15 Anti-Aging Creams Are the Best Way to Stave Off the Passage of Time

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Buzz words around grooming and skincare are often convoluted and unnecessary. But anti-aging creams are one (of a relatively few) that kinda just...do what they say they're going to do. They use different ingredients and formulas that help your skin keep its youthful glow, which it definitely still has. This means, among other things, moisturizing, evening skin tone, and helping smooth those crow's feet you've developed and since ignored. You're not going full Benjamin Button when you put some on—though that would be impressive, if terrifying—but the ingredients in these concoctions are designed to rejuvenate your skin.

If you've already developed a decent skincare routine, anti-aging cream is probably on there. And if it isn't, it should be—prevention is the best form of treatment here. Basically, even if you don't take very good care of your skin in general, these power-packed products will make it look like you do, infusing some youthful vim and vigor well past nature's intended expiration date.

Anti-aging creams are like your own personal time-beating weapon, without having to spend a lot of time or energy doing about it. You just gotta get the stuff and slather it on daily. There are some for day and some thicker, more intense versions that do their best work left on overnight. And we've rounded up the very best for you right here. Use them in good health.

Age Defender Moisturizer

Kiehl's Age Defender line has a way of making your skin feel firmer almost immediately post-application. It'll only look better with time, too.

Anti-Aging Cream

If you're ready to go big, Hims' prescription formula uses tretinoin to help smooth wrinkles. Yes, it's a little more complicated than just buying and applying, but this is your face we're talking about here. In other words, it might just be worth it.

Double-Duty Face Moisturizer

Jack Black's moisturizer uses a combination of blue algae extract and sea parsley to even out your overall skin tone while minimizing the chance of developing wrinkles. The brand's formula is preventative too—the SPF included will help protect skin against sun damage day in and day out.

Vitamin C Intense Night Cream

Discoloration and dullness are bound to make your skin look older. If they're your primary concerns, this night cream is exactly what you should reach for before you lay your head down for the evening.

E-Cream Soothing Skin Balm

Yes, this cream is extremely thick and a little grainy. (It also happens to be bright green.) But don’t let that deter you—it’s an absolute miracle-worker. Coat yourself in it before bed (and don’t sleep on a pillow case you care too much about) and prepare to wake up in the morning with soft, smooth, skin.

Plantscription SPF 25 Power Anti-Aging Cream

Creams can lock in moisture, but the best way to get in front of any signs of your skin aging is to wear sunscreen every day. This cream from Origins offers sun protection and much, much more.

Revitalizing Anti-Aging Cream

Lessen the appearance of crow's feet with an anti-aging cream, like this one, which helps plump up and fill out those wrinkles.

The Rich Cream

This cream took the beauty world by storm when it launched last year, and for good reason. It intensely hydrates your skin, preventing dryness and dullness. Consider it luxury in cream form, bottled for your convenience.

Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer

Drunk Elephant's Protini cream uses signal peptides to firm your skin, giving it back that general air of youthful bounciness that tends to fade over the years.

Retinol Night Cream No. 1

The key ingredient when it comes to achieving a youthful look is retinol, reducing wrinkles and fine lines. But it isn't for everyone; retinol is known to irritate the skin when first used. Fig. 1's cream, however, has just the right amount of concentration (1.5 percent) for beginners. It's so well formulated that it ranked in our 2021 Grooming Awards.

Universal Pro-Bio Moisture Boost Cream

Owing to their amped-up ingredient lists, some anti-aging creams can overwhelm sensitive skin. But BeautyStat's is light enough that even your delicate mug will enjoy all the benefits it has to offer.

Crème Riche Velvet Moisturizing Cream

Tata Harper’s cream is thick and rich, and it’ll plumpen up your skin overnight. Formulated with hyaluronic acid to boost moisture retention, a nightly coating will certainly slow down signs of your skin’s aging.

Immersion Serum Concentrate

Klur's serum includes moisture-retaining nutrients that work to steadily-replenish your skin with the hydration it needs to stay healthy now and going forward.

Hydra-Global Intense Anti-Aging Gel

I know, I know—the price tag on this one is high! But it's more than worth it, with an intense anti-aging formula that restores your skin plumpness and rehydrates in one.

Super Anti-Aging Face Cream

Ask anyone that covers beauty and grooming for a living, and they'll tell you that the name to know is Dr. Barbara Sturm. Her anti-aging creams and serums, though pricey, get the job done. The complex for this face cream, for example, is made of avocado and sunflower seed oil, purslane extract, shea butter, plankton extract, hyaluronic acid, and other tested ingredients that boost collagen production. Indeed, calling it "super" is apt.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best ingredients to look for in anti-aging cream?

To get the most effective results from your anti-aging cream, you're going to want to look for ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, azelaic acid, and niacinamide. All of these work to counteract the development of fine lines and wrinkles, and deliver hydration to your skin that results in more a supple, firm appearance.

SPF is also a key ingredient to look for. If you don't wear a daily sunscreen, you're definitely going to speed up the aging process with sun spots and fine lines, so having SPF in your moisturizer is a great protective force. Vitamin A is found in retinol, too, so if you can't find a moisturizer you love with retinol, vitamin A is the next best thing.

When should you start using anti-aging cream?

It's never too early to start using an anti-aging cream (and by the time you think you need one, it's definitely time to start). I'm in my 20s and I use one (the Dr. Barbara Sturm one on this list, to be specific), and while it's too soon to notice it countering wrinkles, I can vouch for it adding moisture and suppleness to my skin.

Why You Can Trust Esquire

We’re not going to say something is great unless it’s actually great. Every product in Esquire’s round-ups is carefully curated by our grooming and e-commerce teams.

When it comes to anti-aging creams, you can rest assured that we’re hand-selecting picks that we’ve personally tested, tried, and loved. We’ve had to go through a lot of trial and error, and these creams are the ones that are simply the best.

Every pick on this list (and our other lists!) comes from years of trying different things, seeing what we love and what we don’t, and going from there. No two tastes are the same, and no two men are the same. Your proverbial mileage may vary. But if you’re looking for the right place to start, with advice from folks who and care (possibly too much!) about this sort of stuff, this is the place to be.

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