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If we were to divide skincare products into two categories, a good reference point would be the ones that work instantly and the ones that take their time. Being an instant gratification seeker, I’ll take anything that works and that works fast! But don’t think that anti-wrinkle patches are all you’ve got for reducing wrinkles right away. Let me introduce you to instant wrinkle fillers!
Also called at-home wrinkle removers, or line smoothers, wrinkle fillers help you iron out those wrinkles right then and there. No needles, no injections! Keep reading to learn more about wrinkle fillers and the best ones to try.
What Are Wrinkle Fillers?
Wrinkle fillers are topical skincare products that smooth out wrinkles instantly, but temporarily. Instead of applying it all over your face, you apply a wrinkle filler on wrinkles and fine lines only.
Wrinkle removers are concentrated products that reduce the appearance of forehead wrinkles, crow’s feet, nasolabial folds, and frown lines instantly!
How Do Wrinkle Fillers Work?
Wrinkle fillers work by plumping up the skin (usually) with humectants and peptides, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles and gives you a smoother skin texture straight away.
Humectants or peptides are already all over the place and found in all kinds of creams and serums. So why would they work so well in a wrinkle-filling product?
It’s because a wrinkle filler has no concern for moisturizing, softening, or nourishing the skin all day long.
When you take these out of the equation, these ingredients can act fast as they’re no longer weighed down by other typical ingredients like emollients you’d find in a cream. That’s why wrinkle fillers work so effectively.
Wrinkle fillers can be incredibly helpful when you need to look your best for a special occasion. Similarly, wrinkle fillers also help with makeup by giving you a smooth base so that your foundation doesn’t settle in wrinkles.
But one thing to remember here is to manage your expectations. No matter what the product claims, a topical wrinkle remover will not smooth out deep wrinkles 100%. It’s simply impossible.
It can soften the look of those wrinkles to a certain degree. But there’s no way a topical formulation can replace the volumizing effects of an injectable filler.
This is not to say that wrinkle fillers are ineffective and useless. Because sometimes, we just want to look better even if we can’t look our best.
What To Look For in a Wrinkle Filler
There are two important ingredients that make a wrinkle filler effective. Look for a humectant like hyaluronic acid and a neuropeptide like Argireline.
Humectants provide surface hydration, which gives the skin a “swollen” look, so to speak. That’s how they even out texture irregularities.
And neuropeptides like Argireline, which work very similarly to Botox, prevent muscle contraction. That way, they temporarily smooth out wrinkles.
Additionally, you can try a silicone-based wrinkle filler. You might be familiar with silicones if you’ve ever used an anti-aging primer or a primer for large pores.
It’s because silicones have a blurring and mattifying effect on the skin. If you have deep wrinkles, a silicone-based wrinkle filler can work better to give you a smooth, even base.
Wrinkle Filler vs Wrinkle Cream
In case you’re wondering, there’s a big difference between a wrinkle filler and a wrinkle cream.
Wrinkle fillers are made primarily for fast but temporary results. Wrinkle creams, on the other hand, work relatively slowly but give more permanent results.
With that in mind, there’s no point in using a wrinkle filler made with retinol or other anti-agers. It will not have any instant effects on the skin.
And because of marketing, it’ll be a lot more expensive than a retinol cream you can use all over your face.
If a wrinkle filler checks all the boxes with a good amount of humectants, peptides, or silicones, the addition of antioxidants or retinol will be a bonus.
It’s not essential. But it means that your wrinkle filler has both long-term and short-term benefits.
The Best Wrinkle Fillers
If you’re ready to take on those wrinkles, below are the best wrinkle fillers you can use at home to diminish the look of lines, wrinkles, and creases immediately!
1. Estee Lauder Perfectionist Pro Multi-Zone Wrinkle Concentrate
EL had this amazing product named Pro Instant Wrinkle Filler Tri-Polymer Blend that would come and go on the website, which made me worry that they’d discontinue it. Well, they did! And this is the new formula! So far, I’m satisfied. They took out Argireline and replaced it with 5% niacinamide. And unlike the previous version, which had a very silicone-y feel to it like a line-blurring makeup primer, this one is like a serum.
It contains skin-plumping chlorella extract, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid. These two bind water to the skin and keep your complexion smooth and supple. It also has silicones to blur out wrinkles. You can use this one as a topical wrinkle filler and an all-over face serum. But personally, I like to also use it as a topical dark spot corrector because of the high concentration of niacinamide and vitamin C. Apply the wrinkle remover on the forehead, around the mouth, and around the eyes for instantly younger-looking skin. Overall, I think this is the best wrinkle filler out there because it multi-tasks big time!
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, vitamin C, chlorella extract, hyaluronic acid
Size: 0.85 oz
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, non-comedogenic
2. Strivectin High-Potency Wrinkle Filler
This one is silicone-free and it hydrates with hyaluronic acid for a visibly even, uniform base. And for long-lasting hydration, the wrinkle filler contains niacinamide as well. And it has Argireline to relax wrinkles and iron out fine lines.
