At the first signs of wrinkling, you may be ready to throw the term “aging gracefully” out the window! And we absolutely don’t blame you. Watching your skin lose the bounce and perk it had in years past is disheartening, to say the least.
However, before you book an appointment to go under the knife, you may want to look into some topical serums that target your problem areas. It’ll save you money, time, and potential scarring. There’s a formula for just about any sort of skin issue, including marionette lines.
So, what makes a serum suited for marionette lines? You can fade the look of marionette lines with a serum that’s rich in niacinamide that can help improve the texture of your skin, hydrating ingredients that improve elasticity, and retinol to promote new cell growth for long lasting results.
Finding skincare products for mature skin may seem like a process, but we can smooth your concerns (and those pesky marionette lines). Read through our guide on what our top picks are for the best serums for marionette lines, and what makes them effective, here.
Features Of Marionette Line Serums
Niacinamide
Those who have been in the skincare community for a while may have already cultivated the powers of niacinamide, but for those who have yet to try it, you may find that it’s the perfect solution for your marionette lines!
Unlike a lot of popular skincare ingredients these days, niacinamide is not an active ingredient. This means it won’t promote skin turnover, and it won’t exfoliate. This makes it compatible with most skin types, as it’s unlikely to cause breakouts.
Niacinamide is renowned for its moisture-locking capabilities, and how it strengthens your skin’s natural microbiome to protect against signs of aging, weather, and other aggressors. It’s mainly beneficial for marionette lines due to its plumping, anti-aging nature.
Hydrating
As we age, our skin loses its elasticity, collagen, and natural hydration supply. These are the things that keep our skin supple and filled out so that fine lines and wrinkles aren’t even given the chance to peek through.
Replenish all that was lost by finding a serum that has ingredients based on nourishing, moisturizing ingredients. This could be through the addition of hyaluronic acid, which helps the skin retain moisture, or ingredients that are tailored for mature skin: collagen, peptides, etc.
Looking for serums that have the words “hydrating”, “plumping”, or “filling” is a simple way to hone in on these hydrating, replenishing ingredients that can help blur pesky wrinkles.
Retinol
It’s a skincare ingredient that you’ve either tried and loved or have yet to try at all! Though retinol has started gaining popularity in the younger generation for its acne-fighting abilities, we know that it will always be remembered for its anti-aging properties first and foremost.
Now, this is a stronger ingredient, and one much more aggressive than the other features we have listed. We would recommend searching for a retinol serum if you have deep marionette wrinkles, and aren’t afraid to be a little patient. The results are so worth it!
Retinol, a vitamin A derivative, increases cell production where you need it most and stimulates collagen production too. This means that over 6 months of consistent use, your wrinkles will fade- permanently, and be replaced with tighter, younger-looking skin.
Because this is so harsh of an ingredient, we wouldn’t recommend nightly use. Alternate using retinol with a lighter exfoliant, like AHAs/BHAs, (never on the same day), or between uses of a hydrating serum! Make sure to patch test, and ask a dermatologist if you have skin that’s on the sensitive side.
Best Marionette Line Serums
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Vichy LiftActiv Serum | Contains retinol, hyaluronic acid, and volcanic water |
| 2. | Dermalogica Overnight Serum | Glowy finish, works overnight, peptide-rich |
| 3. | Murad Resurgence Serum | Collagen infused, clinical results, filler-like effect |
| 4. | La Roche-Posay Anti-aging Serum | Contains glycerin and spring water, plumping, good for sensitive skin |
| 5. | L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Serum | .3% pure retinol, firming, 1-week results |
| 6. | Tree of Life Niacinamide Serum | Contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3, cruelty-free |
| 7. | Pure Hyaluronic Serum | Plumping, contains aloe vera, good for sensitive skin |
| 8. | RoC Retinol Serum Capsules | Individual use, dermatologist tested, retinol |
| 9. | Glow Recipe Plump Plump Serum | Vegan, contains vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid, high concentration of vitamin C |
| 10. | Peptaronic Serum | Contains peptides and hyaluronic acid, moisturizing, good for all skin types |
| 11. | Apothecary Plumping Serum | Potent collagen concentration, good for impacted wrinkles, contains retinol |
1. Vichy LiftActiv Serum
One of our favorite features of the brand Vichy is that they were made by medical professionals.
That’s right, doctors started this brand and formulated the products so beloved by the beauty community these days.
When it comes to wrinkles, doctors know that there’s no way to truly “reverse” the signs of aging, but they designed a serum that gets you pretty darn close.
Containing a powerful mixture of Retinol and HA’s, the Vichy LiftActiv Serum packs a serious punch, even on marionette lines that have been there for years past.
This serum is extremely lightweight but moisturizing enough to be used as your daily moisturizer. For sensitive skin, we recommend layering this retinol-based serum in between layers of your favorite moisturizer (just as added insurance).
Upon initial use, you’ll find that your skin is immediately plumped and hydrated, and while your marionette lines may still be present, you’ll find they have a sort of blurred effect- so you won’t have to wait long to have that glowy, filled-in look to your wrinkles.
