,820 data points were collected to find the anti-agers that actually fill in smile line, plump up the eye area, get rid of forehead wrinkles, fade dark spots and reverse other visible signs of aging.
Our top picks:
Here, read all about the best anti-aging serums of 2023 that work to make you look younger, as tested by the GH Beauty Lab. At the end of the article, you can find more information on how we test anti-aging serums and what to look for when shopping.
Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum
No7
ulta.com
$29.99
For $30, No7's drugstore value serum proved to work as well as or even better than much pricier options in the GH Beauty Lab's most recent anti-aging serum test. Lab testing found that this pick improved skin texture, blurred the look of pores and boosted firmness by 21% after four weeks. Powerful peptides, retinyl palmitate, hyaluronic acid and a vitamin C antioxidant complex regenerate skin with less irritation. It also delivers in under two weeks: “In 10 days, my wrinkles were less visible!” a tester said, though some wished the bottle lasted longer.
RELATED: 4 Skincare Ingredients You Need In Your Anti-Aging Arsenal
Metacell Renewal B3
SkinCeuticals
dermstore.com
$120.00
If wrinkles are your biggest concern, SkinCeuticals is the serum you need. Formulated with niacinamide, this formulation was the best at reducing the look of lines and wrinkles in the GH Beauty Lab's test — lessening their appearance by 5% over just four weeks. Aside from the hefty pricetag, testers praised the "almost immediate" fine line improvement: "I was shocked by the plumpness of my skin the next day," one said. "One of the best products I've ever used," another raved.
Revitalift Derm Intensives Hyaluronic Acid Serum Ampoules
L'Oréal Paris
walmart.com
$20.57
These fragrance-free, GH Beauty Award-winning L’Ore?al Paris ampoules house a concentrated hyaluronic acid serum, the powerhouse moisturizing active that can bind large quantities of water into skin. Gentle enough for sensitive skin, testers found that the serum absorbed fast and their skin was immediately moisturized, softer and refreshed after one use. “My skin looked and felt plump,” one reported. The only aspect some reviewers are torn on is the ampoule delivery system: While many didn't mind the different form factor, some found it hard to get multiple uses out of an ampoule, even when there was serum left in it.
Custom DOSE Serum
SkinCeuticals
skinceuticals.com
$195.00
You'll need to visit a dermatologist's office to experience this cutting-edge SkinCeuticals service, also a GH Beauty Award winner, but our analysts who tested the process say it's worth it, since you'll be getting a custom-made face serum tailored to your skin concerns, like oiliness. “The process combines pro assessment with an advanced algorithm to tailor specific concentrations of science-backed ingredients like glycolic acid and retinol to an individual’s skin needs. These are then mixed by a machine in a base for your skin type,” explains GH Beauty Lab senior chemist Sabina Wizemann. "The technology is superior to all other personalized skincare on the market."
Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Vitamin C Serum
RoC
amazon.com
$24.97
Roc's antioxidant serum, a GH Beauty Award winner and GH Seal star, is blended with powerhouse brightener vitamin C balanced by emollient castor oil and glycerin. GH Beauty Lab data evaluation revealed that after four weeks of once-daily use, 94% of consumer testers found that their skin tone was visibly more even, and 100% had brighter skin in an expert assessment. While great for most skin types, those with sensitive skin users should be cautious when starting any new vitamin C serum, as the ingredient has the potential to cause irritation.
DermalQuench Liquid Lift + Retinol Advanced Resurfacing Treatment
Kate Somerville
sephora.com
$110.00
This GH Beauty Breakthrough Award-winning Kate Somerville anti-aging retinol serum is dispensed as a special foam for faster absorption and effectively diminished hyperpigmentation. GH Beauty Lab testing measured a nearly 10% reduction in UV spots and 76% of users saw diminished wrinkles, with little to no irritation. "This faded the dark spots on my cheeks and plumped both my fine and my deep lines," a tester said.
