I’m a dermatologist – here are 3 cheap anti-ageing skincare products that you can buy in the pharmacy

A DERMATOLOGIST has revealed her tips for cheap anti-ageing skincare products you can buy in the pharmacy.

Maren Locke says there are three products you can use to help fight wrinkles and duller skin.

Maren - a board-certified dermatologist who goes by 'The Budget Dermatologist' - claimed to have nailed down "an affordable and easy anti-ageing skincare routine that works".

On for her YouTube channel, Maren had a disclaimer: "I am not just randomly picking three cool products I like and telling you to buy them."

Instead, the dermatologist said she'd describe the three main things that happen to your skin as you age and recommend products you'd need to fix these changes.

She said she'd watched her own patients - each of whom had a different skin type - use these products for years and see results.

First, Maren launched into a crash course about why your skin looks older as you age. It's down to three things:

1. Losing collagen - the 'scaffolding' of the skin that holds it tight, plump and taut. As it naturally fade, your skin looks deflated and saggy, causing fine lines and wrinkles.
2. The top layer of your skin (the epidermis) gets thicker and the middle dermal layer gets thinner, due to slower cell turnover - this means you lose your glow.
3. Your skin gets blotchy and seems uneven probably due to skin exposure.

You need three key products to address these three changes, Maren explained.

"You truly, truly do not need to spend hundreds of dollars per product," she said.

Instead, you can buy each of them at the drugstore or pharmacy.

Retinoids

Maren's first recommendation to address collagen loss was in her opinion "the most important".

Retinoids will help you rebuild collagen, she said.

It's one of the few products that can penetrate deep enough to cause your cells to that, Maren explained.

"This is an absolute must-have in your routine if you are not pregnant or breastfeeding," she caveated.

Retinoids aren't the same as collagen creams, the dermatologist stressed - these won't be able to restore lost collagen.

If you haven't used retinoids before or if you have dry or sensitive skin, Maren recommended the fragrance-free Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair - this'll cost you £32.60 on Amazon.

Maren said she uses this on her neck and tops of her hands. Because it's so moisturising, you might not need to buy another cream to put on top.

For normal to oily skin, she recommend the L'Oreal Revitalift Derm Intensives Night Serum, 03 per cent pure retinol, a more lightweight option but with a higher concentration of retinol.

You can grab this on Boots for £29.99, or on Amazon for half-off.

For an 'expert level' retinoid, Maren suggested you look to Avene's RetrinAL line, which has three strengths, for the closest thing you can get to prescription-strength retinoic acid.

The RetrinAL 0.05 Cream is the most gentle and the strongest is the Intensive 0.1 Cream.

She recommended you start "low and slow" if you haven't tried retinoids before.

But the dermatologist emphasised that the stronger you product is, the more side effects - like dryness, burning, stinging and irritation - you might experience.

Lastly, Maren recommended the Differin 0.1 per cent adapalene acne gel for acne prone skin - if you can't find this specific one in the UK, search for other products containing adapalene.

Hydroxy acids

Glycolic acids, salicylic acids and lactic acids will all help combat a dull complexion, Maren said, as they will "drastically speed up your cell cycle" and shed unwanted cells.

While a wash-off product will be best for sensitive skin, you can use a leave-on one or opt for another that you apply once or twice a week.

She recommended the L'Oreal Pure Glycolic Acid Cleansing Gel or the Cerave Renewing SA Cleanser for affordable options.

For leave-on products, go for the the L'Oreal 10 per cent Pure Glycolic Acid Serum or Paula's Choice 2 per cent BHA Liquid Exfoliant - follow both up with a moisturiser.

To use at night once or twice a week, Maren suggested the L'Oreal Brightening Peel Pads.

Vitamin C

To tackle that uneven skin tone, look no further than a vitamin C product - which is also "truly an anti-ageing workhorse", according to Maren.

On top of that, it'll serve as an anti-oxidant which protects your skin against skin cancer and photoaging and treat dark spots and redness.

The dermatologist's first recommendation was the Vichy Liftactiv Specialist Peptide-C Anti-Ageing Ampoules.

Next came in Vichy's Liftactiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector, available at Boots for £41.50.

Maren recommended the Neutrogena, Rapid Tone Repair, 20% Vitamin C Serum, 30 Serum Capsules - she said this is a great option if you don't have sensitive skin.

And for acne-prone skin, she suggested the La Roche-Posay Vitamin C serum.