Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream - 50 ml/1.69 fl oz - Firming Moisturizer - Clean Clinical Skincare - Cruelty-Free - Dermatologist-Tested - Free of Essential Oils, Silicones, and Fragrance

Why it's worth it

Drunk Elephant's Protini Polypeptide Cream stacks nine signal peptides with growth factors and amino acids in a fragrance-free, silicone-free base. It's the peptide cream to buy if you care about what's on the ingredient list and want firmness without adding another irritating active.

The peptide load is the reason to buy this. Nine signal peptides, plus growth factors, amino acids and pygmy waterlily stem cell extract, all aimed at tone, texture and firmness. Peptides work by telling your skin to make more of its own structural proteins, which is a completely different route from retinol's turnover approach. That makes the two good partners rather than competitors in a routine.

The formula leaves out the usual troublemakers. No essential oils, no fragrance, no dyes, no silicones, no drying alcohols. If your skin has reacted badly to creams before and you couldn't work out why, that list of omissions is doing real work. It's also pH-balanced, so it plays nicely with acids and vitamin C serums layered underneath.

From our review of 10 anti-aging face moisturizers, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +The peptide load is the reason to buy this
• +The formula leaves out the usual troublemakers
• +It feels rich but doesn't sit on your face
• +It has held up to years of editorial scrutiny

What to know

• –You're paying a lot for a small jar
• –There's no retinol and no SPF, so it can't be your only product