9 Best Drugstore Anti-Aging Serums That Firm and Brighten, Tester & Dermatologist Reviewed
Fast-acting formulas that are affordable and effective.
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When it comes to skincare, the buck stops at serums. Serums are known to be a critical step in your routine; they are super concentrated and tend to have the most potent ingredients that can actually make a difference in your skin. Anti-aging serums in particular typically focus on improving fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and loss of firmness.
Our top picks:
- Best Overall: L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Age-Defying Face Serum
- Best Brightening: Eucerin Radiant Tone Dual Serum Dark Spot Corrector
- Best Smoothing: Olay Super Serum
The good news: You don’t have a spend a fortune to see results. There are great options at the drugstore that boast the same ingredient list as their pricier prestige counterparts. Trust me, I’ve tried many and the drugstore picks are often the real deal. But we get it—the aisles are overwhelming with too many options to choose from. We narrowed down the best and most effective drugstore anti-aging serums including Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty & Personal Care Lab tested picks and pro favorites from top dermatologists.
Pros
- Reduces the appearance of lines
- Makes skin firmer
- Easy to use
- Absorbs quickly
Cons
- Doesn't leave skin soft
It's not called "triple power" for no reason; this Good Housekeeping Beauty Award-winning serum contains brightening vitamin C, plumping peptides, and hydrating hyaluronic acid in one powerful formula. Our testers gave it high scores for minimizing the look of lines and making skin appear firmer, while also noting that it was easy to apply and absorbs quickly. Their one gripe: it didn't leave skin feeling very soft.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: "Within five days, I noticed more elasticity on my face and neck and felt like some of my fine lines had been lifted and were less prominent,” said one, while another shared “I use a lot of high-end products, but I was amazed at the difference in my skin—this really worked."
| Key ingredients | Vitamin C, peptides, hyaluronic acid |
| Size | 1 oz. |
Pros
- Firms skin
- Doesn't cause redness
- Absorbs quickly
- Not sticky
- Super hydrating
Cons
- You can't see how much product is left in the bottle
A top performer in our anti-aging serums study, L’Oréal Paris’ dual chamber formula ranked highly among testers for quick absorption, not causing redness, and having a non-sticky texture. In the Lab, it was the ultimate winner for best firming, with the biggest changes in skin over a four-week period. The combo product does double duty; one side contains collagen peptides, while the other has vitamins B3 and C. The packaging was generally well-liked, while some struggled with not being able to see how much product was left in the bottle.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: They loved the 2-in-1 aspect of it: “I could get the added impact of a serum with my moisturizer in one easy step!” Plus, a few testers commented on how moisturizing and plumping it felt. One shared, “This product has definitely hydrated my skin; my skin is glowing!”
RELATED: 12 Best Skin Tightening Creams
| Key ingredients | Collagen peptides, vitamins B3 and E |
| Size | 1 oz. |
Pros
- Lightweight
- Absorbs instantly
- Doesn't pill when you apply other products afterward
- Doesn't cause irritation
Cons
- Strong, perfume-y scent
Eucerin’s gel-like serum is comprised of radiance-boosting thiamidol and licorice root extract, plus moisturizing hyaluronic acid and glycerin. The lightweight formula glides on easily and absorbs quickly. The best part: there is no pilling when applying your other skincare products (like moisturizer or sunscreen) afterward. Reviewers are mixed on the scent; some love it, while others felt it to be strong and too perfume-y.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: The formula felt soft on skin when applying and didn't cause irritation, even on reactive complexions, our GH Beauty Lab experts found.
RELATED: Best Dark Spot Correctors
| Key ingredients | Thiamidol, licorice root extract, hyaluronic acid, glycerin |
| Size | 1 oz. |
Pros
- Smoothes skin texture
- Evens out skin tone
- Lightweight
- A little goes a long way
Cons
- May not be ideal for sensitive skin
While the irridescent bottle alone will catch your eye, the serum inside really works its magic on skin. The GH Beauty Award winner contains a potent combination of niacinamide, vitamins C and E, peptides, and lactic acid to help smooth, brighten and firm skin in just a few drops. While most found it to be gentle, some with sensitive skin did experience irritation.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: It evened skin tone effectively and smoothed texture without irritation in four weeks of use, a tester found.
| Key ingredients | Niacinamide, vitamins C and E, peptides, lactic acid |
| Size | 1 oz. |
Pros
- Improves skin texture
- Blurs the appearance of pores
- Increases firmness
Cons
- May not be great for sensitive skin
A winner in GH Beauty Lab's Anti-Aging Serum study, this serum from No7 contains the powerful peptide Matrixyl, in addition to nourishing hyaluronic acid and wrinkle-fighting retinol. The formula really stood out in our testing: it increased firmness by 21%, blurred the look of pores, and improved skin’s texture over a four week period. FYI, it may not be ideal for sensitive skin. A few testers with sensitivities noted irritation from the serum.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: A bunch of testers said that their skin felt soft and smooth after applying. “By the time I finished the one-ounce bottle, all of the creases almost completely disappeared,” one shared.
