For those seeking dramatic improvement to fine lines and wrinkles, a doctor’s appointment is nice to have—but it’s not necessarily a must-have. Some of the best wrinkle fillers are still available to those who can’t manage a visit with a top dermatologist or a facial plastic surgeon (after all, Kris Jenner’s is in high demand).
Vogue’s Favorite Wrinkle Fillers:
- Best K-Beauty: Celimax Retinal Shot Tightening Booster, $19
- Best Cutting-Edge Ingredients: Medik8 Exo-PRDN Prismatic+, $96
- Best Drugstore: RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum, $30
- Best Peptide Serum: SkinCeuticals P-Tiox, $148
- Best Wrinkle Patch: 111Skin Wrinkle Erasing Retinol Patches, $190
- Best Hyaluronic Acid Serum: Alastin Skincare HA Immerse Serum, $127
- Best for Growth Factors: SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum, $295
- Best Ultra-Luxe: La Prairie Platinum Rare Haute-Rejuvenation Mask, $1,775
- Best for Refining Pores: DRMTLGY Needle-less Serum, $69
- Best for Under-Eye Wrinkles: Revision Skincare Revox Line Relaxer, $184
- Best Retinol Alternative: L’Oréal Paris Collagen Moisture Filler, $19
According to Shannon Humphrey, MD, founder and medical director of Humphrey & Beleznay Cosmetic Dermatology in Vancouver, “Topical wrinkle fillers can work, but it’s important to understand how they work and what they can realistically achieve.” As Humphrey explains, the products can improve the appearance of wrinkles through three mechanisms: hydration (via ingredients such as hyaluronic acid), film-forming or tightening technology (which often involves silica, silicates, or polymers), or blurring through light-diffusing particles.
“It’s also worth recognizing that there is a separate category of ingredients that support skin quality over time,” Humphrey says. “Retinoids remain the gold standard among those. Peptides, growth factors and other regenerative ingredients may also help improve the appearance of wrinkles through longer-term biological mechanisms.”
Overall, Humphrey says that consumers should view topical wrinkle fillers as “appearance-enhancing products,” while keeping in mind that they cannot achieve the same degree of correction as injectables or energy-based treatments. Put another way, “Topical products do not restore volume beneath the skin, and can not provide any meaningful ‘lift,’” says Donald B. Yoo, MD, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and the medical director at HALO Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery & Medspa.
What these creams and serums can do, however, is improve skin hydration, which temporarily improves texture, tone, and the appearance of fine lines. What’s more, the over-the-counter products can complement and preserve the results of professional treatments—and many of the newer formulas contain cutting-edge ingredients that may support greater skin health over time.
Ahead, find the best wrinkle fillers to flood the skin with hydration, boost collagen production, and deliver other benefits that can allay the return of wrinkles between appointments.
