Dr. Shereene Idriss has reviewed a lot of mature skin products, and most of them get her approval. She has a Guru Score of 82% in this category, across 51 reviews. She approved 42, gave 7 mixed takes, and handed out just 2 Nays.
What does Dr. Shereene Idriss recommend for mature skin?
One pattern runs through her approved picks. She wants actives at levels that actually do something. She called Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum one of her most prized possessions. She pointed to the precise balance of alpha arbutin, kojic acid, and niacinamide. Alpha arbutin and kojic acid target dark spots and uneven tone. She noted that getting the niacinamide amount exactly right meant the formula delivered without going overboard. Packaging matters to her too. Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum earned her praise partly because it comes in a pump. That pump keeps vitamin C from breaking down when it hits the air.
In her words
"I love this serum, it is one of my most prized possessions. I actually cannot live without it. It is loaded in a couple of things at really effective levels. There is alpha arbutin in here, kojic acid in here, there is licorice root in here, and just the right amount of niacinamide, just in this particular product not over burying, just the right amount. This is going to really help target some of that pigmentation and it just delivers the best hydration in the tiniest little amount and your skin has been glowing since I've been using this and I'm obsessed, obsessed, obsessed."
"It's the Clarins Double Serum. It's just heavenly. It is nice. It is chewy. It is yummy on your skin. It also has a beautiful scent. So, from an experiential point of view, it really is all balming. And I think you guys should try it out or gift it. The person you gift it to will highly enjoy it."
"In my practice I actually sell Skin Medica. We have this at 0.3, 0.5, and 1 percent. It comes in an opaque tube, it comes in a pump, it is scentless, and very, very elegant in formulation."
"It's Allies of Skin Multipeptides & Growth Factor Advanced Lifting Serum. It has 3% growth factor complex which is their complex that is meant to enhance skin repair and strengthen your barrier function, and it has a 9% lifting peptide complex, another complex made out of multiple peptides that improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is very expensive, but I [...] think when you're testing out very expensive products that have these claims of helping lines and wrinkles, test it on areas where your skin is thin. Take a tiny bit and just focus on your under eyes, and then this product will last a very, very long time and you'll be able to tell if your under eyes look better."
"Charlotte and Joyce have incredible formulas when it comes to hydrating your skin and keeping your skin barrier intact, and what I admire about them is their transparency in their brand. I have not tried their Instant Angel. I would strongly recommend you give it a shot, especially if you live in a very dry climate."
"The Sunday Riley CEO is definitely developed a cult following and a lot of people absolutely adore it. It also comes in a pump which I love so it's not exposed to oxygen constantly. The glass tube is semi-opaque, I think they could have done a little bit better, but this is a 15% THD. It does have more of an opaque finish and it also has a little bit of an oilier residue to it, but it is super fast absorbing and it has a slight citrusy scent just in case that may offend you."
How many products has Dr. Shereene Idriss reviewed for mature skin?
Dr. Shereene Idriss has reviewed 51 products for mature skin, for a Guru Score of 82%. 42 approved, 7 mixed, and 2 skipped.
What has Dr. Shereene Idriss skipped for mature skin?
The two products she gave a Nay were quite different cases. With Frownies Facial Patches, she was upfront about it. The sweating and inflamed bumps she got under the patch were her own issue, not a product flaw. With products like Plexaderm, her concern was the whole category. She said those formulas use film-forming agents that dry into a tight film on skin. That creates a short-term tightening effect, but it cracks and creases the moment makeup goes on top.
"I tried like the Frownies and the brownies and whatever it was not for me. I had weird allergic reactions to obviously that's a me issue that's not a them issue but I just started sweating instead and I developed a little [folliculitis] underneath it it was not for me."
"All of them are around the same price range, all three of these products whether it's Plexaderm whether it's the IT Cosmetics or whether it's Tint and Titan are all gimmicks because they basically have film forming agents that kind of create a barrier on top of your skin to tighten your skin temporarily. And that is a key word. They have some hydrating ingredients like acetyl hexapeptide eight or they have a little bit of hydrolyzed rice protein or something else and maybe a little bit of hyaluronic acid or whatever, but ultimately the second you put makeup on top or you put a moisturizer on top of it, it will start to crack and crease and create a tiny film that pills off. The effects are really not that long lasting. The only way you're going to get a long lasting effect is if it's all you put on your face and you skip and bypass the makeup and you'll have like a full day's effect, but it will crease and crack throughout the day. Before you go and spend all of your money on all of these tightening products, they're not great. They may be great for a photo shoot, they may be great for a very short visit to somebody who's important where you're trying to have a Cinderella effect, but they're not great and they're not going to help your face in the long run."
What should you take from Dr. Shereene Idriss's picks?
Dr. Idriss is a generous reviewer of mature skin products, but her approvals are earned. She keeps looking for actives at effective levels, in packaging that protects them. She is also quick to flag when a whole product category is built on a short-term trick. Her one named winner in this space is Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum. She called it one of her most prized possessions.
Watch Dr. Shereene Idriss say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day SerumNamed a winnerWatch at 12:26
- Frownies Facial PatchesSkipped itWatch at 13:09
- PlexadermSkipped itWatch at 9:15
- Clarins Double SerumRated itWatch at 14:27
- SkinMedica RetinolRated itWatch at 6:38
- Allies of Skin Multipeptides & Growth Factor Advanced Lifting SerumRated itWatch at 11:04
- Dieux Instant Angel Lipid-Rich Firming MoisturizerRated itWatch at 5:39
- Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening SerumRated itWatch at 14:52
- The INKEY List Retinol Eye CreamRated itWatch at 6:51
- Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping MaskRated itWatch at 12:37
- Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face CreamRated itWatch at 14:26
- Murad Targeted Wrinkle CorrectorRated itWatch at 7:57
- The INKEY List 1% Retinol SerumRated itWatch at 16:43
- SkinCeuticals RetinolRated itWatch at 6:17
- Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose SerumRated itWatch at 13:49
- SkinMedica TNS Essential SerumRated itWatch at 17:59
- Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing BalmRated itWatch at 7:04
- The INKEY List Q10 Antioxidant SerumRated itWatch at 13:57
- Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-MaskRated itWatch at 8:27
- iNNBEAUTY PROJECT 10+10 MoisturizerRated itWatch at 15:16
- Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%Rated itWatch at 15:51
- Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum: Ginseng + RetinalRated itWatch at 1:09
- Shani Darden Retinol Reform SerumRated itWatch at 8:18
- Augustinus Bader Rich CreamRated itWatch at 8:29
About this expert
See everything Dr. Shereene Idriss has reviewed
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This guide reflects what Dr. Shereene Idriss said across their videos about 51 products for mature skin, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The Guru Score is our read on how warmly they talk about them. It is general information, not medical advice.