The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Hyaluronic Acid, Anti-Aging Peptide Serum for Crow’s Feet, Elasticity & Firmness, 1 Fl Oz

Why it's worth it

The Ordinary packs SYN-AKE, Matrixyl 3000, Matrixyl synthe'6 and ARGIRELOX into one inexpensive bottle aimed at crow's feet and elasticity. It costs a small fraction of the luxury peptide serums and uses much of the same ingredient technology.

Peptides are the anti-aging active nobody has to build tolerance to. There's no purge, no flaking, no alternate-night schedule. If retinol has burned you, if you're pregnant and off retinoids, or if you just want to start somewhere forgiving, this is the obvious place. Owners describe it as boring in the best way — it goes on, it absorbs, nothing happens to your face except that it feels softer.

The Ordinary lists this as clinically shown to reduce the appearance of crow's feet after eight weeks of use, which is both the promise and the catch. Eight weeks is a long time to keep applying something with no dramatic early feedback. Set a reminder, use it twice a day, and check photos rather than the mirror.

From our review of 12 anti-aging face serums, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +Peptides are the anti-aging active nobody has to build tolerance to
• +The Ordinary lists this as clinically shown to reduce the appearance of crow's feet after eight weeks of use, which is both the…
• +The ingredient list is genuinely more sophisticated than the price suggests
• +It also works as a layer rather than a replacement

What to know

• –It's slightly heavier than the thinnest serums here, and a few owners find it a little tacky under makeup if they use too much
• –Peptides sit lower than retinoids and vitamin C in the evidence hierarchy for wrinkles and pigmentation