When it comes to skincare, we all ultimately share one common reality, and that’s the fact that visible signs of aging are a natural part of life. Over time, wrinkles start to form and become more pronounced. While we recognize this inevitably and believe the opportunity to age is a gift, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be proactive in looking and feeling your very best. The sooner you start a preventative anti-aging skincare routine, the better.
The steps you take to care for your skin now can have a huge impact on how youthful your complexion appears later in life. And one of the most pivotal ways to do this is with a targeted wrinkle serum. Facial serums are one of those absolute, must-have skincare products for anyone seeking hydrated, radiant, and healthy-looking skin. At Kiehl’s, we formulate powerhouse serums for all skin types to help keep your skin looking smooth and plump, at any age. Here, we’re introducing you to our best wrinkle serums and sharing how to add them to your routine.
What Is a Facial Serum?
Before we share product recommendations, let’s start at the beginning. Serums are a skincare staple and one of the best ways to keep your skin looking its best for as long as possible. If you haven’t used a facial serum before, this essential is a lightweight moisturizer formulated for specific skin concerns. A serum generally features a higher concentration of active ingredients than other skincare formulas, making one the perfect weapon for fighting wrinkles.
When Should I Start Using an Anti-Aging Serum?
It’s never too early—or too late—to start combating premature signs of aging. Ideally, we recommend incorporating an anti-aging serum into your routine during your 20s, but there are formulas for every age.
Why Should I Use a Serum For Wrinkles?
If wrinkles and fine lines are your primary complexion concerns, an anti-aging serum should definitely have a top spot on your beauty counter. The best wrinkle serums can help reduce the appearance of existing lines, while also helping to prevent the formation of new wrinkles. Since they are typically infused with powerful antioxidants and other skin-boosting ingredients, facial serums can help shield your skin from environmental toxins, support collagen and elastin, and visibly smooth skin texture. We recommend using one serum in the morning, and one in the evening—followed by an eye serum for wrinkles.
Below, find some of our game-changing wrinkle serums, which can help minimize the appearance of fine lines and other signs of aging.
Retinol Micro-Dose Serum
No wrinkle-fighting routine is complete without a retinol serum. That’s because retinol helps reduce the appearance of fine lines—it’s often the top dermatologist-recommended ingredient for treating aging concerns like fine lines and wrinkles. To introduce it to your routine, we recommend our Retinol Micro-Dose Serum—a fast-absorbing, lightweight retinol serum that offers a daily solution for all skin types (even sensitive skin). It features pure retinol and other potent ingredients, like peptide and ceramides.
HOW TO USE: This serum is so gentle that it can be applied daily, even around the eye area, or on the neck, décolleté, and back of hands for a more youthful-looking appearance. Apply after your moisturizer and, in the morning, always follow with a broad-spectrum sunscreen (since retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun).
Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum
Kiehl’s became pioneers in vitamin C skincare over 13 years ago when we stabilized this ingredient in our patented, water-free concentrate: Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum. This potent facial serum is formulated with 12.5% vitamin C (10.5% L-ascorbic acid and 2% ascorbyl glucoside) and hyaluronic acid. It instantly helps firm skin, boost radiance, and visibly diminish fine lines, wrinkles, and pores for smoother-looking skin. The wrinkle-fighting formula creates a strong foundation for achieving a more youthful-looking complexion when used as part of your daily routine.
HOW TO USE: Apply this Kiehl’s customer favorite after cleansing and toning your skin, and follow with your favorite moisturizer (and broad-spectrum sunscreen in the daytime). Spread the formula evenly over your entire face, avoiding the eye area. This vitamin C serum can be used twice daily in your morning and evening skincare routines.
Hydro-Plumping Hydrating Serum
As you age, your skin gradually loses elasticity, hyaluronic acid, and the vital moisture needed for the plump, dewy-looking glow associated with youthful skin. By choosing an ultra-hydrating serum—like Hydro-Plumping Hydrating Serum—you can help visibly plump skin to smooth the appearance of fine lines and uneven skin texture. When it comes to minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, a formula with hydrating ingredients is a must-have. This serum visibly improves the appearance of dehydrated skin brought on by a decline in your skin’s natural hyaluronic acid levels while helping visibly improve skin elasticity.
HOW TO USE: Apply this moisturizing serum twice daily—in the morning and at night—by dispensing one pump into your hands and evenly smoothing it onto clean skin. Use before your go-to Kiehl’s moisturizer and apply all over your face.
Kiehl’s Tip: This face serum can be used on your eye contour, too!
Age Defender Power Serum
We can’t say it enough: wrinkle serums are just as important in a men’s skincare routine. It’s important to know what to look for in a men’s anti-aging serum because studies show that men and women have different wrinkling patterns, with men being more prone to developing deep-set wrinkles around the more expressive areas of their face.I We recommend using a plumping and firming serum formulated specially with men’s skin in mind—like our Age Defender Power Serum. This fast-absorbing men’s serum features adenosine and cypress extract in its formula and helps to visibly firm skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
HOW TO USE: Grab Age Defender Power Serum in the A.M. and P.M. as part of your anti-wrinkle routine for men. Apply it to clean skin, avoiding the eye area, and continue with the rest of your anti-aging routine. We recommend following up with Age Defender Cream Moisturizer afterward.
Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum
Formulated with 11kDa hyaluronic acid and an adaptogenic herbal complex, our Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum strengthens skin to help resist signs of aging while boosting radiance and smoothing fine lines. This serum promotes youthful, radiant-looking skin and is clinically demonstrated to visibly reduce fine lines by 27%.*
*Based on a clinical study of 25 panelists measuring the penetration of the full formula via tape stripping.
HOW TO USE: Apply this targeted serum onto a cleansed face and neck, morning and night. This formula can also be used before another one of your favorite Kiehl’s serums. Finish with a hydrating moisturizer and SPF (in the morning).
Super Multi-Corrective Eye-Opening Serum
Premature signs of aging often show up around your sensitive under-eye area first. This can be in the form of crow’s feet, fine lines, dark circles, and age-related dryness. For tired-looking eyes in need of a boost, we recommend our illuminating Super Multi-Corrective Eye-Opening Serum. This eye serum for wrinkles helps hydrate, replenish and refine skin texture while helping to diminish dull skin and reduce the appearance of fatigue.
HOW TO USE: After cleansing, apply this anti-aging eye serum morning and night around your entire eye area. Gently pat the eye serum from the inner corner, under the eye, and toward your temples. This serum can be used alone or under an eye cream.
Powerful-Strength Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum
Vitamin C is one of the most popular ingredients used in skincare today, and it’s the shining star of our anti-aging eye serum—Powerful-Strength Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum. Gentle enough to be used around your delicate under-eye area, this vitamin C eye serum does it all. It’s formulated with 10% pure vitamin C, tri-peptide, and hyaluronic acid and is clinically-demonstrated to help decrease the appearance of crow’s feet.* This serum is also perfect for helping to brighten tired-looking eyes, plumping and smoothing your under-eye area, and targeting hyperpigmentation, dark circles, and puffiness.
*Clinical grading of the full panel tested in an 8-week study
HOW TO USE: Reach for this vitamin C eye serum daily for fresher, brighter-looking eyes. After cleansing your skin, dispense the serum onto your fingertips and apply evenly to clean skin. Pat and smooth gently along your under-eye area (the sub-orbital bone) each morning and evening. In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with water.
Source
I. Hamer, Merel A et al. “Lifestyle and Physiological Factors Associated with Facial Wrinkling in Men and Women.” Journal of Investigative Dermatology vol.137,8 1692-1699. 6 Apr 2017.
