Anti-ageing beauty products: the ones your bathroom cabinet (and face) actually need

Because nobody wants to waste money on a jar of empty promises...

In an ideal world, none of us would worry about the visible signs of ageing and would simply be content with the (clichéd) notion of ‘growing old gracefully’. But, sadly, we don’t live in an ideal world and when the time comes, most of us will reach for anti-ageing beauty products faster than you can say, well, anti-ageing beauty products. The trouble is the market is flooded with products that claim to do so much.

When parting with your hard-earned cash for said beauty buys, you want formulas that live up to all the things they promises on the bottle – that means smoother skin texture, softened wrinkles and an overall more radiant complexion. Doesn’t seem like that much to ask, does it?

You’d be forgiven for feeling bombarded by all the lotions and potions out there that promise to turn back the hands of time; at first glance, the anti-ageing beauty products market does seem a bit overwhelming.

That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you and scoured the beauty market to bring you the trusted products that won’t let you down. So sit tight as we walk you through the Marie Claire-approved anti-ageing beauty products – trust us when we say you won’t regret buying any of them.

Best anti-ageing moisturiser

Olay Regenerist 3 Point Firming Anti-Ageing Cream Moisturiser, £31.49 Boots

It's pretty tricky to find the best moisturiser that solves all of your anti-ageing woes, however when you find one that does as much as possible you know you're on to a winner. Here is one hardworking day cream - it contains amino-peptides, hyaluronic acid and Vitamin B3 (niacinamide) that work in unison to hydrate, plump, gently exfoliate and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

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Best anti-ageing essence

Lumene Nordic C [Valo] Glow Boost Essence, £29.90 Feel Unique

Ageing skin tends to dry out far more quickly than youthful skin, meaning hydration is key when it comes to your routine. Adding an essence into your daily regime can make all the difference, especially one like this formula by Finnish brand Lumene, which focuses on boosting hydration levels with a huge dose of hyaluronic acid. It also floods the skin with vitamin C, a brilliant antioxidant for ageing skin.

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Best anti-ageing eye cream

Elemis Ultra Smart Pro-Collagen Eye Treatment Duo, £145 John Lewis

The new Ultra Smart range from Elemis has been in 30 years of expert research and development and is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of dark circles in 28 days and improve skin tone and texture, which gives the appearance of an eye lift. How does it do this? With specialised algae that each have a role to help promote, protect and preserve the foundations for resilient skin, as well as targeting stubborn lines and wrinkles. It truly is one of the best eye cream formulas out there.

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Best anti-ageing serum

No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Advanced Serum, £26, Boots

This little bottle was breaking the internet long before the term became synonymous with the Kardashians. In 2007, a BBC documentary testing the wrinkle-busting power of various anti-ageing products aired in the UK. The one that came out on top? No7’s Protect & Perfect Beautiful Serum, then priced at a modest £17. By the next day, it had sold out – according to the BBC, Boots sold five months’ worth of stock in just one day. The product has since been upgraded to an ‘Intense Advanced’ version and the price has crept up a little in the last 10 years; but you can still get your hands on it for less than £30 and trust that it’s still just as effective (if not more so) as the day that famous doc aired. Wrinkles will be smoothed out and less visible – science says so.

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Best anti-ageing face cream

Lancer Advanced C Radiance Cream, £70 Look Fantastic

Dr Lancer is a trailblazer in the world of dermatology and has been known, for years now, for his ability to change the actual quality of people’s skin. This smooth water-free cream formula boosts radiance and collagen production, as well as the signs of UV damage and wrinkles. It has 10% vitamin C which, not only produces collagen but, is a antioxidant and retinol which can change the skin’s tone and smoothness by improving the elasticity and texture. It’s best to use on a cleansed face morning and evening, and you’ll really see the difference over the weeks that follow.

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Best anti-ageing night cream

Caudalie Resveratrol Life Night Infusion Cream, £42 Space NK

You know how they say a glass of red wine is actually good for your health?! Well there's clearly something in that, because resveratrol is essentially wine for your face. Hooray! OK, not exactly. It's actually found in the skin of grapes. The reason that it's used in anti-ageing beauty products is that it helps improve skin elasticity, firmness and radiance by boosting the skin's internal antioxidant defense. This Caudalie cream also has grape seed oil for nourishment and shea butter extract, bitter orange flower water and vitamin E for diffusing the appearance of wrinkles.

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Best anti-aging night serum

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronised Recovery Complex II, £53, Fabled

Technically a night serum rather than the best night cream, but we had to give this one a mention. Touted by beauty editors and bloggers all over the land as a must-have for your PM skincare routine, Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair is world-famous due to its unique ChronoluxCB complex that transforms your skin while you sleep. Apply at night and you’ll wake up with smoother skin, with wrinkles significantly softened and a super-soft – which is why you'll find it in the bathroom cupboard of 99.9% of skincare enthusiasts.

