Shoppers Say This Firming Collagen Cream Is a “Face Saver” for Rough, “Angry” Skin

I can hardly count the number of times I’ve waxed poetic about First Aid Beauty. The brand, which specializes in fragrance-free formulas that soothe and hydrate even the most sensitive, sandpaper-y skin, is among my wintertime must-haves. While it’s not the first brand that comes to mind insofar as anti-aging products, its Firming Collagen Cream — which plumps tired skin and quells thirsty complexions — is a fastrack to bouncy, youthful-looking skin.

The First Aid Beauty Firming Collagen Cream is a highly soothing, firming, and plumping moisturizer formulated for all skin types, including the most sensitive. Free from potential irritants, including fragrance and alcohol, the cream relies on a host of firming active ingredients to deliver softer, bouncier skin, both instantly and over time, while simultaneously comforting winter-worn complexions. Shoppers swoon over the stuff. InStyle testers awarded it the best overall pick after testing dozens of collagen creams. And dermatologists are fans, too, thanks to the formula’s stellar skin-firming ingredients. 

Peptides, for instance. As dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp, M.D., tells InStyle, peptides are “the building blocks of proteins like collagen.” As far as their place in anti-aging products, “the theory…is that they stimulate and encourage endogenous collagen production,” he explains. Simply put, more collagen equals “improve[d] skin firmness.”

According to dermatologist Dr. Michael Persky, M.D., creams that contain collagen — specifically, in tandem with peptides — are ideal from an absorption standpoint. Peptides “help the penetration of collagen molecules into the skin,” he tells InStyle. First Aid Beauty’s formula — packed with both — thus promotes “firmer, healthy, less-wrinkled skin.”

In addition to collagen and peptides, the moisturizer is brimming with niacinamide, a B vitamin that whittles pores and enhances tone by fading hyperpigmentation. Colloidal oatmeal, which soothes rough winter skin, is also present. 

Shoppers are stunned by the moisturizer’s calming feel, which even soothes chapped skin, in addition to its lifting powers. One shopper reports their “skin looks and feels tighter and firmer” after one month’s use. According to another, who has eczema, the formula is non-irritating and has made their “smile lines less visible.” in addition to bestowing a “hydrated and plumped” complexion. Finally, one Amazon reviewer calls the formula a “face saver” for “sensitive, angry skin.”

For smoother, soothed skin and a plumper, firmer complexion over time, shop the First Aid Beauty Firming Collagen Cream.