I'm 51 and test anti-aging products for a living: Here are the week's best deals

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We're getting deep into the what I consider to be the most perfect time of year, weather-wise, the season Tony Soprano once famously referred to as "effing autumn." And you know what that means: crisp temperatures, bright foliage, the cozy scent of woodsmoke and, among the only downsides, dry, flaky skin. As a beauty editor who tests anti-aging skin care for a living, I'm constantly shifting my focus to meet seasonal needs. And right now I've got my eye on ultra-hydrating products to help soothe cold-weather skin, particularly those that work well for aging faces and necks. I spend hours each week scouring the internet for the cleansers, serums and creams I know help firm, brighten and add moisture — ideally those I can snag on sale.

On any given day on Amazon, you'll find literally thousands of deals on name-brand (and very much NOT name-brand) beauty products. However, not all skin care is created equal. Here is how a product meets my criteria: It must be a formulation I trust, made with high-quality ingredients I recognize and a proven track record of results. The Amazon skin care deals below represent some of my all-time favorite products: Most are clinically proven or, at the very least, wildly well-reviewed.

Albolene's inconspicuous, no-frills moisturizing face cleanser is one of those in-the-know beauty secrets, a product you'd never think to buy for yourself until a friend said, "YOU MUST GET THIS. IT'S CHANGED MY FACE/LIFE." Well, I am here, that friend, telling you this lush, velvety, mild, no-fragrance cream is about to transform your entire nighttime skin care routine and make your face a whole lot softer and happier in the process.

The gentle, century-old cleansing product removes makeup effortlessly, without water (though you can choose to take it off by using a damp washcloth or cotton pad). It's particularly effective for older women concerned with damaging delicate under eye areas and causing fine lines by rubbing away mascara and eyeliner in a way that is harsh. It's also safe for all skin types. Trust me, if you buy it now (for just $10!) it will quickly become a can't-live-without beauty staple on your bathroom shelves and — if you're a good friend — those of every woman you know.

Would Drew Barrymore steer you wrong? The actress/talk show host is just one of thousands of fans of Olay's tried-and-true classic products, which include this coveted sculpting cream. The key here is hydration: So much of face and neck aging — including crepey skin — is caused by a loss of moisture, and this thick, almost viscous cream begins to add it back upon first use. It's infused with concentrated, moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, amino-peptides and vitamin B3, all of which help plump skin and reduce the signs of wrinkling and sagging.

Women over 60 especially love this drugstore staple, proclaiming: "Great help for moisturizing, I will be 73 this month and, believe me, it really helps keep the wrinkles controlled by plumping up my skin."

This vegan, cruelty-free, fragrance-free formula combines two anti-aging superheroes: ginseng and 2% retinal. Nope, that's not a typo — like retinol, retinal (with an "a") is also a vitamin A derivative, but it's more potent and faster-acting than its counterpart. The lightweight serum also features niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and ceramides for a boost of brightening and plumping hydration.

Our own Sarah Weldon is "in love" with this product, saying it significantly brightened and plumped her under eye area in the course of just a few months,

Other 5-star reviews, like this self-proclaimed "old lady" rave: "I'm 58 and have used eye creams as far back as I can remember. I've used many and repurchased many. I gave this one a try and I must say it does moisturize quite well." She added that the cream "goes on nicely" and "isn't greasy."

This beloved snail mucin from CosRx is excellent for evening skin tone and making your face look softer and brighter overall. It's also won multiple awards, has over 54,000 five-star reviews on Amazon and has impressed most every beauty editor I know.

After using this No. 1 bestseller for the first time (here's my full review), my face was noticeably dewier. Other reviewers have boasted about its ability to soothe, hydrate, repair and improve dull skin — all of which helps wrinkles look less deep and crepey.

This is the cream you want if you're, like, "I think tightening creams are BS but I also want to believe they are true because I currently hate my neck." The Gold Bond firming cream is no frills but gets the job done (the job being tighter jowls and a less reptilian neck). The formula is lightweight and on the thin side but the product absorbs well and is gentle enough not to irritate sensitive skin.

Note: You'll need to use it consistently for about a month to see results, and it won't, of course, magically make you appear 25, but being able to snag this ample size for 10 bucks makes this product worth a go.

