The right serum will be the hardest-working product you can add to your skincare routine if you’re looking to target signs of ageing. I’m talking fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, dryness and dullness. These may be a natural part of ageing, however, if you’ve landed here, you’re likely looking to address these skin changes or slow down the process. And the best anti-ageing serums can do exactly that.
“The serum is where the real ‘treatment’ step sits,” says aesthetic doctor Dr Nabil Jetha. “They’re so highly regarded because they’re designed to deliver a high concentration of active ingredients directly into the skin.” Unlike moisturisers, serums are made up of smaller, lightweight molecules that can penetrate deeper.
Typically, there are three types of anti-ageing serums. Firstly, there are serums packed with antioxidants such as vitamin C that should be applied in the mornings to protect the skin from free radical damage. Secondly, there are the hydration boosters that smooth skin with moisture magnets such as hyaluronic acid that can be used twice daily. And lastly, you have the heavy hitters that target signs of ageing with superstar ingredients like retinoids, peptides and more that aid your skin in repair mode when you sleep.
Read more: Best moisturisers for mature skin, tested by a beauty writer in her 50s
The best anti-ageing serums for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Clarins double serum: £64, Sephora.co.uk
- Budget buy – Anua niacinamide 10 TXA 4 serum: £22, Boots.com
- Best cult classic – Estee Lauder advanced night repair synchronized multi-recovery complex: £65, Boots.com
- Best for dry skin – Sunday Riley tidal deep hydration + plumping serum: £70, Sephora.co.uk
- Best for wrinkles – SkinCeuticals p-tiox wrinkle-modulating peptide serum: £135, Lookfantastic.com
Read more: I’m a 57-year-old beauty editor and these are the best eye creams for mature skin
Clarins double serum
Best: anti-ageing serum overall
Size: 30ml
Use: AM and PM
Key ingredients: Peptides, escin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, squalane
Why we love it
- Do-it-all serum
- Boots radiance and hydration
- Softens the look of lines and pores
Take note
- There's a light texture version also available, which may be more suitable for oily and combination skin types
- It’s not cheap but the results are worth it
This formula has been a bestseller on the beauty shelves for more than 40 years: a testament to how well-loved this iconic serum is. But it has, of course, been upgraded a time or two to move along with skincare innovation. I’ve lost count of how many bottles I’ve used over the years, but now, in its ninth iteration, I’ve become even more obsessed.
Putting it back into my routine for six weeks has left me with incredibly soft skin that looks smoother and glowier, and my pores appear less noticeable. It’s all thanks to five skincare actives, including skin-firming peptides, hydration-boosting hyaluronic acid, nourishing squalane and antioxidant skin-protectors escin and vitamin E, as well as 22 plant extracts that all work so well for my complexion that friends have asked me what I’ve been using. When it comes to the best anti-ageing serums, this one’s hard to beat.
Buy now £65, Sephora.co.uk
Anua niacinamide 10 TXA 4 serum
Best: budget anti-ageing serum
Size: 30ml
Use: AM and PM
Key ingredients: Niacinamide, tranexamic acid, arbutin, hyaluronic acid
Why we love it
- Fades discoloration, pigmentation and dark spots
- Minimises the look of pores
- Korean skincare accessible on the highstreet
- Purse-friendly price for a serum
Take note
- Watery texture, be careful not to overuse
- If you’re not accustomed to niacinamide, introduce it to your routine slowly
I can only add to the hype this Korean serum has been receiving on TikTok, as it’s really made a difference to my skin. It’s thanks to pigmentation-fighting, dark-spot-fading tranexamic acid being packed with 10 per cent niacinamide that does many youthful things for the skin, including softening fine lines, evening skin tone and reducing the look of pores.
It’s just the right potency of being gentle and effective, and after four weeks in my routine my skin already looks brighter, more even-toned and well hydrated – there’s also hyaluronic acid crammed in to help boost moisture. It’s a watery serum (not my favourite) but it sinks in instantly, and it’s a great option at a great price.
Buy now £22, Boots.com
Estee Lauder advanced night repair synchronized multi-recovery complex
Best: cult classic anti-ageing serum
Size: 30ml
Use: PM
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, squalane, peptides, antioxidants
Why we love it
- Multipurpose serum targets lines, skin tone, firmness
- Cult classic beauty product
- Suitable for all skin types – even sensitive
Take note
- Looking to pay less try No 7’s night serum below for similar results
Affectionately known as ‘the little brown bottle’, this was the first ever night serum that launched more than 40 years ago. Today’s formula is still a bestseller for the brand and a beloved serum of beauty editors because it’s been reformulated along the way to offer a multifaceted serum that targets all the major signs of ageing. And it does so in a luxe, lightweight serum that makes a difference after the first use.
I’ve gone through countless bottles because I know the very next day my skin already feels better hydrated. Estee Lauder was one of the first brands to use hyaluronic acid in their formulations, and they’ve combined it with squalane for a major moisture boost. But it’s peptides that soften the appearance of lines and improve skin firmness that really make skin look more youthful with continued use. It’s a classic for a reason.
