5 yrs, 9 mths ago

Most effective “drugstore” anti-ageing skincare!

Hi everyone 🙂

When I say “drugstore” I by no means mean “cheap”… I’m looking somewhere in the range of $35-$60 per individual product – so mostly in the direction of brands and lines like Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair and L’Oreal Age Perfect.

I’m currently trying the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair serum and it is too early for me to draw any conclusions yet (I’m on day 4) but I’m kind of wanting to look and see if anyone SWEARS by the results of anything else? L’Oreal knows how to sell their products with result claims but most reviews I see of their anti-ageing products comment on that the skin feels “soft” not so much on if it actually diminished the look of fine lines.

It’s solely about the fine lines for me. I’ve got 11 lines (frown lines) and thin forehead lines forming and I don’t need them to disappear completely – it would just be nice if they got a little bit less prominent.

Any advice?

Nell

8 comments 32 voices

Replies

  • 5 yrs, 9 mths ago

    Retinol is your best friend! The Neutrogena serum your’re using there has retinol (derivative of Vitamin A) in which it has shown to induce cellular change to the skin by increasing cell turnover resulting in improvement in wrinkles and lines. The Neutrogena (ideally) will give you subtle results and it will take 28 days to see results as that is our body’s normal skin cell renewal process.
    You can upgrade to The Ordinary Retinol 2% or 5% if you want to keep within your budget.

    @Popsicle
    is right about her use of tretinoin 0.05% which you can consider after the Neutrogena/The Ordinary serum. It is stronger than Retinol, although there are side effects in using this medication which also needs a doctor’s prescription. Some side effects include, skin redness, irritation, swelling and flaking, make sure your doctor informs you about the side effects, they are temporary effects and will subside. If you experience dryness and tightness in using tretinoin 0.05% then you need to use a more nourishing mosituriser.
    You can also introduce Vitamin C into your skincare routine (preferably daytime use) as it helps give you that ‘firm’ skin and helps with reversing photo-aged skin. It’s also a great antioxidant ingredients to incorporate into your routine. Vitamin C products within your budget includes The Ordinary and Derma-E. Goodluck! Would love to hear about your progress!

    • 5 yrs, 9 mths ago

      Thank you so much, that was super informative! I`d picked up on information to the extent of “”Retinol and Vitamin C”” but that was about it – which is when I picked up the Neutrogena serum as well as Andalou Vitamin C based Eye Serum.

      I`ve used both for about 2 weeks now and don`t see any difference at all, which is discouraging, but I`ll keep at it! It doesn`t help that Neutrogena promises “”visible results after 7 days””! I`ll try The Ordinary next and will also look further into Vitamin C.

      Thanks so much again and I`ll check back in after I`ve finished the month and gotten the next products!

      • 5 yrs, 9 mths ago

        Hi NellAdams,
        I haven`t tried either of your products (Neutrogena + Andalou) but I did buy Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle serum so can`t comment on that yet.
        Neutrogena`s retinol ingredient that they have used is placed somewhere along the middle section of the ingredient list so it may not be a effective as the packaging claims to say. Continue to use it for the next 2 weeks and see if there`s a difference. If not, you can try The Ordinary retinol with the highest percentage that they sell.

        As for the Andalou Vit C product (https://www.nourishedlife.com.au/eye-cream/108801/andalou-naturals-luminous-eye-serum.html), their vitamin C ingredient is placed close to the middle section of the ingredient list, the vitamin C they used is called Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate which is a deriative of vitamin C. MAP is not as potent as L-Ascorbic Acid which is the purest form of vitamin C and L-ascorbic acid is really unstable in light and needs the right pH to be able to penetrate into the skin but as consumers such as ourselves we hope beauty companies are able to formulate such products (5-10 years this was not possible or effective) without us worrying about pH, concentration etc.
        Because of its alternative derivative use of MAP and relatively low concentration of vitamin C you may find it is not as effective.

        From my personal experience, Ultraceuticals Ultra A and Ultra C have given me results, their products are TGA listed meaning their active ingredients (vitamin A and C) are classified as drugs (inducing cellular changes). I`m not advocating for the brand but it has given me results for my sister and my mum as well!
        Goodluck!

    • 5 yrs, 9 mths ago

      I agree that retinol is probably your best friend in terms of anti-ageing.

      I incorporate Hada Labo`s retinol toner and moisturiser into my skincare – they contain a small amount of retinol so it`s a good introduction of your skin to retinol if you`re new to them. I`ve bought The Ordinary`s retinol to try but have yet to use it – I`d let you know the results once I`ve started.

      Vitamin C is also a really good ingredient to have in your skincare. Lots of asian brands typically incorporate vitamin C inside their formulations – you could give these a go. I`ve read about The Ordinary`s vitamin C products but have also yet to give them a try.

      Niacinamide is also good for antiageing and reducing scars/wrinkles. La Roche Posay does a great range with this ingredient, such as their Effaclar range and their Toleriane range. They`re quite affordable when they go on sale.

      Good luck!

  • 5 yrs, 9 mths ago

    Always Always Always wear Sunscreen its one of the best protectants against ageing and sun damage.
    I also use EGO QV Face Revitalising Eye Cream to prevent fine lines: roughly about $15!

    • 5 yrs, 9 mths ago

      Yeah I always have SPF in my moisturizers – it`s too late for prevention for me, but at least it will stop it getting worse.

  • 5 yrs, 9 mths ago

    Hey Nell, I’m 40 and honestly I swear by the ordinary matrixyl 10% serum $20 (myer adore beauty) The ordinary glycolic toner 2 times per week ($14 adore beauty) Olay microgenist- heaps of reviews on here. I use the night cream after applying prescription tretinoin 0.05%. Ive got seriously great results after 6 months. I am inspired by 50+ Youtuber ‘Angie’ on hotnflashy.

    • 5 yrs, 9 mths ago

      Thank you so much – I will definitely be trying all of that! I`m 31 and have been looking more towards “”mature skincare”” YouTubers now, too – sadly I`ve always had frown lines (since I was a teenager, they`ve just become a lot more prominent) and smoking has not helped me at all, obviously… so I need to do damage control, or at least put myself back in the driver`s seat!

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