Wrinkle fillers can be a game-changer for anyone with dry, dull, or mature skin who wants a quick, temporary boost of plumpness and radiance. “You could even start to slowly incorporate wrinkle fillers in your mid-twenties as that’s when collagen production starts to decline by about one percent every year,” says Martha Viera, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in private practice in Coral Gables, Florida. That said, if fine lines and wrinkles aren’t yet a concern, there’s no need to rush into using wrinkle fillers. Instead, “it’s more beneficial to focus on building a strong skin-care routine with essentials like sunscreen, moisturizers, antioxidants, and retinol to keep skin happy and protected for the long run,” adds Dr. Lolis.
So: Go ahead and own your wrinkles, but if you’re ever in the mood to smooth them out, these expert-approved wrinkle fillers are an easy way to refresh your look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Alastin HA Immerse Serum
Why we love it: We’ve waxed poetic about Alastin HA Immerse Serum before, but let’s be extra clear: this isn’t your run-of-the-mill serum. It goes beyond simply plumping your skin with a quick hit of hyaluronic acid. Instead, it’s like a skin-care trainer, teaching your skin to boost its own natural hyaluronic acid production for long-lasting hydration, all thanks to a genius peptide formula. “This is one of my favorite hyaluronic acid products because of its effects due to its high molecular weight. Its technology and mix with other ingredients such as a proprietary peptide gives the skin an immediate refreshing and plumping effect,” says Dr. Viera. Translation: Instant hydration and glow with long-term benefits.
Maximize your glow and hydration by applying your wrinkle fillers and serums while your skin is still slightly damp after cleansing to lock in moisture.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, peptides, silver mushroom extract
Fragrance-free: yes
Best for All Signs of Aging: Musely The Anti-Aging Cream
Why we love it: Musely’s The Anti-Aging Cream checks all the boxes for anyone looking to tackle multiple skin concerns at once: wrinkles, fine lines, acne, dark spots, and dryness. This prescription-strength formula blends dermatologist-backed ingredients like 0.05% tretinoin to speed up cell turnover and boost collagen (a huge plus for smoothing lines), 4% niacinamide to even out tone and support your skin barrier, and 0.5% hyaluronic acid to deliver serious hydration and plumpness. It’s a multitasker that treats and hydrates in one step, so your routine can get much simpler.
Tretinoin is thought to boost blood flow to the skin, which can tap into that lit-from-within glow.
Key ingredients: tretinoin, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
Fragrance-free: yes
Best Drugstore: No7 Instant Illusion Wrinkle Filler
Why we love it: No7 has always nailed that sweet spot between professional-grade and over-the-counter skin care. While we’re all for embracing imperfections, this little tube is like a real-life filter when you’re in the mood for a smoother look. No7 Instant Illusion Wrinkle Filler blurs fine lines and wrinkles with ease, thanks to its blend of light-reflecting particles and skin-plumping ingredients that give you that fresh, well-rested glow. “It’s made of pure silicone, so it immediately attracts water and works instantaneously,” says Dr. Lolis. The texture is soft and rich—gliding like a velvety dream without any greasy residue. And at an under $20 price point? It’s practically a steal.
The light-reflecting particles make it perfect for touching up over makeup. Just gently dab the product onto your skin instead of rubbing it so you don’t smudge your makeup.
Key ingredients: silicones, humectants, light-reflecting agents
Fragrance-free: yes
Fastest Acting: Isdin Instant Flash Firming and Lifting Serum Ampoules
Why we love it: Don’t let the size of these teeny-tiny ampoules fool you—a little goes a long way in making your skin look plumper and bringing back that bounce. “It has peptide Q10 and hyaluronic acid, which give a lifting and radiant effect, promote hydration, and help the skin look firmer and smoother,” says Dr. Viera. Plus, the rejuvenating lift lasts up to eight hours—plenty of time to convince everyone you got a full night’s sleep (even if you didn’t). And, if you’ve ever had the heartbreak of shattering your favorite skin care container on the bathroom floor, you’ll love how these little ampoules are practically spill-proof.
Apply only half of the ampoule onto your face, neck, and neckline. They’re resealable—and good for up to 48 hours after opening—so they’re perfect for throwing one in your bag for a weekend getaway.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, peptide Q10, lentil seed extract
Fragrance-free: no
Best Retinol: RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Facial Filler
Why we love it: We love a product that spells it out for you right in the name, but let’s dig a little deeper. RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Facial Filler is powered by retinol—dermatologists’ favorite multitasking ingredient. Retinol doesn’t just boost collagen and promote cell turnover; it also helps smooth, plump, and visibly reduce the appearance of deep lines. Retinol’s got a long list of bragging rights (it even tackles acne), but when it comes to wrinkles, it’s all about firming and smoothing. So whether you’re taking on laugh lines or forehead creases, this filler gives your skin the push it needs to look firmer, smoother, and ready for its close-up.
If you’re new to retinol, ease into it. Use the wrinkle filler every other day or just a few times a week at first to give your skin time to adjust and avoid irritation.
Key ingredients: retinol, magnesium, zinc, copper
Fragrance-free: no
Best Tretinoin: Nurx ReviveRx Cream
Why we love it: This prescription treatment is just as effective at improving skin texture and firmness as it is at tackling uneven tone. Nurx’s ReviveRx Cream features tretinoin, a gold-standard retinoid that dermatologists swear by for smoothing fine lines and boosting collagen. “What makes tretinoin particularly effective for treating signs of aging, compared to over-the-counter retinoids, is that it’s already in its active form—retinoic acid,” says Dr. Viera. “That means it doesn’t require conversion by the skin, so the results are more predictable and potent.” The formula is also packed with supportive ingredients like azelaic acid, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides, which help brighten, hydrate, and protect your skin barrier.