This wonder product truly does it all. While it's not exactly meant as a face cream, the ultra-rich moisturizer is used for that purpose by most every seasoned beauty expert I know. It's extremely hydrating, packed with nourishing plant-derived ingredients and is especially good as a nighttime treatment for faces, hands, feet, necks and even the décolleté.

Incredible deal alert! These gilded, Jessica Alba-approved eye masks incorporate hyaluronic acid, amino acids and sea moss to bring loads of hydration to the delicate under-eye area, while also reducing dark circles and puffy bags and blurring fine lines as they go.

They're also paraben- and sulfate-free, vegan and gentle enough for most skin types. Bonus: The luxe packaging makes them an excellent gift.

I've been loving this extra-firming eye cream from Derma E, a truly quality brand that makes natural, vegan and cruelty-free products that won't cost you a week's pay. Made of skin-revitalizing ingredients like copper peptides and plant stem cells, it's clinically proven to improve elasticity, firmness and lighten a darker under-eye skin tone. I especially like it for my upper eyelids, where I've seen a noticeable difference in improved texture over just a few weeks.

More than 1,600 five-star reviewers also praise its lifting and tightening merits, calling it: "A miracle for your eyes—no time travel required!"

If you're looking for all-over tightening, brightening, hydrating, complexion-smoothing night cream for face, neck and decolleté, you can't do much better than this clinically proven version by trusted brand RoC — especially at this price.

The popular cream is nongreasy and noncomedogenic and beloved by both dermatologists and celebrities alike (Sarah Jessica Parker is a fan). And, according to the more than 4,000 five-star reviews, ordinary folks are all over it too: "I'm in my 70s and this cream has been my go-to for years. It works on my skin!"

Another RoC star product, this low-cost retinol eye cream helps smooth crow's feet and brighten dark circles while also reducing puffiness and remaining gentle enough for sensitive skin.

It's also among the most highly rated eye creams on the market, with more than 19,000 five-star Amazon reviews. It's dermatologist-recommended too. Right now is a good time to give this effective cream a try — it's over 40% off.

Yes, CosRx is best known for popularizing snail mucin as discussed, but you shouldn't sleep on its other stellar products, including this intensely hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Cream. A favorite among the K-beauty crowd, this face cream packs and seals moisture into dry, dehydrated skin to prevent further hydration loss. I love this moisturizer for its lightweight, fast-absorbing formula and antioxidant ingredients. The texture is perfectly rich without being too heavy, and the product itself absorbs fast, all of which is why we named it one of the best anti-aging products of the year.

Bonus points: In addition to hyaluronic acid, this cream contains vitamin tree water (also known as sea buckthorn), which is filled with vitamins, amino acids and fatty acids that help strengthen the skin barrier and increase hydration even more. The midrange price point is the cherry on top.

I love Garnier's micellar water in general, but I especially love this iteration, which is perfect for aging faces. The no-rinse face cleanser works like a magnet to lift dirt and grime off your face while still conditioning and being extra gentle.

This version also removes waterproof makeup without dragging or damaging your delicate under-eye skin (and, potentially, causing more wrinkles). Stock up now while you can with this truly good deal on two ample 13.5-ounce bottles.

If you're new to the retinol game or have dry skin, CeraVe's formula is an excellent place to start. It contains just a .3% concentration, which means it will be gentler and less drying than higher-potency products.

It's also filled with skin-calming agents like niacinamide and moisturizing hyaluronic acid. Best of all, it's inexpensive enough to try without the guilt of making a major skin-care investment.

We know retinol works reliably to reduce wrinkles but this Swedish brand's Dark Spot Fix does double duty: It's a skin-lightening treatment containing retinol 8, a stabilized vitamin A complex meant to be eight times more effective than conventional retinol but half as harsh. There's no data to support the company's claim here, but I can tell you this from experience: The formula is creamy, gentle and lightened a stubborn brown spot on my cheek I'd been annoyed by for years in just three weeks.

Though no results will be as effective as a visit to the dermatologist, if you're dealing with mild hyperpigmentation, this is an at-home skin-care win — especially at this price.

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.