Hydroxatone AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex

The complex wrinkle treatment that just might not be as complex as it proclaims...or is it?

WR By: Wrinkle Report Beauty Advisors

Editor’s Rating:

3.5 / 5.0

Editor’s Rating:

3.5 / 5.0

Based on reviews from over 100 of our top beauty and skincare experts

Pros:

Formula is paraben-free and dermatologist tested
Includes a small amount of SPF protection
Can be used as a night and day cream

Cons:

Clinical studies on Hydroxatone are hard to fine
Expensive for the average consumer
Users complain of greasiness
May cause acne breakouts

Overview: The So-Called Age-Defier

Hydroxatone AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex Cream is a multi-functional anti-aging cream which they say can be both your day and your night cream. Their "age-defying" formula is alleged to soften the appearance of wrinkles and lines by stimulating collagen production and increasing moisturization. Hydroxatone also contains SPF to protect against the sun's UV rays. Their website says it has SPF 3, though other places say SPF 15.

Rumor has it that Hydroxatone gained a reputation a few years ago when it was allegedly given away as a part of the swag bag at the Emmy Awards. From the name alone, you'd think this would be a pretty excellent moisturizer. But does it have any other benefits? And what makes this cream so great that celebrities would want free samples? This review aims to explore the answers to these questions - and more.

A Closer Look: Just Another Swag-Bag Gimmick

So what makes Hydroxatone so special? Well, their formula includes argireline - a topical facial muscle numbing agent. The manufacturers claim that argireline helps to get rid of fine lines and wrinkles by essentially attempting to paralyze the facial muscles (as Botox does, though to a MUCH lesser, milder extent). Additionally, there's hyaluronic acid, a well-known moisturizer which helps the skin retain water. Lastly, the cherry atop this wrinkle cream sundae is added SPF. As mentioned earlier, their website says SPF 3, though it says SPF 15 elsewhere.

Editor’s Note

SPF is key to preventing premature aging of skin.

One of the most notable claims this product can tout is that it was given away one year at the Emmys as a part of the "swag bag" tradition. This tradition involves giving out free samples of products - from beauty products to free iPhones and more - in hopes of gaining brand recognition (or notoriety).

It's difficult to say whether or not this tactic has worked for the manufacturers of Hydroxatone. I asked around the office, and nobody had heard of any celebrities bragging about their free wrinkle cream swag from their Emmy bag. Then again, maybe these celebrities are keeping it a secret for their own selfish, youth-chasing purposes? It's almost impossible to know for sure.

While some might consider giving celebrities free samples of Hydroxatone to be a smart marketing move, it begs the following question: why didn't celebrities know about it already? Why aren't they paying top dollar for this miracle wrinkle cream, instead of being surprised to see it as a free gift in their swag bag? Celebrities are always searching for the newest and best anti-aging skin care products. And they usually spare no expense. So how has Hydroxatone flown under the radar for so long?

In addition, there are some customer complaints about this cream on independent review websites like Amazon. Some of the top complaints include greasiness and acne breakouts. Other, more loyal customers claim that the cream is no longer as good as it once was when they first started using it many years ago.

Positives

Hydroxatone is paraben-free.
It is dermatologist tested.
It includes a small (undetermined) amount of SPF protection.
It contains argireline which is supposed to relax wrinkles by numbing the facial muscles.
It promises to take care of major skin blemishes such as deep wrinkles, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, crow 's feet, and sagging skin.

Negatives

The product might be a bit expensive for the average consumer.
"Clinical proof" of Hydroxatone's effects is difficult to find.
It is uncertain if Hollywood celebrities actually had success with, let alone used their free supply of Hydroxatone.
Many customers complain that it's greasy and causes acne breakouts.

Conclusion: More Questions Than Answers

So does Hydroxatone live up to their self-propelled hype? I wouldn't vouch for it. If you do want to give it a shot, it retails on the manufacturer's website for nearly $70. However, you can find the same cream on third party vendor sites for as little as $30 or less. It's hard to know whether these cheaper sales prices are counterfeit products, or whether the company is trying to dump off excess inventory for whatever price they can get. Nevertheless, I would not personally recommend this product. After looking into Hydroxatone, it raises more questions than it answers.

If you want a quality beauty cream that is exactly what it appears to be, you should take a look at our other reviews.

Senior Editor & Skincare Expert

Rebecca Austin is a well-established aesthetician with over 20 years experience in skincare. She has researched over 5,000 products over the past decade, striving to help her readers fine-tune their skincare routine so they can get the results they want.