Dr. Shereene Idriss has reviewed a lot of mature skin products, and most of them get her approval. She has an approval rate of 77% in this category, across more than 70 reviews. Most got a Yay, some got a mixed take, and only a handful got a Nay.
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.
Dr. Shereene Idriss's anti-aging picks, in her words
"The Clarins double serum belongs in this conversation. If you know me, you know that I love this formula. It is a dual face formula so you're combining a water phase with a lipid fatty phase. You're getting that hydration plus the nourishment in one. You have in this formula humectants like glycerin that is helping to pull water into your skin. Then squalane and emollient helping to give your skin back some of that softness and cushion that it has lost."
"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."
"The Ordinary also has a 10% Argireline Solution which is targeted for fine lines at a very affordable price."
"This is their multi-peptide and growth factor advanced lifting serum which I have spoken to you guys about in the past. This is not from humans. This is like I said biomimetic lab synthesized epidermal growth factors. In fact, they have their 3% SH oligopeptide in it that helps with your overall texture and smoothness and it does give you a little bit of a firming effect. It also has other antioxidants in it and other peptides as well which helps in the long term as well. It's pricey."
"This by Allies of Skin is recently released, it's their Copper Tripeptide + Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum, which also has peptides that are going to help collagen production. So if you're not into the thicker texture or you live somewhere very humid but you want to get those peptides in, this is a nice alternative."
"Olay has their Olay Micro-Sculpting Cream, which is another Matrixyl peptide cream to stimulate collagen and plump your skin."
How many products has Dr. Shereene Idriss reviewed for mature skin?
Dr. Shereene Idriss has reviewed 78 products for mature skin, for an approval rate of 77%. 60 approved, 15 mixed, and 3 skipped.
What has Dr. Shereene Idriss skipped for mature skin?
The 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 kind of view as gimmicks, silicone patches and face lift tape. I had weird allergic reactions to them, obviously that's a me issue, that's not a them issue, but I tried the Frownies and it was not for me."
"I love this brand, I love La Mer. It is a very aspirational brand and they actually have a beautiful moisturizer that's very expensive, but their eye cream has no active ingredient that is necessarily proprietary to anything and therefore you're just spending $300 on a really rich moisturizer. You really want to use eye creams with a purpose."
"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."
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 category winners in this space include Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum, the serum she says she cannot live without.
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.
- Paula's Choice Clinical Discoloration Repair SerumNamed a winnerWatch at 9:14
- Frownies Forehead and Between the Eye Wrinkle PatchesSkipped itWatch at 13:09
- La Mer Eye Concentrate CreamSkipped itWatch at 6:19
- PlexadermSkipped itWatch at 9:15
- Clarins Double Serum Complete Age-Defying ConcentrateRated itWatch at 10:44
- SkinMedica Age Defense Retinol 0.25Rated itWatch at 6:38
- The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%Rated itWatch at 8:58
- Allies of Skin Multipeptides & Growth Factor Advanced Lifting SerumRated itWatch at 10:51
- Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide + Ectoin Advanced Repair SerumRated itWatch at 13:48
- Olay Micro-Sculpting CreamRated itWatch at 9:05
- L'Oreal Revitalift Filler Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 14:15
- The INKEY List Retinol Eye CreamRated itWatch at 6:51
- Paula's Choice Pro Retinal SerumRated itWatch at 11:18
- Peter Thomas Roth Peptide Skin Injection Amplified Wrinkle Fix Refillable SerumRated itWatch at 7:43
- Dr Sam's Flawless Nightly Pro SerumRated itWatch at 11:33
- BeautyStat Universal Peptide Wrinkle Relaxing MoisturizerRated itWatch at 10:04
- Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping MaskRated itWatch at 12:37
- Medicube AGE-R Derma EMS ShotRated itWatch at 10:59
- Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face CreamRated itWatch at 10:32
- SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Exfoliating Peel PadsRated itWatch at 2:08
- Kiehl's Autotone Skin Discoloration Treatment SPF 30Rated itWatch at 5:32
- Retin-A TretinoinRated itWatch at 15:35
- Some By Mi Retinol Intense Advanced Triple Action Eye CreamRated itWatch at 10:50
- Number Seven Retinol 1%Rated itWatch at 12:41
About this expert
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This guide reflects what Dr. Shereene Idriss said across her videos about 78 products for mature skin, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.