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Best anti-ageing face mask

Zelens Transformer Instant Renewal Renewal Mask, £95, Fabled

Cosmetic surgeon Dr Marko Lens is famous for his 'red carpet facials' given to a whole host of A-list clients, and so formulated his skincare range based around the notion of a flawless, celebrity-worthy complexion. The Transformer Mask is a supercharged formula packed with 16 amino acids, polysaccharides and proteins for the ultimate restoring and repairing treatment. Skin feels firmer with more elasticity and, after continued use, its radiance levels will skyrocket. Consider this mask the closest thing to getting a face lift without, you know, actually getting a face lift.

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Best anti-ageing hand cream

Temple Spa Palm Balm, £19, Harrods

The first thing you need to know is that this stuff is so good that you'll find it on board the Orient Express. We could leave it there, but if that alone doesn’t sell it to you then know that this brightens and smooths out the skin of your hands, as well as working to even out complexion (so long, age spots). Described as a ‘multivitamin cocktail’, it contains essential oils of bergamot, lemon and lavender, as well as extracts of jojoba and aloe vera, to restore and soften the skin, and forms a protective barrier to prevent further skin damage. It’s pretty much a time machine in a tube and truly one of the best hand creams out there – rough hands, be gone.

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Best anti-ageing supplements

Murad Hydro-Glow Supplements, £50, John Lewis

If you're looking to combat the signs of ageing then it's definitely worth adding one or two skin supplements into your daily routine; Murad's new Hydro-Glow supplements work by 'hydrating your skin from within'. Now for the sciencey bit: The key ingredient here is Glucosamine, which works to up water levels and create a bank of hydration in skin cells, while also boosting collagen and hyaluronic acid levels – in short, creating very hydrated and healthy skin. With a 30-day supply in the box, you'll be glowing in just a few short weeks.

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Best anti-ageing face wash

Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-Ageing Treatment Boosting Cleanser, £39 Look Fantastic

This clever little cleanser works to enhance the effects of your other anti-ageing beauty products by prepping the skin for treatment. Pretty great, no? It'll dissolve make-up and grime that builds up throughout the day while also getting rid of any surface pollution to prevent environmental damage – and best of all, it won't leave your skin with that uncomfortable, tight feeling.

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Best anti-ageing eye serum

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye Serum, £26, John Lewis

Any fan of Kiehl's loves their Midnight Recovery complex, without question, and the brand has since branched out to put its power into a serum for the eye area. The superhero ingredients here are lavender and evening primrose, as well as Butcher's Broom to de-puff. Apply at night time for firmed-up eyes and softened crow's feet come morning. You'll look and feel fresh as a daisy.

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Best anti-ageing eye mask

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, £25, Fabled

Whether it's a late night, commute getting to you or you simply just didn't get anywhere near 8 hours of Zs, wrinkly under eye bags and dark circles can happen to us all – regardless of our age. The under-eye mask market is totally saturated, but one buy that stands out from the crowd are these Skyn Iceland firming gels. In the resealable pack comes eight pairs of the gels that, in just 15 minutes, take away dark purplish shadows, take the edge off wrinkles and lift the entire under eye area, which is particularly delicate. They're truly nothing short of incredible, and great value for money.

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Best anti-ageing anti-wrinkle cream

No7’s Laboratories Line Correcting Booster Serum, £38 Boots

This product caused quite the stir when it launched in early 2018. And when we say a stir, we mean one unit being sold every two seconds and a waiting list of 17,000+. The reason behind the hysteria was the outstanding clinic trial claims - it's said to reduce wrinkles by five years. Some have even compared (and preferred) it to Botox. No7 are no strangers to being at the forefront of anti-ageing; their 2007 Protect and Perfect serum was another huge sellout for the brand. So what's so special about this serum? Well, it has 7 x more Matrixyl 3000 Plus™ in it's formula than any of No7's others. Don't worry, we know that sounds complex, but all you need to know is that it's made up of super duper peptides that work really effectively at reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

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Retinol for anti-ageing

Skinceuticals Retinol 0.3 Corrective Treatment, £65 Look Fantastic

Retinol is an anti-ageing hero that's exploded in popularity over the last year or so, it's hands down one of the best anti ageing beauty products. The best retinol products can transform skin texture and tone, essential for someone keen to prevent and combat the visible signs of ageing. There's a lot of power in this tiny, little tube. It helps fade the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, it evens out skin tone (if your pigmentation has taken over) and it even helps with acne. It's highly concentrated and is pure retinol, so ease yourself into using it.

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Rest assured that these beauty heroes are worth the pennies.

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