Walk into any drugstore and there’s one brand you’ll always see on the shelves – Neutrogena. This brand’s roots go back to the 1930s, when it started with a simple facial cleansing bar. Today this drugstore staple is best known for its cleansers and moisturizers, and some of the brand’s most enduring products are the Rain Bath shower gel and transparent facial cleansing bar. One of its newer and best known lines is the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Collection, which targets the signs of anti-aging. Here’s a closer look at the Rapid Wrinkle Repair line, the products in the collection and is it right for you?What Is Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair?
Related: Best Wrinkle Cream
The silvery-blue Rapid Wrinkle Repair collection is an anti-aging line of products that are meant to moisturize the skin while also tackling fine lines and dark spots. The company says that improvements can be seen in one week.
Is Neutrogena Skincare Worth The Money?
A common question about this brand is if the products are worth the cost.
In our opinion, Neutrogena products deliver value for money, but take a look at other brands that don’t require you to sacrifice your precious money.
We recommend brands that are committed to developing clean yet effective products.
One brand is Carrot & Stick, a clean skincare brand that perfectly balances the gentle nurturing of plants with the powerful results of innovative science.
Carrot & Stick intro bundles deliver great value for money because you can bundle 3 full-size products worth up to $240 for $88.
What’s Inside Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Cream?
The key ingredient used throughout the Rapid Wrinkle Repair line is retinol. Below we’ll discuss the benefits of retinol, as well as a few other key ingredients used in this collection.
Retinol
Retinol is the go-to anti-aging ingredient recommended by dermatologists and skin experts. It’s clinically proven to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve uneven skin tone, restore skin firmness, and shrink the appearance of enlarged pores.
The only downside? Retinol can often lead to side effects like skin dryness, peeling, and irritation. The rule of thumb with retinoids is that a little bit goes a long way, and to start slowly and build up to daily use.
It’s best to use retinoids at night. We recommend this retinoid oil serum. It contains Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, an ingredient that provides similar benefits with less irritation.
Sodium Hyaluronate
Another key ingredient in the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair line is sodium hyaluronate, the sodium salt form of hyaluronic acid.
Once applied to the skin, sodium hyaluronate provides the same benefits of hyaluronic acid. Those benefits include improved skin hydration, as well as a more plump complexion with fewer lines and wrinkles.
We recommend Carrot & Stick The Moisturizer because it combines sodium hyaluronate with plant-based ingredients that are gentler on skin, leaving it softer and smoother.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps to protect the skin from free radical damage that can lead to signs of aging. In addition, vitamin E is known to strengthen the skin’s barrier function and helps to reduce transepidermal water loss. You’ll find this ingredient in several of the Rapid Wrinkle Repair products.
We recommend Carrot & Stick The Repair Cream for dry skin because it combines vitamin E with probiotics and soothing plant extracts to keep the microbiome balanced and skin looking hydrated.
What Products Are in The Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Collection?
The Rapid Repair Collection includes six products, including a serum, facial oil, night and day moisturizers and an eye cream. Here’s a closer look at the product line.
Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil – This oil can be used twice a day, in the morning and evening and is meant to be applied before the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream. It contains retinol SA as well as well as hydrating oils.
Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream – Neutrogena says this product “delivers the highest concentration of accelerated retinol SA and works faster to smooth wrinkles than any other retinol product.” It also contains hyaluronic acid, and can be used twice a day.
Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum – According to the company, the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum contains the highest amount of hyaluronic acid to help smooth and hydrate skin.
Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer SPF 30 – What makes this product different is the addition of UVA/UVB SPF 30 for daily sun protection.
Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night Moisturizer – This night cream also contains a blend of accelerated retinol SA and hyaluronic acid.
Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream – Powered by accelerated retinol SA, this eye cream moisturizes the eye area while targeting fine lines, crow’s feet and dark circles.
How Much Do Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Products Cost?
Neutrogena is a drug store brand and the products are priced accordingly, with most products costing between $20 and $30. Some call this price point “masstige” where mass market players like Neutrogena are edging their prices and products towards the prestige level. Both the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil and the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream retail for $28.49. The Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum, Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer SPF 30, Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream and Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night Moisturizer are all $22.49.
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Where Can I Buy Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Products?
Neutrogena products are widely available in drugstores such as CVS, RiteAid and Walgreens, as well as Target and Walmart.
Do Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Products Work?
Neutrogena says its products work “2x Faster than the Best Selling Rodan + Fields Serum.” Its website is full of testimonials stating that “100% of women had noticeable results in 1 week,” and “Immediate results from the first use.” On Neutrogena’s website, customers called it an “Amazing time eraser in a bottle” and said “My skin has an awesome glow.”
The Rapid Wrinkle Repair line has also garnered editorial awards. The Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil scooped up a Cosmetic Executive Woman award, and The Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum won an Allure Best of Beauty award in 2018. In 2019, Good Housekeeping magazine named Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Daily Face Moisturizer SPF 30 its “best value” retinol cream. In 2018 Good Housekeeping named the same cream one of its “43 Best Anti-Aging Products That Actually Work” and said “Lab tests confirmed that the retinol-infused day cream firmed and evened out skin while dispensing a dose of hydration.”
On Target’s website, the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Daily Face Moisturizer SPF 30 gets a four star rating from 374 reviews, and scored five stars for value. Feedback ranged from “It absolutely works. I have tried other product but this one actually works” and “I have been a satisfied user of this night moisturizer for over 12 months and for me it works..” Customers who didn’t like it reported that the cream was drying. “I didn’t notice anything except it dried my skin out and I was using it every other day, after a week I quit using it.
The Retinol Oil gets a 4.3 star rating on Target from around 200 reviews. The feedback was similar with fans saying “I use the Rapid Wrinkle Oil and the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Cream and I have seen great results. Using these two products together I have been told by more than one person that my skin looks great! Like any product it takes time and daily use. The oil absorbs quickly and evenly into my skin” while those who weren’t fans found it dried out their skin. “I don’t find the product is improving the wrinkles on my forehead much, but I’m really unhappy it’s making the skin under my eyes so flaky.”
What Are Some Alternatives to Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair?
If you’re looking for skincare products to address the signs of aging, we recommend Carrot & Stick. Carrot & Stick maximizes the use of powerful ingredients and minimizes the use of superficial ones, resulting in advanced skincare solutions that help promote healthy, more youthful-looking skin. We recommend The Repair Serum, followed by The Moisturizer.
