Finding the perfect balance of moisture and effectiveness in an anti-aging treatment isn’t easy, but with the help of TotalBeauty.com product reviews, you can pinpoint the right skin care serum for your budget and skin type. See which products, both in the bargain and splurge categories, generated top ratings.
No. 16: Juice Beauty Antioxidant Serum, $45 TotalBeauty.com Average
Member Rating: 7.5*
Why it’s great: “I was stoked to get a deluxe sample of this antioxidant-rich serum to use under my moisturizer and makeup during the day,” writes one reviewer. “This is a very lightweight, thin serum. You don’t need much to cover your entire face and it sinks into the skin fairly quickly.” Readers also love that this product is organic and has “tons of vitamins and other antioxidants.”
No. 15: Mary Kay TimeWise Even Complexion Essence, $37
TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 7.7*
Why it’s great: “I don’t even wear concealer anymore,” says one fan who says she saw her acne spots fade after using the product for only a week. Another user agrees, saying it’s a “truly wonderful product for sensitive and dry skin” that has improved her skin tone so much that she can “go without foundation.”
*At time of publication
No. 14: Philosophy When Hope Is Not Enough Firming and Lifting Serum, $43 TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 7.7*
Why it’s great: “If you only try one Philosophy skin care product, it should be this one,” raves one reviewer. “I cannot go without this product!” Other readers agree, saying it “hydrates without being greasy, absorbs wonderfully and feels great.” “It gives me an overall lifting effect and minimizes my pores,” comments another reviewer.
*At time of publication
No. 13: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum, $62 TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 7.7*
Why it’s great: “This product is it,” says one reviewer, who credits the product for improving a host of her skin issues, including “rosacea, acne, blotchiness, oily T-zone, dry patches and redness.” Another reviewer says, “I saw big results in the condition of my skin … My dry and uneven skin tone went away and my face felt fresher and cleaner.” Others like that it left skin “supple and smooth and very well-moisturized.”
No. 12: RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum, $22.99
TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 7.8*
Why it’s great: One impressed reader writes, “My mom began using this and within one month her skin was free of deep wrinkles.” Other readers agree that skin texture has improved. “This serum has noticeably smoothed and plumped the fine lines underneath the outer corners of my eyes,” writes one reader, adding that it also “seems to help with those dreaded neck lines.”
No. 11: Burt’s Bees Naturally Ageless Intensive Repairing Serum, $25
TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 8.0*
Why it’s great: “I just started using this product a few weeks ago and I’ve already noticed a difference,” writes one fan of the product. “My face is softer, smoother and more radiant. I put a bit around my eyes and mouth every morning and night. Someone recently told me that my face was glowing. Can’t wait to see how my skin will look after using it for several months.
No. 10: Paula’s Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum, $37 TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 8.3*
Why it’s great: Reviewers like that this repairing serum “has natural ingredients” and is “irritant-free.” Although some say that the serum’s consistency is “a bit oily,” other users say that “it absorbs very quickly” and doesn’t cause breakouts. They also agree that “a very small amount goes a long way,” and after using it for a few weeks, it leaves skin “even-toned, smooth and clear.”
No. 9: Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Concentrated Serum, $145 TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 8.5*
Why it’s great: “I have a bathroom full of products that disappoint me,” laments one reader. “This one really delivered!” Other users appreciate that the serum is “easy to apply” and “skin feels soft and looks refreshed” after using. While the price is a little hard to swallow for some readers, one fan insists, “Try it and you will never [go] a day without it.”
No. 8: Boots No. 7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum, $24.99
TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 8.5*
Why it’s great: One reviewer raves that this drugstore serum is “just as good or better than anything I’ve tried at Sephora.” Another user declares, “I’m absolutely in love with it,” and says that the serum left her skin “soft and glowing.” Even self-proclaimed “skin care snobs” admit that this serum will have you “hooked from day one.”
No. 7: Estee Lauder Perfectionist Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum, $65
TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 8.6*
Why it’s great: One reviewer calls this “the greatest face serum around,” while another claims that her “facial lines are diminishing,” thanks to this product. Several reviewers received the serum as a sample and invested in a full-size bottle once they saw how “velvety-smooth” their skin had become. “It is great for people with blemishes and actually seems to speed the healing process,” says another reviewer, adding that it makes for “the perfect makeup primer.”
No. 6: Patricia Wexler M.D. Dermatology MMPi Skin Regenerating Serum,
$65 TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 8.8*
Why it’s great: After receiving this as a sample,one reviewer calls it “the best beauty serum that has ever touched [her] skin.” She raves, “I can visibly see small lines fading and it makes my skin glow like I just got a facial!” Many readers raved how “silky soft” it makes their skin.
No. 5: Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum, $23.99
TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 9.0*
Why it’s great: One reviewer writes, “I am in love with this product. It…never leaves your face feeling sticky or greasy, absorbs into your skin immediately and leaves your skin looking radiant and flawless. I can’t say enough about how good this product is for your skin. [It’s] a must for any skin that is maturing.”
No. 4: Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum, $70 TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 9.1*
Why it’s great: “This totally lives up to its claims,” writes one reviewer, adding that it “absorbs readily and [has] no lingering heavy smell.” Many users with rosacea and redness swear by this product. One reader says this serum “really transforms your skin.” Another says, “It helped hydrate my face and reduce redness on my cheeks.”
No. 3: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum, $153 TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 9.2*
Why it’s great: Many Total Beauty reviewers like that this product can be used on the face to “correct as well as protect from sun damage.” “I’ve noticed much-improved clarity and overall firming,” says one reader. Fans of the serum say their skin is “clearer, brighter and smoother,” and several credit the serum for their “youthful”-looking skin.
No. 2: Sweet Science Self Blended Skincare Vitamin C Serum Complex Kit, $49 TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 9.6*
Why it’s great: One reader says “It’s the perfect addition to [her] skin care regimen,” noting that it leaves skin feeling “clean and refreshed.” Another reviewer likes that “it’s effective, but gentle at the same time.” “It’s great for daily use, or only as needed… Either way, you will see results,” one reviewer writes.
No. 1: Nu Skin AgeLoc Future Serum, $212.25 TotalBeauty.com Average Member Rating: 9.7*
Why it’s great: One reviewer calls this serum “liquid gold,” and says that after using this, she’ll “never go back to anything else.” Another reviewer says, “Since I have been using this product, my sun spots have diminished across my forehead and my acne scarring is less visible along my cheeks…I highly recommend this product.” Other fans of the serum like that it “tightens pores, moisturizes and gives skin that flawless look.”
