I Spent a Month Testing America’s #1 Top-Selling Anti-Aging Cream—Here Are My Honest Thoughts
Considering IT Cosmetics' Confidence In a Cream ($52) was the top-selling anti-aging moisturizer in the U.S. in 2021, it came as a surprise when the brand announced that they'd be tweaking the fan-favorite formulation. Their reasoning for messing with perfection? To deliver double the benefits to mature skin.
The recently-revamped cream is "supercharged with two times more anti-aging armor rejuvenating concentrate” and designed to reverse 10 signs of aging: uneven skin tone and texture, fine lines, wrinkles, radiance, firmness, elasticity, plumpness, neck laxity, and the appearance of pores. The thought of getting all of that out of a single, $52 jar convinced me I had to try it—at the very least to ensure it was still as good as its predecessor. Keep reading to see how it went.
The upgraded menu of active ingredients
The new formula's anti-aging complex combines the same five derm-beloved actives as the original, only now you'll get them at even higher concentrations. There's niacinamide, squalane, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and a peptide-lipid complex, each of which does its part to target visible signs of skin aging:
1. Niacinamide
Known to boost skin’s radiance and texture, niacinamide assists with skin cell turnover and repair. “It is also a potent antioxidant that brightens skin by fading hyperpigmentation and reducing redness,” says Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. Plus, niacinamide increases ceramide production, which helps strengthen the skin barrier and prevent moisture loss.
2. Squalane
“Squalane is helpful for dry skin because it is an excellent emollient, which makes it an important part of a good moisturizer,” says Dr. King. "It's able to help skin barrier function, membrane fluidity, and cell signaling, leading to an overall improvement in skin texture and appearance." It's also got antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so it can help soothe redness and swelling from skin conditions like eczema and rosacea, and is non-comedogenic and lightweight, meaning it will work on all skin types without clogging pores or causing irritation.
3. Hyaluronic acid
This powerful humectant is famous for its ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in water. “Because it is a powerful humectant, hyaluronic acid is a great topical hydrator as long as either the environment is humid, or you combine it with emollients and occlusives to lock in the hydration, so it doesn't pull water out of the skin,” says Dr. King.
4. Ceramides
Ceramides—which are often thought of as the glue that seals the cracks between your skin cells—are helpful for smoothing out texture and boosting moisture retention. According to Dr. King, these emollient fatty acids are believed to be the most important component for maintaining skin barrier function.
5. Peptide-lipid complex
The main role of peptides and lipids is to improve skin firmness and hydration. The IT moisturizer contains peptides including palmitoyl tripeptide-1. “This peptide not only promotes the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin but also helps protect the skin from the damaging effects of UV rays,” says Dr. King.
What happened when I tried it
Before I even opened the product, it had already earned some pluses in my book: It’s vegan, paraben- and mineral oil-free, and suitable for sensitive skin, which I’ve recently developed around my nose. When I opened the jar, I was pleased to see the cream has the soft, light consistency that I much prefer over heavy, dense creams. I was afraid the light beige color might leave a cast on my skin, but it didn’t. The cream went on very smoothly, was super easy to blend in, and didn’t add any shine to my already shiny T-zone.
While the cream claims to "improve the skin's moisture barrier in one use," I didn’t see visible results that quickly. But after about two weeks of applying it both a.m. and p.m., there was a noticeable change in my appearance. My deep lines—specifically the "marionette lines" on my nasolabial folds—were softer, and the skin around my jawline was firmer, but the biggest difference I saw was in my skin's texture. I never thought of myself as having a dull complexion, but after a month of using Confidence in a Cream, my face was practically glowing. My skin felt softer and, as promised, I experienced zero sensitivity. One thing worth noting, though, is that though the product promises 48 hours of hydration, I'm not sure I'd want to go more than 12 hours without re-applying it.
So does it deliver the same type of "wow" factor as the original? No pun intended, but I can *~*confidently*~* say, yes.
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