Plus, it has caffeine to boost micro-circulation. Caffeine has a tightening effect on the skin, which helps to temporarily straighten out wrinkles. The addition of anti-inflammatory oat extract makes this one pretty sensitive-skin-friendly.
Key Ingredients: Argireline, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
Size: 0.5 oz
3. No7 Instant Illusion Wrinkle Filler
The reason this wrinkle remover works so well on prominent wrinkles is that it’s almost all silicone! I feel like this could be a great time to throw in a couple of fast facts about silicones. There’s conflicting information on whether silicones are comedogenic or not. The recent data is in favor of silicones but nobody seems to care.
But the fact that silicones are the best fillers is undeniable. This one has a pore-minimizing primer feel to it. And besides glycerin to boost hydration, this line smoother packs different types of silicones, which makes it work like a real-life filter on the skin.
Key Ingredients: Silicones
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, cruelty-free
4. RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Filler
This is what I mean by two-fold benefits. This is a very budget-friendly wrinkle filler made with retinol. For instant volumizing effects, it has low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, which ensures maximum absorption. And it locks all that in and keeps the surface smooth with dimethicone.
For long-term anti-aging benefits, it has retinol. Retinol speeds up skin turnover and reveals healthier skin. But here’s the thing. This is a wrinkle filler, so you’ll want to use it pretty often. But retinol makes that pretty impossible as it requires caution. If you have very sensitive skin or rosacea, or if you’ve never used retinol before, this one can irritate and may not be the best one for you. So keep that in mind.
Key Ingredients: Retinol, hyaluronic acid, silicones
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Good To Know: Non-comedogenic
5. Mary Kay TimeWise Repair Volu-Fill Deep Wrinkle Filler
This is a similar formula with a gentler approach to retinol. It’s also a long-term and short-term solution. What sets this one apart is that it utilizes micro-encapsulation. Encapsulated hyaluronic acid is released gradually.
This makes the wrinkle-filling effect last longer. But also, retinol is encapsulated too. That minimizes potential irritation from retinol but ensures the effects improve with time too.
Key Ingredients: Encapsulated retinol, encapsulated hyaluronic acid
Size: 0.5 oz/15 ml
6. Olay Regenerist Instant Wrinkle & Pore Vanisher
If you’re only looking for instant benefits and don’t want anything to do with retinol, then this affordable wrinkle filler is for you. It works with signal peptides to plump the skin and fill in wrinkles, and silicones to blur them out. So you apply it to the areas where you need that blurring effect.
You can use it around the eyes for crow’s feet, the 11’s, as well as for smile lines and lines around the mouth. And it’s not just wrinkles but also visible pores too. Considering the price, this is among the most affordable options out there to even out the skin texture and get a smooth base for makeup too!
Key Ingredients: Silicones, glycerin, peptides
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
7. Murad Targeted Wrinkle Corrector
This is a relatively new launch that quickly went viral! It’s pretty unique in that you need to apply it directly on clean skin as opposed to most wrinkle fillers that need to go last. But Murad doesn’t joke around with any of their green-colored line of products!
And the wrinkle filling effects are all thanks to Argireline, a blend of skin plumpers like urea, amino acids, hyaluronic acid, and of course silicones. Just apply it directly on wrinkles and creases and let it dry down. It’ll plump up wrinkles so you can layer skincare and makeup smoothly!
Key Ingredients: Argireline, amino acids, hyaluronic acid, silicones
Size: 0.5 oz/15 ml
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
8. Exuviance Lift Volumizing Concentrate
Last but not least, this is an exceptional serum that doubles as a wrinkle filler. The impressive formula contains three different forms of hyaluronic acid for maximum hydration. In addition, it has acetyl glucosamine, which stimulates the production of hyaluronic acid as well.
And it has lactic acid, which is an amazing humectant that boosts hydration and gives you supple, bouncy skin. This is one of the most effective wrinkle fillers all thanks to its humectant-rich formula. It fills in wrinkles around the nose, smile lines, lines over the lips, and of course, on the forehead. And it has a lifting effect on the upper part of the face.
Key Ingredients: Triple hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, acetyl glucosamine
Size: 1.7 oz/50 ml
This concludes our round-up of the best at-home instant wrinkle fillers. Remember that you only need to apply the product directly to the wrinkles and to the problem areas.
Use a little amount and tap the product in. Instead of slathering it on like a moisturizer, press tiny amounts into the skin. Wait for it to fully absorb. Apply your wrinkle filler after you do your skincare and before you do your makeup.
Wrinkle fillers can be expensive. Some are more expensive than anti-aging face serums. But if budget is a concern, you can always try a hyaluronic acid serum, which is available for a fraction of the price from all kinds of brands at the drugstore.
And if you need something a bit more potent than that and need fast-acting products and no gimmicks, I’ve got an amazing round-up of skin-plumping products to help you iron out wrinkles!
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