Resurgence Retinol Youth Renewal Serum
Murad
ulta.com
$92.00
This lightweight Murad serum is formulated with two types of retinoids — ingredients known to increase skin's elasticity over time. It performed well in GH Beauty Lab tests, firming skin by 24%, and reducing the appearance of fine lines. Testers liked the scent (it’s fragranced) and said it brightened skin. "I noticed my skin looked more toned, brown spots seem faded, and wrinkles reduced," one raved. When using a retinol treatment, make sure to protect skin with sunscreen each morning, and keep an eye out for any potential skin irritation.
RELATED: 10 Best Retinols for Sensitive Skin, Tested by Experts
Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum
Olay
walmart.com
$153.38
A powerfully moisturizing pick, this Olay formula is a fraction of the cost of other serums. It’s full of effective ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides and panthenol to deliver both anti-aging and moisturizing benefits, though some may not love the fact that this product has a noticeable fragrance. A clinical study showed that it moisturized and firmed skin, and also decreased the look of fine lines. Plus, it’s backed by the GH Seal's limited two-year warranty.
TimeWise Tone-Correcting Serum
Mary Kay
marykay.com
$48.00
Great for all skin tones and types from dry to oily, this GH Seal serum from Mary Kay is a star for brightening and evening tone. A clinical study found 95% of women reported improvement in dark spot size after using it twice daily for 12 weeks and a significant improvement in brightness after four weeks, although it doesn't target fine lines and wrinkles.
Smooth Out Recovery Serum
SeeMe Beauty
amazon.com
$49.99
Made with vibrancy-boosting niacinamide, SeeMeBeauty's serum noticeably counteracts skin dullness. GH Beauty Lab evaluations confirmed that it left testers' skin with a radiant glow after two weeks of daily use.
Custom Treatment
Curology
curology.com
$29.95
The online service Curology, a GH Beauty Award-winner, brings a certified cosmetic dermatologist or skin pro to you. Get an electronic consultation on your computer, tablet or phone; then a prescription formula like a serum is created for your skin's needs (like acne and anti-aging) and sent to you. A tester with acne-prone skin found that her prescription was perfect, providing amazing results from the first day. It's like having a derm on call without pricey, time-consuming appointments or pharmacy stops, but you can't buy the products without a consultation first.
Restore & Renew Face & Neck Multi Action Serum
No7
ulta.com
$34.99
The winner of the GH Beauty Lab’s neck cream test, No7’s serum for face and neck effectively tightens sagging, crepey neck skin. The Lab’s before-and-after digital imaging revealed the most improvement in lifting and tightening neck skin of all products tested over 12 weeks of daily use. “My neck was more firm,” a tester reported, and another was impressed by the same effect on her jawline, though some didn't love the scent.
How we test anti-aging serums
The GH Beauty Lab is constantly testing the latest anti-aging serum formulations to gauge their efficacy. First, GH beauty editors spend hours researching the market for the newest and most popular anti-aging serums across price points, and make sure the companies behind the products are reputable. These selections are then label-masked to eliminate brand bias. Then, dozens of consumer testers at a range of ages and skin types sit in one of the GH Beauty Lab's climate controlled rooms before Lab scientists use the Visia Complexion Analyzer (shown above) to take high-resolution digital images of their faces at three angles.
For the next four weeks, testers regularly use their assigned anti-aging serum as GH Beauty Lab scientists record data on changes in wrinkles, dark spots, pores, skin tone and texture using the Visia. The Lab analysts also measure changes in skin's firmness before and after the same time period with the Cutometer machine, which gauges skin laxity. Finally, consumer testers report their personal feedback on the product after at-home use, including perceived changes in skin tone, firmness, wrinkles, brightness and softness, plus ease of use, including texture, scent, absorption and any irritation. In the most recent anti-aging serums test, 7,820 data points were collected to find the anti-agers that actually work
The best anti-aging face serums that work for your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and over for all skin types, including sensitive and oily.