Can’t Afford Filler? A Plastic Surgeon Says This $20 Plumping Serum Is “the Closest Thing” to I

Increases Hyaluronic Acid Levels by 30%, Per a Plastic Surgeon: SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan Serum,
31,500+ 5-Star Ratings: The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum, $10
Firms Skin and Softens Wrinkles: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum, $20
Plastic Surgeon’s Favorite Peptide Product: SkinBetter InterFuse Face and Neck Treatment Cream, $150

There are lots of good arguments for both getting and not getting filler. A big one for the latter, in my book at least, is the price—my research tells me you’re looking at spending at least $700, though likely more. And this is not a one-time expense; filler eventually dissolves and/or migrates (another con). I asked plastic surgeon Mike Roskies, MD, MSc, to explain how filler works and what the closest topical alternatives are. A quick spoiler: There are many, and they start at just $10.

First of all, Dr. Roskies wants to be clear about “what filler actually does.” It’s less complicated than anything that requires a syringe might seem. “It’s hyaluronic acid placed under the skin to restore volume,” he explains. “It can make skin look plumper, smoother, and firmer by holding water in the skin, stimulating your own collagen, and remodeling it over time.” If that sounds impossible to replicate with something over the counter…well, technically, that’s because it is. However, “the closest thing you can get to filler at home is a hyaluronic acid serum, because that’s literally what most filler is made of,” Dr. Roskies adds.

SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan Serum

Credit: Dermstore

$120 at Dermstore

“Hyaluronic acid binds water in the upper layers of the skin, so fine lines look softer, and the surface looks plumper and more hydrated almost immediately,” he says. “It’s the most filler-adjacent thing you can apply.” He also suggests looking for a product with several molecular weights of the ingredient so that hydration is able to penetrate multiple layers of the skin. His practice uses SkinCeuticals’s HA Intensifier Multi-Glycan, “a corrective serum proven to amplify the skin’s own hyaluronic acid levels by 30 percent.”

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum

Credit: Amazon

$10 at Amazon

The SkinCeuticals serum is a fraction of the cost of actual filler, but if you want something even more economical, Dr. Roskies recommends The Ordinary’s $10 Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum. “It’s the same hero ingredient at a drugstore price,” he says. For best results, “apply it to slightly damp skin and seal with a moisturizer.”

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Hyaluronic Acid, Anti-Aging Peptide Serum

Credit: Amazon

$20 at Amazon

The next best thing to filler? According to Dr. Roskies, it’s peptide serum. “Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as messengers, nudging [cells] to produce more collagen and elastin.” With regular, long-term use, a serum like this can “translate to firmer skin and softer expression lines,” he says.

SkinBetter InterFuse Face and Neck Treatment Cream

SkinBetter Science InterFuse Treatment Cream Eye

Credit: SkinBetter

$150 at Skinbetter.com

The plastic surgeon’s go-to peptide serum is SkinBetter’s InterFuse Face and Neck Treatment Cream. It combines multiple peptides with hyaluronic acid to combat lines and wrinkles. The formula “signals your skin to build collagen, which is what gives a face its firmness and lift,” Dr. Roskies says.

Below, check out more plastic surgeon recommendations for filler and Botox alternatives.