RELATED: Best Peptide Serums
| Key ingredients | Matrixyl, retinol, hyaluronic acid |
| Size | 1.6 oz. |
Pros
- Made with a pure, stable retinol
- Helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles
- Minimal irritation and peeling
Cons
- Strong fragrance
“Retinol is the OG anti-aging ingredient,” says Kavita Mariwalla, M.D., a double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon. It really works but is very potent. “Serums in particular can be quite strong—they can easily cause irritation and redness,” she says. The addition of antioxidants and a soothing complex of ingredients helps minimize that potential aggravation. There is a noticeable scent—albeit a clean, fresh one—so if you are looking for no or minimal fragrance, this may not be the best choice.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: “This serum is made with a very stable retinol which gives you efficacy without all the peeling,” says Dr. Mariwalla.
| Key ingredients | Retinol, antioxidants |
| Size | 1 oz. |
Pros
- Instantly plumps skin
- Helps makeup go on smoother
- Creates a glow
Cons
- Not ideal for acne-prone skin
Originally known for their viral overnight mask, don’t sleep on Biodance’s peptide serum. “It instantly boosts and plumps skin to improve the look of fine lines,” says Dr. Mariwalla. The ingredient list is one to brag about: it contains 10 peptides, a low molecular weight collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin. While the serum is good for most skin types, it may not be ideal for acne-prone skin.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: “It makes makeup go on much smoother and gives the skin a radiant glow,” says Dr. Mariwalla.
| Key ingredients | 10 peptides, collagen, hyaluronic acid, elastin |
| Size | 1 oz. |
Pros
- Doesn't irritate skin
- Exfoliates and hydrates
Cons
- Not ideal for sensitive skin
While strong and effective, “Vitamin C serums can be pretty unstable and irritating,” says Dr. Mariwalla. This one doesn’t fall into that trap, thanks to the pure ascorbic acid used (vitamin C), along with salicylic acid to exfoliate skin and glycerin and hyaluronic acid which moisturize skin. It works well on most skin types, however it may be a little too strong for those with sensitive skin.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: Dr. Mariwalla loves the blend of ingredients in this serum, especially that “La Roche-Posay combined tricky vitamin C with some major anti-aging benefits.”
| Key ingredients | Ascorbic acid, salicylic acid, glycerin, hyaluronic acid |
| Size | 1 oz. |
Pros
- Brightens skin
- Reduces the appearance of undereye bags
- Won't irritate skin
Cons
- Doesn't have a strong firming effect
You can keep those eyes bright and wide open thanks to the peptides, vitamin C, niacinamide, and caffeine in Olay’s eye serum. The formula got high marks for brightening skin and minimizing the look of undereye puffiness and bags in our Beauty Lab's evaluations. Sheer and gentle, it didn't cause redness or irritation on any testers in this sensitive area. The one thing we didn’t see: a strong firming effect.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: “I was shocked at how well it worked,” a tester said. “It felt cooling and hydrating, and my eyes looked brighter."
| Key ingredients | Peptides, vitamin C, niacinamide, caffeine |
| Size | 0.45 oz. |
How we chose the best drugstore anti-aging serums
The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab regularly evaluates anti-aging serums for factors such as performance and ease of use. We also consulted Beauty Lab scientists and board-certified dermatologists for products they recommend based on their professional expertise.
This guide combines products tested by the GH Beauty Lab with dermatologist-recommended picks. Five products in this guide were evaluated by the Beauty Lab—two as part of the Good Housekeeping Beauty Awards and three in the Lab's anti-aging serum testing. The remaining products were selected based on recommendations from board-certified dermatologists.
What to look for when shopping for the best anti-aging serums at the drugstore
GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann shares her top picks for choosing the best drugstore anti-aging serum for you:
✔️ Identify you main concern. Think about what you would like to address within your skin and let the claims on the packaging guide you.
✔️ Look for proven ingredients. Check the bottle for ingredients you know—and stick with reputable brands. You can also check for clinical claims on the packaging.
✔️ Steer clear of allergies. If you are allergic to any ingredients or know that your skin is sensitive to them—like vitamin C or retinol—avoid them in the serums you are purchasing. Sometimes those ingredients are better tolerated in moisturizer and creams than serums.
How often should you use anti-aging serums?
“Typically twice a day, but some are are tailored to be used during the day and some just for nighttime,” says Wizemann. It’s always best to check the directions on the packaging.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
GH Contributing Beauty Editor Dori Price compiled all of the data about anti-aging serums for this article, including the list of the top products. She has over 15 years of experience researching and writing skincare stories, combining her knowledge with the expertise of top industry professionals including dermatologists and aestheticians
GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann shared our Beauty Lab's top-tested picks, included above. For over a decade at GH, she's researched, tested, and evaluated thousands of products, while also verifying product claims based on her extensive knowledge of skincare ingredients.
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