Buy now £65, Boots.com
Sunday Riley tidal deep hydration + plumping serum
Best: anti-ageing serum for dry skin
Size: 30ml
Use: AM and PM
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, peptides
Why we love it
- Super hydrating
- Plumps and smoothes fine lines
- Ideal for perimenopausal and menopausal skin
Take note
- Slightly tacky on application
I knew looking at the ingredient list this was going to be a thirst-quencher. Attracting and holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water, it's well-documented on what a powerful moisturising ingredient hyaluronic acid is. And this new serum packs not one, but five different types of the moisture magnet into the formula and teams it with next-generation polyglutamic acid said to hold five-times more, as well as throwing in some skin-plumping peptides.
Two pumps of the milky serum are all it takes to drench my skin in its cooling formula. It instantly turns dry, tight skin into a comfortable, well-hydrated, healthy complexion that oozes glow. After around a week of use, I could really feel and see a smoother difference in my skin, too.
Buy now £70, Sephora.co.uk
SkinCeuticals p-tiox wrinkle-modulating peptide serum
Best: anti-ageing serum for wrinkles
Size: 30ml
Use: AM and PM
Key ingredients: Neurotransmitter-inhibiting peptides, niacinamide, polyhydroxy acid (PHA)
Why we love it
- Softens the look of fine lines and wrinkles
- Brightens skin tone
- Suitable for all skin types
Take note
- Expensive
- Watery serum, so easy to overuse
- Slight tackiness
While no topical product can mimic the effects of anti-wrinkle injections such as Botox, this is still an impressive line-smoothing serum. Targeting expression lines caused by repeated muscle contractions (think frown and laughter lines), it uses neurotransmitter-inhibiting peptides to relax these movements. The key is to be patient to see results, after around a month my glabellar line (the deep line between my eyebrows) and my crow’s feet looked visibly softer.
Additionally, I noticed a real vibrancy in my skin. With polyhydroxy acid (PHA) to gently exfoliate and superstar skincare ingredient niacinamide that evens skin tone and texture, as well as strengthening the skin barrier, my skin felt and looked healthier, too.
Read my full review of this serum here.
Buy now £135, Lookfantastic.com
No7 future renew damage reversal night serum
Best: high street anti-ageing serum
Size: 25ml
Use: PM
Key ingredients: World-first peptide blend, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C and E
Why we love it
- Multipurpose serum
- Packed with top-notch actives
- Great alternative to retinol and retinoids
Take note
- Takes time to see results
No7’s future renew range is the much-loved brand’s most scientifically advanced formulas to date, thanks to its patented super-peptide blend. In the simplest terms, it tricks the skin to repair itself and renew key proteins such as collagen, and has been impressing beauty experts and consumers alike. My pick of the bunch is this night serum, which targets skin damage while you sleep, when your skin naturally goes into rejuvenation mode.
It’s been teamed with a blend of who’s who skincare ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid to hydrate and smooth, and vitamin C and niacinamide to brighten. This makes it a real multipurpose serum that targets it all: fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots and loss of firmness. And it does, results don’t happen overnight, but when I tested it, my lines looked softer, and my skin much more radiant. A great alternative to retinol.
Buy now £39.95, Boots.com
Lancôme rénergie C.R.X triple serum retinol
Best: multi-purpose anti-ageing serum
Size: 50ml
Use: PM
Key ingredients: Vitamin C, retinol and peptides
Why we love it
- Backed by science ingredients: vitamin C, retinol, peptides
- Boosts skin radiance
- Softens the look of lines with continued use
- Luxurious to use
Take note
- It’s expensive, but it’s an innovative all-in-one serum so worth it
This high-performance anti-ageing serum shows Lancôme is still ahead of the beauty curve, packing in not one, nor two, but three of the most powerful anti-ageing skincare ingredients out there. I’m talking: skin-brightening vitamin C, collagen-boosting and line-smoothing retinol and skin-plumping peptides, with the brand formulating them into a stable, incredibly luxe-to-use silky serum.
Ideal for those who want to streamline their anti-ageing skincare routine, this comprehensive serum has boosted my skin’s hydration, made my skin glow and look more even-toned, smoothed texture, plumped lines and made pores look less noticeable. And I’ve seen no irritation with such a cocktail of actives – just skin that feels and looks healthier and more youthful.
Buy now £120, Lookfantastic.com
Caudalie vinoperfect brightening dark spot serum
Best: anti-ageing serum for pigmentation and dark spots
Size: 30ml
Use: AM and PM
Key ingredients: Viniferine, squalane
Why we love it
- Vitamin C alternative skin-brightener
- Instantly leaves skin soft and well hydrated
- Fades the look of pigmentation
Take note
- Slight stickiness at first that disappears quickly
This has been a much-loved bestseller for French skincare brand Caudalie for years: way before going viral on TikTok. I’m here to add to the love, as I’ve long been a fan of the milky-textured serum with its fresh citrus-floral scent that instantly nourishes my skin, leaving it feeling silky, smooth and brighter with time.
