Hoping To Look Younger? A Look At The Best Anti-Age Treatments At Home And In The Clinic

Want to look younger? Whether you're talking skincare products or more invasive, semi-surgical options, knowing what's mere hype and what's genuinely awesome can be tricky — so we're taking a look at the best anti-aging products and treatments for you.

Hyaluronic Acid Serum

First discovered back in 1935, it became clear that hyaluronic acid represented a powerful force in skin healing by the 1960s. While the term "polysaccharide" may not mean an awful lot to you, it's important to note that hyaluronic is naturally present not only in the bodies of cows (where it was first found), but also in our own — and though it plays a crucial role in joint health, about half of all the hyaluronic acid found in the body is present within the skin. Unfortunately, we lose rather a bit of it with age, something that certainly contributes to the visible loss of youth.

Now popular as a serum, as well as within various cosmetic products including, for instance, eye shadows, you have plenty of reasons to use it. Hyaluronic acid attracts moisture like crazy, and hyaluronic acid serums are absorbed rapidly. Use it for a better complexion, for plumper-looking skin, and to decrease wrinkles!

Tretinoin

Marketed as a medication for acne since the 1960s, tretinoin — available under many different brand names including Retin A and Renova as well as generically — was soon discovered to possess potent anti-aging properties as well. This vitamin A derivative is not just one of the oldest anti-age products on the market, but also one of the best. Who wouldn't want something that fights clogged pores and wrinkles all at once? Tretinoin, it almost seems, is a bit of a miracle treatment.

Some dermatologists are so enthusiastic about tretinoin that they'd prescribe it to anyone. That is because, though many new users do experience temporary side effects and anyone using it needs to be very diligent about using sunscreen, tretinoin is very effective — something backed up by decades of research. If you are in the US, you won't have trouble getting a prescription. In some other countries, however, it might be harder. In that case, you can also consider using its over the counter cousin retinol, another vitamin A derivative.

READ Retin A: The Skincare Workhorse That Fights Acne AND Wrinkles

Vitamin C Serum

Everyone knows that vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, but if you've been living under a (proverbial) rock, it's possible that you're not yet aware that you can slap that baby on your skin as well as using it orally. Vitamin C serums, you should know, offer an almost shocking range of skin benefits. Anti-aging, which we're after today of course, is "merely" one of them.

Peptides

Small proteins made up of amino acids, peptides, and copper peptides in particular, are a hot word in skincare right now. Excellent at hydrating the skin, peptides also have the power to renew collagen production, which of course slows down as we get a little older, and to promote elastin. A moisturizer with peptides can be a great addition to your skincare routine!