Are Neutrogena's Anti-Wrinkle Gummies Any Good? I Try Them to Find Out
I was skeptical of these "custom" Skinstacks nutrient gummies, so I tested one myself.
Neutrogena says these gummies are designed to help with aging skin.
The only way to get better skin is to eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water, use sunscreen and maybe try out that slugging TikTok trend, right? Well, Neutrogena thinks a chewy, fruit-flavored daily dietary supplement can also fix your skin problems -- or at least lessen them. The brand long associated with skin creams and soaps designed to remedy everything from teenage acne to the fine lines and wrinkles of old age is now selling "custom" nutritional supplements that are meant to address your skin's specific needs.
Called Skinstacks, these nutrient gummies, one of the many quirky products unveiled at CES 2023, are rainbow-layered, two-bite creations that are 3D-printed to order by Nourished, Neutrogena's partner in the venture. They're packed with vitamins including A, C and E, along with other antioxidants and nutrients, which Neutrogena says will boost your skin health from the inside out.
That said, it's worth remembering that claims are just that, though Neutrogena says it has research to back up its promises. Like other nutritional supplements, these gummies aren't considered drugs or medicine, and aren't regulated by the Food and Drug Administration or other government agencies.
There are a lot of scammy supplements out there and, normally, I'd be extremely skeptical of a product like this, but the Neutrogena brand carries some weight and it made me curious. Here's my experience with Neutrogena's Skinstacks gummies. If you're wondering what else we saw at CES 2023, take a look at our recap of highlights and the products that won best in show.
How custom-made are Neutrogena's skin care gummies?
Neutrogena is billing the Skinstacks gummies as "custom" because the type of gummy recommended for a person is partially determined by a scan of their face, done through the company's mobile website. The scan, which is best done at home when you're not wearing any makeup, looks at facial characteristics like pore size, wrinkles and fine lines, then compares your characteristics with a database of thousands of faces.
The scanner scores a person's face in categories like "clearer skin," "wrinkles" and "radiance." You're also surveyed about your skin priorities. For example, while some people may not have acne or wrinkles that show up in the scan, they might still be worried about those things.
After that data is compiled, users end up with a recommendation for one of five kinds of supplements. The options are labeled as "resilient," "ageless," "hydrate," "clear" and "glow." It's worth mentioning that all five of the options are pretty similar. Five of their seven layers are the same. It's the final two that differ depending on the particular skin concern.
Is scanning your face like Face ID on iPhone?
I gave the scanner a try while I was at CES, though I was wearing makeup at the time, which might have skewed the results. The scanner, which is built into a mobile website and uses your phone's camera, was easy to use and took just a few minutes. The process is similar to the one used when you set up Face ID on an iPhone.
All of my scores were pretty good, but the scanner did notice wrinkles -- as I've hit the midpoint of my life, I didn't find that surprising, but it was still a little depressing. As a result, the site recommended that I try the ageless supplements, which include layers of riboflavin and the antioxidant CoQ10.
These nutrient gummies are coated in fruity flavors.
What do Neutrogena's skin care gummies taste like?
You can choose between a handful of flavors, including watermelon and tangy cherry. The gummies are coated with the flavor after they're printed. The gummy I tried had a fairly nondescript fruit flavor, but it was still pleasant. It wasn't something I'd eat as a treat, but as a once-a-day vitamin it would be fine.
These gummies are also sugar-free and vegan.
How much do Neutrogena's skin care gummies cost?
A 28-day supply of Skinstacks gummies cost $50. The gummies are 3D-printed to order at Nourished's facility in the UK and take about seven to 10 days to ship.
The idea that they're custom is kind of gimmicky. There are only five options and I tend to think that most people already know what their skin issues are, but Neutrogena argues that's not always the case. You could just as easily stock these on drugstore shelves, rather than require people to go through the scanning process and order them online, but in a store they might disappear in the sea of nutritional supplements already out there.
Is it worth spending $50 on something that might reduce your wrinkles or make your skin brighter? Without hard evidence to prove that the gummies work, I'm not sure if the answer is yes. But a lot of other people already spend much more money than that on similar products.