Anti-Aging Serums: Does Price Matter?

For women who are worried about the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, anti-aging serums are the strongest line of defense short of painful injections or expensive cosmetics procedures. Once the province of high end department store brands, you can now find skin serums at your local drug stores for much less than the $100+ price tag that you find in the department store serums, but do you get what you pay for?

Dior Capture R60/80 XP Ultimate Wrinkle Restoring Serum $90
Dior Capture claims to smooth wrinkles within an hour, reduce wrinkles within one month and expose clearer, less wrinkled skin within three months. It claims to encourage new cellular growth, "pushing" new skin up and filling in the wrinkles. The serum was smooth with a pleasant scent and skin texture was immediately improved. There was no discernible difference in the appearance of wrinkles, however. Skin was softened by using the Dior serum, but a much cheaper moisturizer could provide the same results.

Olay Regenerist Regenerating Daily Serum $20
Olay made waves when this product was introduced. It was the first serum that was available at mass market retailers at such a low price point. Using an exclusive amino-peptides, Olay Regenerist claims to regenerate skin, smooth wrinkles and improve texture. The Olay serum was very light and silky and was easily absorbed into the skin. It improved skin texture and appearance immediately and after just five days, fine lines were less noticeable, even the stubborn lines from the nose to the corners of the mouth. After a month, there was a dramatic difference in the firmness and texture of the skin. This can be used alone or under moisturizer. Olay serum was better than the Dior at less than 30 percent of the price.

Equate Regenerating Daily Serum $11
Equate is Wal-Mart's store brand version of many health and beauty products. This product is displayed on the shelf next to the more expensive Olay product and even though the label states that it is not made by Olay, the two products are extremely similar, right down to the scent. The ingredient lists are slightly different, but the performance is the same. This product was used on skin that had already been treated using the Olay serum, but the Equate serum maintained the same smooth texture and the fine lines stayed smooth while using this product. Unless you believe in paying for the name, the Equate brand will give you the same good results as the Olay product while saving you nine dollars.

When it comes to skin care, more expensive isn't necessarily better. Olay and Equate both beat the more expensive Dior serum in wrinkle reduction and improvement of skin texture. None of the products made a big difference in skin discolorations or age spots.