It comes in three strength options of tretinoin (.025%, .05%, and .1%) and gets delivered right to your door after a quick, no-stress online consult with Nurx.
Key ingredients: tretinoin, azelaic acid, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, ceramides
Fragrance-free: yes
Best Splurge: Shiseido Bio-Performance Skin Filler Serum Duo
Why we love it: Leave it to Shiseido to teach a decades-long beauty editor something new about hyaluronic acid. At first glance, it’s easy to wonder why you’d need two products when one seems simpler, but here’s why this duo is worth a little bit of extra counter space. At night, the serum in the blue bottle delivers teeny-tiny, shrunken hyaluronic acid molecules to prime your skin. Then, in the morning, the serum in the white bottle expands those molecules back to their original size as if you added water to a sponge. They push the skin upward as they swell, filling in and smoothing wrinkles. You’ll quickly see how two powerhouses can be better than one.
Love it so much you don’t want to run out? This serum comes with refills to keep your skin plump with less packaging.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, red clover extract, cinnamon extract
Fragrance-free: no
Best Subscription: Agency by Curology Future Formula
Why we love it: You’ve probably heard of Curology for acne and everyday skin upkeep. Its sister brand, Agency, takes the same personalized, prescription-strength approach, but zeroes in on aging skin with targeted formulas. Its hero product, Agency by Curology Future Formula, is a nightly treatment that pairs heavy-hitting ingredients like tretinoin, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, niacinamide, and dexpanthenol to smooth texture, fade dark spots, and soften wrinkles. What sets it apart is how the formula adapts over time—your online provider can tweak the ingredients as your skin changes, so it keeps improving as your skin gets healthier and stronger.
When you first start using tretinoin, your skin might freak out slightly. Think dryness, redness, flaking, and peeling, especially if you’ve got dry or sensitive skin. It’s a normal part of the adjustment phase.
Key ingredients: tretinoin, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, niacinamide
Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Dry Skin: Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster Serum
Why we love it: Peptides have become one of the buzziest skincare ingredients of the year, and Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Multi-Peptide Booster Serum delivers them in spades. This powerhouse formula combines six pro-collagen peptides to boost firmness, stimulate collagen production, and strengthen skin structure. “It also contains amino acids and hyaluronic acid, which work together to support collagen remodeling and visibly smooth the appearance of wrinkles,” says Dr. Viera. It’s an especially great pick for dry skin types, thanks to hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin that help lock in lasting moisture.
You can use this serum on its own, but if your skin leans extra dry, try mixing a few drops into your favorite serum or moisturizer for an easy way to boost hydration and get even more out of your routine.
Key ingredients: collagen peptides, amino acids, hyaluronic acid, glycerin
Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Sensitive Skin: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DermInfusions Fill + Repair Serum
Why we love it: Hyaluronic acid has long been a star player when it comes to tackling fine lines, sagging, and boosting elasticity—and Dr. Dennis Gross DermInfusions Fill + Repair Serum doesn’t just include one form, but four. But that’s just the beginning of what makes this product a derm favorite. “This serum has the holy grail of all my favorite ingredients: ectoin, which works synergistically with hyaluronic acid to give your skin nice plumpness and help repair your skin’s moisture barrier,” says Dr. Lolis. “Plus, it includes peptides, antioxidants, and niacinamide, which work together to plump your skin and stimulate protein production.”
Don’t forget your neck. Smooth your wrinkle-filling products down your neck and décolleté. The thinner skin of your neck often shows signs of aging faster than your face.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, peptides, niacinamide, ectoin
Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
Do wrinkle filler creams really work?
Yes, but with some important distinctions compared to their injectable counterparts. “There are many amazing topical wrinkle ‘fillers’ that can really plump your skin. But, these are not as effective as injectable dermal fillers,” says Dr. Viera. The main difference between wrinkle fillers that anyone can buy at a store and injectables lies in the depth of penetration, with “over-the-counter creams working at the surface level and injectables affecting the deeper layers of the skin,” she adds.
How long do wrinkle fillers last?
The effects of wrinkle fillers are temporary: “Usually anywhere from a few hours to a day,” says Dr. Lolis. While they don’t last long, “the benefits over over-the-counter wrinkle fillers are primarily that users see immediate effects. They are needle-free options, and more affordable over injectable fillers,” she adds.
What ingredients can help “fill” wrinkles in a topical product?
When it comes to wrinkle-filling topical products, the key ingredients to look for are all about giving your skin a plumper, smoother appearance. Dr. Viera highlights hyaluronic acid’s “ability to retain and attract moisture—making skin look fuller and reducing fine lines.” Antioxidants like “niacinamide, peptides, and vitamin C help improve skin texture, pigmentation, and fight free radicals while boosting collagen production,” she says. A newer ingredient popping up on ingredient lists is argireline, “sometimes referred to as ‘topical Botox’ for its ability to partially relax muscles and stimulate collagen and elastin production,” she says. Lastly, over-the-counter retinoids “have many important functions in slowing collagen breakdown, increasing cell turnover, and improving skin texture,” she adds.
Meet the experts
- Martha Viera, MD, board-certified dermatologist in private practice in Coral Gables, Florida
- Margarita Lolis, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in Hackensack, New Jersey
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize 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.