Vichy is meant for mature skin types, so they tested it on women ages 45-65, and found that they all experienced around a 30% decrease in the look of their wrinkles by the second month. With diligent use, you can fade the look of your lines by a very noticeable amount.
2. Dermalogica Overnight Serum
Also formulated for overnight use, this Dermalogica serum is powered by peptides to refresh the skin and promote collagen production and heightened elasticity.
The peptides work in conjunction with argan oil and rosehip oil to moisturize the skin and keep it looking healthy and hydrated.
Because this serum can heighten your skin’s sensitivity to the sun, it’s important that you only use it at night. It’s quite a potent formula, so you only need around 4-6 drops for your entire face.
For skin that’s on the stronger side, feel free to emulsify the product in your hands before tapping it into the skin with your palms. For more sensitive skin types, we suggest diluting the product with your favorite night cream or facial oil to prevent any irritation or harsh reactions to your skin.
Preventing wrinkles is just the tip of the iceberg of what this serum can do. Because of its incredible way of promoting the growth of newer, healthier skin cells, you’ll find that your skin has a soft radiance to it overall.
You can say goodbye to your marionette lines while also bidding farewell to acne scars, hyperpigmentation, age spots, and sun damage alike.
This unique formula allows the active ingredients to penetrate your skin deeper, allowing them to get to work quicker, so you don’t have to wait months upon months to see notable results.
3. Murad Resurgence Serum
Sometimes, your wrinkles may look so deeply impacted that you may think that the only way to smooth them out is through the assistance of skin fillers or lifts.
While cosmetic surgery is always an option to take care of wrinkles, so is buying a product like Murad’s Resurgence Serum, which is essentially a facelift in a bottle.
This serum is a part of their retinol line, which is a string of products that all feature the skin cell regenerating power of retinol, formulated in conjunction with other hydrating ingredients.
In this case, the other notable anti-aging ingredient is collagen. This serum also harvests the power of Winged Kelp Extract, which allows the skin to retain moisture and plumpness.
Amazingly, users of this serum find there to be a distinct, plump look to their wrinkles just after 2 hours of use. Because of how quickly this serum works, and how effectively it plumps deep wrinkles, Murad says it gives a “filler-like” effect that other serums can’t compete with.
We love this serum for all skin types, and we also love how it wasn’t formulated with any parabens, sulfates, or other harsh ingredients.
4. La Roche-Posay Anti-Aging Serum
La Roche-Posay is continuing to make strides in the skincare world. People flock to this brand for its effective, ultra-clean ingredients.
While it sits at a steeper price point than most drugstore serums, we think that La Roche-Posay’s formulas rival those of high-end competitors- making this serum a steal.
The key ingredients in this serum are glycerin, which is a humectant, that is known for being deeply hydrating and nourishing to the skin.
It also features thermal spring water, which is water that’s rich in anti-oxidant properties (natural selenium), this protects the face from aggressors that could potentially exaggerate the look of marionette lines.
On the medicinal sign of the formula, you’ll find that the serum contains Pro-Xylane (trademarked by the brand) and Linactyl, two additives whose jobs are to improve bounce and elasticity.
Though this is a strong formula, it comes in a creamy, light consistency and is safe enough to use twice a day daily. This was formulated with mature and sensitive skin types in mind, but all skin types will be able to use it and cultivate the best results.
5. L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Serum
If you didn’t know by now, your skin kickstarts the restoration process when you tuck in for the night, so why don’t you give it a little extra muscle by introducing a serum revered for its anti-aging properties?
While 0.3% retinol may not seem like much, dermatologists actually think it to be the optimum amount of retinol safe enough to be used on a nightly basis.
That means you get to reap the reward of ultra-smooth, super plump skin while bypassing any potential irritation or dryness.
What’s impressive about this formula is that the retinol in it is 100% pure. It’s not a derivative, nor is it chemically diluted.
What that means is that this serum stays strong throughout its shelf life. The retinol is in a stable state, not to be compromised by accidentally forgetting to screw the cap shut, or if you mistakenly leave the bottle exposed to the sun.
It’s built tough, meant to fulfill its purpose of giving you the youngest looking skin of your life.
The retinol in this formula isn’t working alone, however, since this serum also contains the moisture-attracting properties of hyaluronic acid, as well as the plumping capabilities of another beloved anti-aging ingredient: glycerin.
6. Tree Of Life Niacinamide Serum
For mature, dry skin, the look of your wrinkles may be exaggerated by the fact that your skin needs extra help holding onto moisture.
With that being the case, finding a serum that can help nourish your skin (like this one!) should be paramount.
We would suggest staying away from products with too strong a concentration of retinol or actives, as they could potentially over-exfoliate the skin and leave your marionette lines looking even more deeply impacted!
This serum is all about balance. It’ll start by penetrating deeply into your skin to kickstart and harmonize your natural oil production, so your skin looks moisturized (but not oily) in-between applications.
The most notable feature of this serum, aside from the niacinamide, is the vitamin B3 additives- which is the rockstar ingredient that will target all signs of aging, including wrinkles, age spots, and large pores.
