This year I'm turning 42, and for the most part, I'm really enjoying this chapter.

I can confidently say I know what I like and what I don't, and I have the confidence (or blissful indifference) to not worry about what others have to say.

Even my face and I have finally called a truce.

I've come to appreciate the smile lines I was once so self-conscious about around my eyes. I used to notice them with a small sinking feeling. Now I see my dad in them. And lately, I've started to catch the same expressive eyes on my daughter too, and I wouldn't change that for anything.

While I'm completely at peace with growing older and the story my face is starting to tell, this decade has brought a whole new kind of overwhelm: skin noise.

Naturally, you start watching more reels about the skincare you should be using in your 40s. You ask more questions. You walk the skincare aisle with intent, staring down five-step routines, confusing percentages and products promising to completely change your face overnight.

I was after just one hard-working, uncomplicated step to help my skin look more hydrated and firmer, which is what led me to trying NIVEA's Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Collagen Pro 3-in-1 Repairing Serum ($38) after seeing it pop up a few times online.

So what is it exactly, and does it live up to the hype? Let's get into it.

What is NIVEA's Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Collagen Pro 3-in-1 Repairing Serum?

NIVEA's Q10 Collagen Pro 3-in-1 Repair Serum. Image: Supplied.

This serum is specifically designed for mature, dry skin that needs support, not another aggressive strip-back.

The formula combines Pure Q10 to visibly reduce wrinkles, collagen peptide to help improve the look of firmness and elasticity, and ceramides to support the skin barrier and lock in moisture.

What stood out to me is that it works on two levels: targeting the appearance of deeper wrinkles that have settled in, while also helping soften the appearance of the newer fine lines quietly starting to show up.

It's exactly the kind of support your skin starts asking for once collagen production begins to decline, which, lucky for us, tends to ramp up in your forties.

My first impressions of NIVEA's Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Collagen Pro 3-in-1 Repairing Serum.

The first thing I noticed was the texture. It's milky, lightweight and absorbs almost instantly, without leaving behind that sticky, glossy finish.

And that matters more than I realised. Some heavier serums can actually work against you as you get older, catching the light in all the wrong places and making fine lines look far more noticeable.

This one melts into the skin instead, leaving a smooth, clean base that sits beautifully under my makeup without pilling, sliding or doing anything weird by lunchtime.

Milky texture of NIVEA's Q10 Collagen Pro 3-in-1 Repair Serum. Image: Supplied.

The first night I used it, my skin felt quite tight afterwards. But I've learned that this isn't the product doing something dramatic overnight, it's simply my dry skin drinking it up and immediately calling for moisturiser on top. So that's exactly what I did before heading to bed.

From there, I used it morning and night without skipping a day, applying it across my face, neck and décolletage after cleansing. And for context, I am historically terrible at sticking to new habits. But once I started noticing a visible difference after about a week, it became less of a routine I had to remember and more something I naturally reached for.

By day seven, my skin didn't just appear hydrated, it looked firmer.

Even my neck, which I'll admit I'd been neglecting for years, appeared noticeably more plump. The result was a nourished, healthy-looking complexion, without the irritated redness I've come to expect from stronger formulas. Clinical studies back up these results, with 82 per cent of women reporting deeply moisturised skin after use.

By the end of two weeks, the change felt gradual but undeniable. The deeper expression lines around my mouth looked softer, and the overall contour of my face appeared firmer.

The appearance of fine lines before and after using the NIVEA's Q10 Collagen Pro 3-in-1 Repair Serum for seven days. Image: Supplied.

My final verdict on NIVEA's Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Collagen Pro 3-in-1 Repairing Serum.

This serum proved to me that a product can be both gentle and hard-working without costing the earth or requiring a manual to use.

After trialling NIVEA's Q10 Collagen Pro 3-in-1 Repair Serum for two weeks. Image: Supplied.

It hasn't changed who I am. It hasn't erased the smile lines I've come to love, but it has given my skin exactly what it was asking for in one neat little product: the look of moisture, bounce and firmness, in one step, twice a day.

It definitely goes without saying that I'll be recommending this serum to any of my friends in the 40-plus club.

Shop NIVEA's Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Collagen Pro 3-in-1 Repairing Serum at Chemist Warehouse.

In a scientific study of 33 women conducted in 2025, 82 per cent reported deeply moisturised skin.

Feature Image: Supplied.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NIVEA

Did you know? As we age, collagen production in our skin declines, resulting in lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Using NIVEA Collagen Pro formula in your skincare routine can help keep your skin's appearance at its best! With PURE Q10, absorbed deep within the skin, helps support skin to function effectively and visibly helps reduce wrinkles; COLLAGEN PEPTIDE known to visibly improve skin elasticity and firmness; and CERAMIDE which helps strengthen the skin barrier and known to lock in moisture. After a week of application, this serum visibly reduces even the deepest wrinkles and expression lines. Skin compatibility dermatologically approved.