Nobody wants to look older than they feel. Unfortunately, our busy lives can accelerate the aging process. Most people turn to wrinkle creams when time and stress start taking a toll on their skin. But how do you know which wrinkle cream to choose?
The two most popular active ingredients to choose from are either retinol or peptides. Although they are powerful, they are not interchangeable. And most beauty cream manufacturers won't put them in the same formula (but we'll talk more about that in a bit).
If you want to know which ingredients are worth buying, we strongly suggest you keep reading. You'll learn some surprising info about both peptides and retinol!
The Anti-Aging Benefits of Retinol: How It Can Keep Your Skin Looking Young
Some people may claim that retinol is the most popular anti-wrinkle ingredient you can find in a beauty cream these days. And they may not be wrong, depending on whose numbers you look at. The truth is that retinol has some usefulness—but it's not well-suited for everybody.
Most of the buzz about retinol is exaggerated hype with very little substance to back it up. Unfortunately, this leads millions of people to waste money on retinol-based products that won't do anything to help improve the look and feel of their skin. This is especially true if you already have skin damage that needs repairing, or if you spend more than an hour in the sun each day.
Retinol Is Preventative; More So Than Restorative
Retinol works best when it is used to prevent wrinkles while you're still young. Most people make the mistake of waiting until they see signs of skin aging to even think about using a wrinkle cream; by then, a retinol-based wrinkle cream will not be as effective as something containing peptides.
It's like trying to remove a stain from your couch by putting a couch cover over it—it just won't do the job.
On top of that, retinol is notorious for causing skin irritation, especially for people with sensitive skin. So not only are you wasting money on a product which isn't designed to reduce or eliminate the wrinkles you already have, but you may suffer some unpleasant side effects as a result.
On a more positive note, retinol is a fairly potent antioxidant. The less oxidative stress your skin cells suffer, the healthier they will be and the less premature aging you'll see on your face. Antioxidants can be helpful for slowing down the aging process, regardless of whether you're using retinol or some other antioxidant. But there are antioxidant wrinkle creams out there that don't contain retinol, so keep that in mind while you're shopping around. There are also plenty of antioxidant-based wrinkle creams that can correct existing skin damage without causing skin irritation the way retinol does.
Retinol's main mechanism of action is to penetrate deep into the layers of your skin and trigger your dermis to produce young, fresh skin cells. This sounds good in theory, but it can be problematic. You're going to have to stay on top of exfoliating your retinol-treated skin. If you don't, you can experience lots of flaking and peeling. You'll also need to work harder to make sure your skin is properly moisturised, because people often experience extra dryness when using a retinol-based cream.
Retinol Isn't the Most Potent Preventative Ingredient
Indeed, prevention is the best medicine. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is as true for wrinkles and maintaining a youthful, healthy appearance as it is for anything else.
But retinol creams aren't the best or even the only types of creams you can use to prevent premature aging. Most dermatologists agree: sunscreen is more effective at preventing wrinkles than retinol is! And most sunscreens aren't as irritating as retinol is. As a matter of fact, some dermatologists will outright insist that you use sunscreen with retinol products because retinol can make your skin more vulnerable to sun damage!
Yes, that's right, the product that's supposed to prevent wrinkles from forming also makes your skin vulnerable to one of the biggest sources of wrinkles: the sun. Isn't that ironic? So that brings us to the alternative...
The Anti-Aging Benefits of Peptides: How They Make Your Skin Look Younger
There are a multitude of reasons why peptides are amazing for your skin. For starters, peptides are much easier on the skin than ingredients like retinol. While retinol tends to be very irritating to the skin, peptides are the exact opposite. Most people with sensitive skin can't use retinol-based products at all, but peptides are gentle enough to be used on all skin types.
What’s more, many report that peptide-infused wrinkle creams and serums are actually very soothing to the skin. And that's only one of many reasons why we recommend peptide formulations over others and why you should consider adding them to your routine.
The Different Types of Peptides, They Do Different Jobs
Peptide-based skincare products can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and blemishes in different ways. Some skeptics and critics claim that peptides are too large on a molecular level to be absorbed into your skin. This isn't entirely true.
There are many different types of peptides—such as acetyl hexapeptide-3, palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl pentapeptide-3, and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3, to name a few—which come in all different shapes and sizes. That’s not just a cliche phrase we’re using; the various peptides have varying molecular structures, meaning some peptides are small enough to penetrate the skin. Additionally, even those which are larger will still help you turn back the clock on your appearance.