This product is certified vegan and cruelty-free, with a clean enough formula for you to be able to use it twice a day, every day!
The niacinamide works in tandem with hyaluronic acid and aloe to keep skin looking extra plump and healthy, while also soothing it and keeping it free from redness and irritants. We love this serum for those with sensitive skin types as it’s unlikely to cause any sort of irritation.
7. Pure Hyaluronic Serum
One may think that using just hyaluronic serum won’t be enough to fade marionette lines, but in reality, it’s more of a powerhouse ingredient than people think!
Hyaluronic acid is all about attracting and retaining moisture, and when it’s mixed with ingredients like aloe vera and vitamins C and E, you have a skincare cocktail that your marionette lines will quiver from.
Hyaluronic acid is an ingredient that all skin types can benefit from, and what we love about this formula is that it’s light enough to use every single day, twice a day.
It will call on hydration from deep in your cells and bring them to the surface, plumping up the skin cells on your face immediately. Unlike serums that rely on actives, hyaluronic acid plumps the skin immediately, so you’ll be able to see the effects from the first use.
On top of it being moisturizing, this serum is also regenerating, the vitamin C protecting your skin with antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties that can boost healthy cell production and collagen and elastin stimulation.
As far as serums go, this one sits on the skin lightly, so you don’t have to worry about it clogging pores, or potentially rubbing against your pillowcase while you sleep.
This simple, yet effective formula is vegan, cruelty-free, and made in the USA.
8. RoC Retinol Serum Capsules
Retinol is a tricky ingredient to work with. In its stable form, it’s nothing short of a miracle worker, but even one night of improper storage can leave your retinol in a compromised state.
Thankfully, RoC thought of a way to store serum that ensures you get a fresh batch of product every single night!
How? By storing the liquid serum inside 30 biodegradable capsules for you to pop open and use every single night!
We think this is an ingenious way to store a retinol serum, as it ensures that you’re not overusing any product, while also keeping the rest of the product free from the contaminants of the air, sun, or your hands.
The serum itself is made of retinol and an antioxidant ingredient with 2x the product of vitamin E. When you first release the serum from its capsule, it’s in an extremely liquid state, making it easy for you to spread the product throughout your face.
Once you work the product into your skin, however, it starts drying down into a silky finish. After the initial application, almost 100% of users in a clinical trial claimed they had smoother skin, and that they saw visible wrinkle reduction after 3 weeks.
9. Glow Recipe Plump Plump Serum
You might have seen this brand on shelves in your favorite beauty stores, or maybe you haven’t since it is constantly sold out!
While Glow Recipe’s Plump Plump serum isn’t marketed as an anti-aging product, we think it’s too effective at smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines to be excluded from this list.
Unlike the other serums on this list, this serum harvests the powers of the Kakadu Plum, which is a fruit that has 100x the vitamin C content as the common orange.
This fruit extract immediately firms the look of wrinkles, including deep marionette lines. But that’s not the only plum working hard in this formula!
Your skin will also be nourished by the benefits of the Illawarra plum and the Burdekin plum, fruits that contain a slew of vitamins and minerals to keep your skin looking and feeling its absolute best.
Working alongside the fruits in this serum is a number of hyaluronic acids, that dive deep into your skin and allow the moisturizing extracts to work their magic to their highest capabilities.
The vegan collagen in this serum works just as well as the non-vegan option, and it’s also paired with silk protein to protect your skin against free radicals.
10. Peptaronic Serum
Though SNP PREP is a little-known skincare brand, we trust their formulation to moisturize and plump skin just as well as more popular brands.
They have adorable packaging, which may make you think that this serum is targeted for younger skin, but with the benefits you have to gain from the formula, we think that mature skin types will love this serum just the same.
This serum dries down to an almost airbrushed type finish, making it great for those with oily skin types.
Oily skin needs moisture just as much as dry skin does, but finding a moisturizer that doesn’t sit heavily on your skin may be a problem, thankfully this serum has a non-oily feel so it absorbs into the skin with ease.
The combo that sets this serum apart from the rest is the mixture of 5 hyaluronic acids and 6 peptides that work to hydrate and revitalize tired, sagging skin.
11. Apothecary Plumping Serum
Hearing the word “apothecary” might immediately have you thinking that this formula is super medicinal, and, well, you wouldn’t be too far off with that assumption!
Made to be used by all skin types, this serum plumps, revives, and refreshes skin with a gentle formula of retinol, hyaluronic acid, and resveratrol extract.
There are also collagen extracts included in this serum that keep the skin looking firm and tight while keeping the dewy, glowy feel that truly healthy skin emits.
Of course, the hyaluronic acid in the formula helps the skin hold onto its newfound hydration throughout the day, while also plumping up the areas of your face it finds you’re lacking moisture in (like those marionette lines).
The active ingredient of retinol in this serum is tasked with reducing the severity of your lines. If you’ve had your marionette lines (or crow’s feet, forehead wrinkles, etc) for a while, it may not be able to rid them from your face entirely, but it will rebuild the skin in those areas as much as it can to reduce the look of them by a fair amount.
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