This stabilised formula provides results more quickly than most other serums due to its potency. And, its combination of complexion-brightening ingredients makes it especially worthwhile to try if you have stubborn sun damage-related age spots and discolouration.

READ MORE: The best vitamin C serums we’ve tested. After something else? Shop the Medik8 Black Friday sale.

6. Best Drugstore: Eau Thermale Avene RetrinAl 0.1 Intensive Cream

RetrinAl 0.1 Intensive Cream

Why it’s worth it: Nope, it’s not a typo — retinal and retinol may look almost identical on paper, but there’s a big difference in power. Retinal (a.k.a. retinaldehyde) is one step closer to prescription-strength retinoic acid, “with studies showing that it works ten times faster than retinol,” says Dr. Palmer.

Avène’s RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream uses a potent 0.1% retinal to tackle deep wrinkles, uneven texture, and loss of firmness. Hyaluronic acid adds plumping moisture, while the brand’s signature thermal spring water soothes sensitivity, giving you strong results without the harsh side effects. And despite the serious actives in the formula, “the cream has a lightweight feel and a smooth and non-greasy texture,” Dr. Palmer notes, making it an easy addition to your nighttime routine.

7. Best for Body: Shani Darden Body Reform Treatment Serum

Body Reform Treatment Serum

Why it’s worth it: You might know the aesthetician-to-the-stars Shani Darden for her Best of Beauty Award-winning Retinol Reform serum, but this formula tackles the thicker, tougher skin below the neck. Body Reform Treatment Serum uses a potent 2% granactive retinoid (an advanced retinoid that delivers retinoic acid-level results with far less irritation) to smooth rough texture, firm crepey areas, and improve the look of dark spots.

It’s paired with proprietary Hydronesis, which helps break down dry keratin buildup while boosting moisture to reduce keratosis pilaris, plus vitamin C to brighten and support collagen and amino acids to plump and strengthen the skin barrier. You’d never know how hardworking the formula is based on its feel — “it’s such a soothing and lightweight serum that moisturises like a richer cream,” says Angela Lamb, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are topical creams as effective as Botox injections?

Injectables reign supreme when it comes to getting rid of fine lines, smoothing texture, and plumping lax skin. However, certain products can yield results similar to those of the neuromodulator botulinum toxin — a.k.a. Botox, Xeomin, and Dysport, among others — which works by relaxing the muscle contractions responsible for creating expression lines and wrinkles.

So, are there products that provide the near-immediate fine-smoothing effects of neuromodulator injections? No. At this time, at-home topicals aren’t advanced enough to act as swiftly and effectively as professional-grade treatments like Botox. Still, there are formulations with plumping and tightening ingredients that can reduce the appearance of fine lines and sagging skin.

“Although there is no true ‘Botox in a bottle’ that is applied topically to the skin, there are great topical products that can give the appearance of softening expression lines and improving skin texture over time, particularly with neuropeptides,” confirms Kellie Reed, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Austin. You can even use them in tandem with professional Botox treatments (from a board-certified dermatologist, of course) to enhance and prolong its line-dissipating benefits.

What are the key ingredients in “Botox in a bottle” products?

“The best line-fighting creams are those that help build our skin’s own building blocks, namely collagen and elastin fibres,” explains Deanne Robinson, MD, a Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist. She recommends topical retinoids, firming peptides, brightening vitamin C, and growth factors to help support skin cell turnover, increase collagen fibres, and hydrate the skin.

Certain peptides, like neuropeptides, also serve as neurotransmitters in the skin. They work similarly to botulinum toxin by limiting muscle movement — although to a much lesser degree than that in injectables. With that, consider these skin-care products, including moisturisers, serums, and treatments, your best bet for products that work like Botox injections — just without the pinch.

Meet the experts

• Robert Finney, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, based in New York City
• Gary Goldenberg, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Goldenberg Dermatology, based in New York City
• Omer Ibrahim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Salmalita Cosmetics, based in Chicago
• Angela Lamb, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Debbie Palmer, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Dermatology Associates of New York, based in Harrison, New York
• Heidi Prather, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, based in Austin
• Kellie Reed, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, based in Austin
• Deanne Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, based in Connecticut
• Ryan Turner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Turner Dermatology, based in New York City

How we test and review products

When Glamour tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinise brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of line-fighting skincare products, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors — along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists.

This story originally appeared on Allure.