It’s a great alternative to those who don’t get on with vitamin C serums, as it’s super gentle (even for sensitive skin types). That’s because instead of using the popular brightener, it uses patented viniferine (taken from vine sap), which the brand claims to be even more effective. From my own personal results, my skin tone always starts to look more radiant within a few days, with dark spots less noticeable around the six-week mark, following daily use.
Buy now £52, Lookfantastic.com
Medik8 crystal retinal
Best: retinol anti-ageing serum
Size: 30ml
Use: PM
Key ingredients: Retinal, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, glycerin
Why we love it
- Advanced hard-working retinoid with less irritation
- Targets wrinkles, dark spots, pigmentation and clogged pores
- Skin feels firmer over time
- Different strengths even for sensitive skin and beginners
Take note
- It’s expensive
You’re probably bored of hearing it, but if it’s age-defying results you’re after, a retinoid serum should be in your evening routine. It’s the gold standard in anti-ageing skincare, proven to reduce the look of lines and wrinkles while evening skin tone and improving texture and firmness. However, not all formulas are created equal, with skin irritation a common side effect of use. Not so with this innovative formula, though, it uses next-generation retinaldehyde (or retinal), which works faster while being gentler too.
What’s more, there are five strengths to choose from: one for sensitive skin, beginners to retinal, and three higher strengths so you can progress once your skin becomes accustomed to it. It’s become a go-to of mine, as I’ve never seen any redness or peeling from use. Just a more youthful complexion, the more I use it. Plus, it's packed with hydrating ingredients to make it feel good too.
Buy now £50, Spacenk.com
Naturium vitamin C complex serum
Best: anti-ageing serum for brightening
Size: 30ml
Use: AM and PM
Key ingredients: L-ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, glycerin
Why we love it
- Budget buy vitamin C serum
- Brightens skin tone with continued use
- Non-irritating and suitable for all – even sensitive skin types
Take note
- Slightly tacky on application but disappears quickly
Backed by science to provide environmental protection from pollution and UV that leads to premature signs of ageing, as well as being an excellent skin-brightener, I won’t be without a vitamin C serum in my morning skincare routine. While I’m as much of a fan of the iconic SkinCeuticals C E ferulic serum as all other beauty editors, my bank account is not. So, I’m pleased to have discovered this budget-friendly alternative.
It also uses l-ascorbic acid, hailed to be the most effective vitamin C at fending off every day free radicals that lead to skin ageing, boosting collagen production and evening out skin tone. It is, however, also known as the most irritating, but this formulation is gentle enough even for sensitive skin, according to Naturium, and I can vouch that I’ve had zero side effects. I’ve seen nothing but a brighter, more radiant complexion with continued use.
Buy now £22, Spacenk.com
Your questions about anti-ageing serums answered
What is the best anti-ageing serum?
I’m picking the iconic Clarins double serum as the best buy overall, as it’s always been a first-class anti-ageing serum, but the latest formula is better than ever with even more skin actives that have made my skin noticeably smoother and glowing.
If you have a smaller budget, the Anua niacinamide 10 TXA 4 serum is packed with anti-ageing powerhouse niacinamide and works great for those looking to brighten dark spots and pigmentation.
What to look for in an anti-ageing serum
Retinol is widely considered by dermatologists as the best anti-ageing ingredient, and can often be found in serums, as it tackles fine lines and wrinkles. As it can cause irritation if used incorrectly, it’s important to introduce it gradually into your skincare routine, applying only in the evening two to three times a week.
Additionally, hyaluronic acid is a popular ingredient, thanks to its plumping effect. One molecule can hold 1,000 times its weight in water and it helps to attract and retain moisture for the skin.
Antioxidants also have multiple benefits, from protecting against free radicals to preventing environmental damage. Vitamin C is one of the most common, but niacinamide, vitamin E, ferulic acid and green tea are also hardworking ingredients that can improve the appearance of skin.
How I tested anti-ageing serums
I’m an experienced beauty editor in my 40s, and I’ve tested hundreds of serums over the years. I have all the common signs of ageing, including fine lines, a deep forehead wrinkle, dark spots and skin on the dry, dull side. I’m therefore never without a serum in my morning and evening skincare arsenal.
For this piece, each product featured has been trialled for a minimum of four weeks. However, many have been used until empty or on repeat, taking into consideration the following…
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Sabine Wiesel is a beauty journalist with years of experience trialling and recommending skincare to IndyBest readers. As a woman in her 40s, she has reviewed plenty of neck creams, retinol eye creams and similar products formulated to address the signs of ageing, such as fine lines, dullness and dark spots. With this in mind, she knows which actives to look for, and has a wealth of relevant testing experience.
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