The bigger peptides can have a potent anti-aging effect on your skin, even if they just sit on the surface. How so? Well, while the smaller peptides are getting busy under the surface, the peptides which sit on top of your skin transmit biological signals into your skin cells. These transmissions trigger cellular turnover and collagen reconstruction, both of which are important to keep your skin looking young and healthy.
Much like when a doctor may prescribe two different antibiotics for a serious infection, a good anti-aging formula takes your skin seriously and targets it in multiple ways. That's why one of our favorites has been Complexion MD, which contains numerous different peptides, big and small, to treat aging skin in all these different ways. This approach ensures that no matter what may be causing your wrinkles, it will be addressed.
In theory, retinol aims to do the same thing—but with peptides, you don't suffer the harsh irritation that most people get from retinol. Furthermore, most of the peptides which are (allegedly) too big to be absorbed end up getting broken down by your skin after you apply the cream. Once they are broken down, they become small enough to get absorbed as well. So don't be misled!
The peptides which do penetrate your skin stimulate collagen reconstruction and cellular turnover as well, but they also go on to do things that retinol can't. They strengthen keratin and elastin, too. Collagen is an important protein when it comes to the health and appearance of your skin, but if you don't also improve keratin and elastin, you're only solving one part of a very complex puzzle. This is the reason many people can have such varying results from the same retinol skin cream.
How to Choose the Right Wrinkle Cream for Your Skin
So there you have it: sunscreen is the best for preventing wrinkles, retinol sort of has its place in the anti-aging realm, but peptides are clearly the superior choice if your skin is already showing signs of aging or damage.
We have reviewed dozens and dozens of different anti-wrinkle skin care creams and we want to share our knowledge and expertise with the world.
If you're ready to invest in a high-quality, peptide-infused anti-aging formula, take a look at our top picks below—especially our #1 recommendation, Complexion MD. It's affordable, effective, and contains the best mix of peptides you'll find in any wrinkle cream!
TOP 10Wrinkle Creams of{{ now format="Y" }}
How We Selected Our Top 10
Complexion MD
This advanced anti-aging cream contains four different peptides as well as potent moisturizing ingredients such as aloe vera, shea butter, sesame seed oil, cocoa seed butter, and sweet almond oil. It also packs in Vitamin E and several antioxidants.
Complexion MD has been clinically proven to decrease wrinkles over 65% and boost skin moisture by 120%!
It lived up to these claims in our own independent studies, producing firmer, more elastic skin that felt absolutely imbued with a fresh, youthful glow. It's these great properties that earned its spot as #1 on our list.
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Aquallure
This premium anti-aging "rescue cream" completely rejuvenates skin, providing superior hydration while also working to diminish wrinkles and fine lines.
Its antioxidant-rich formula repairs and protects against environmental damage and was clinically shown to increase skin hydration by 500%, make skin 100% firmer, and decrease wrinkles by 60%!
learn moreBleu Sapphire
This advanced revitalizing serum covers the entire anti-aging spectrum. It works by targeting all the visible signs of aging to give you healthy, luminous skin.
Bleu Sapphire's formula combines stem cell technology with a patented blend of peptides to restore and maintain the skin's youthful quality.
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Revitol Anti Aging Formula
Advertised as the "#1 anti-aging cream on the market," Revitol says their product can take decades off your face.
Their high-performance formula uses peptides to fight wrinkles and shea butter to provide deep hydration.
Our studies didn't conclude it as the #1, but it did earn a close spot!
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Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream
Elemis is a high-end British skincare company. Their Pro-Collagen Marine Cream harnesses the anti-aging power of Padina pavonica, an algae purported to boost collagen and restore younger-looking skin.
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Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector Serum
Lancome Visionnaire helps to shrink pores, smooth uneven surface, and improve your skin's overall look and texture. Wear as a primer before applying makeup, or wear alone with skin luminous enough to go au naturale.
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Hydroxatone AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex
This multi-functional anti-aging cream can be both your day and your night cream. It contains a small amount of SPF to protect your skin from UV damage. Hydroxatone is purported to soften the appearance of wrinkles and lines.
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No 7 Protect & Perfect Serum
No 7 is said to supercharge your skincare regimen. Their recently re-engineered formula promises not just to fade your blemishes, but to also protect against wrinkles and other visible signs of aging.
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Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus
Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus is intended to mimic the effects of dermatological laser treatment. They use antioxidants, vitamins, and wrinkle reducing peptides to make the skin stronger, smoother and fresher.
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L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum
This regeneration serum is purported to improve hydration, diminish lines, and support a healthy glow. Youth Code's "Pro-Gen" technology harnesses a probiotic which they say has unlocked the code for restoring youthful skin.
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