These skincare stars are proven to give you the smoothest skin of your life
You’ve probably heard that retinol is the Holy Grail of anti-aging — but what is retinol, and is it right for you? The derivative of vitamin A is one of the few skincare ingredients clinically proven to reduce wrinkles, among other benefits like unclogging pores and reducing dark spots. It speeds up skin cell turnover to increase collagen production and decrease its breakdown, which both minimizes and prevents lines, explains GH Beauty Lab Executive Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D. While prescription-only retinoic acid is stronger and can give you better results than over-the-counter retinol, it also can be more irritating. Some dermatologists recommend starting with OTC retinol products (like our picks below) to let your skin acclimate to the ingredient before ramping up the potency with prescription products, if needed.
The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute are here to give you the lowdown on this powerful over-the-counter active that’s finding its way into more and more skincare products, from creams and serums to oils, sunscreens, and more. Our Beauty Lab regularly tests anti-aging products that contain retinol, including retinol eye cream. They are evaluated in the Lab, as well as on consumers who report feedback. With this in mind, we found the best retinol products worth adding to your routine.
1
BEST OVERALL RETINOL SERUM
No7 No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum
An all-time GH Beauty Lab favorite and GH Seal star, No7’s serum consistently wows in our clinical studies. Evaluations found the retinol serum improved skin texture, blurred the look of pores, and boosted firmness by 21% after just four weeks. Powerful peptides, retinyl palmitate (a form of retinol), hyaluronic acid, and a vitamin C antioxidant complex helped to regenerate skin with less irritation. The formula also impressively delivers in under two weeks: “In 10 days, my wrinkles were less visible!” a tester said.
2
BEST DRUGSTORE RETINOL MOISTURIZER
Roc Retinol Correxion Max Daily Hydration Crème
This GH Seal star Roc retinol cream for day or night is proven to deliver anti-aging results both quickly and over time. It left skin looking 32% smoother and more radiant after just one week of use, and hydrated it for 24 hours. It only gets better — after four weeks, people saw a further reduction in fine lines and eye wrinkles, and after eight weeks, they reported fewer deep wrinkles and dark spots.
3
BEST VALUE RETINOL CREAM
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Daily Face Moisturizer SPF 30
GH Beauty Lab tests confirm that this Neutrogena day cream, a GH Seal star and test winner, both firms skin and lessens lines over time. “It contains stable and fast-acting forms of retinol, which increased skin firmness by 9%,” Aral explains. “And it improved the look of some consumer testers’ nasolabial folds (aka laugh lines) after eight weeks of daily use.”
4
BEST RETINOL OIL
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Skin Therapy Oil for Face
Another GH Seal star and Beauty Lab test winner, Palmer’s facial oil is formulated with retinol and also boasts hydrating argan, almond, and coconut oils to deeply hydrate on contact. It rated highest with Lab testers for immediately moisturizing skin so it looked “plumper and smoother.”
5
BEST RETINOL NIGHT CREAM
Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer
A skin-smoothing retinol treatment and a night moisturizer in one, Olay’s Regenerist Retinol24 fragrance-free formula was the winner of the GH Beauty Lab’s anti-aging night cream test, delivering noticeable wrinkle reduction, brightening, firming, and skin-softening benefits. The cream raised skin’s firmness by 27% over four weeks of use per the Lab’s Cutometer machine, which measures skin laxity. 100% of testers agreed it made skin feel softer — and they also ranked it best at brightening. “My skin was firmer and smoother each morning,” a tester reported.
6
BEST RETINOL CREAM FOR ACNE
L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal Brightening Moisturizer SPF 30
The winner of the GH Beauty Lab’s anti-aging day creams test, this L’Ore?al lotion contains both retinol to even skin tone and reduce dark marks that can be caused by acne scars, plus pore-clearing glycolic acid. In Lab testing, it decreased UV spots by 11% in four weeks. The “fast-absorbing” formula made skin “bright and radiant” and “decreased the look of wrinkles,” testers reported.
7
BEST NON-IRRITATING RETINOL CREAM
La Prairie Cellular Power Charge Night
Yes, this is a serious splurge, but if you’re in the market for a luxurious retinol cream, it doesn’t get better than La Prairie. In GH Beauty Lab tests, it firmed well in both short- and long-term evaluations, improved skin tone, and earned top scores for being gentle and non-irritating. Testers agreed: “This retinol product is unlike any I’ve ever used. The smoothness and even tone of my skin lets me go without makeup, which I normally would never do,” one said.
8
BEST RETINOL SERUM FOR NECK
No7 Restore & Renew Face & Neck Multi Action Serum
A GH Seal star and the winner of the GH Beauty Lab’s neck treatments test, No7’s face and neck formula with retinol effectively tightens crepey and sagging neck skin. The Lab’s before-and-after digital imaging showed the most improvement in lifting and tightening neck skin of all products tested over 12 weeks of use.
9
BEST RETINOL SERUM FOR BEGINNERS
RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Night Serum Capsules
A GH Beauty Award-winner from the Beauty Lab’s go-to brand for wrinkle-smoothing retinol, these portable single-use capsules are precisely-dosed, perfect for beginners to avoid over-using the ingredient. Each biodegradable pod holds a concentrate of the active balanced with skin nourishers like ceramides and soybean oil, which helps minimize irritation, too.
10
BEST TARGETED RETINOL CREAM
Mary Kay TimeWise Repair Volu-Fill Deep Wrinkle Filler
Zero in on stubborn lines with this GH Seal holder Mary Kay wrinkle filler, made with concentrated retinol and hyaluronic acid to smooth and plump both immediately and long-term. Evaluations of clinical studies showed between 64 and 69% improvement in the look of crow’s feet and forehead and mouth wrinkles after one use, and over eight weeks of use, 84% of testers had improvement in total line and wrinkle count.
11
BEST CUSTOMIZED RETINOL SERUM
Skinceuticals Custom DOSE Serum
Skinceuticals has created the ultimate personalized skin care. Here’s how it works: head to the doctor for a 5-minute consultation (find a participating derm) and leave with a unique custom connective formula, which doses retinol depending on your skin’s needs. Use the serum for three months, then head back to see if you’ll stick with the same blend or adjust the levels of active ingredients.
How we tested the best retinol products
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The GH Beauty Lab has a long history of testing anti-aging products that contain retinol, from serums to moisturizers and more. They are evaluated in the Lab using technical instruments to track changes like wrinkles and dark spots, as well as on consumers who report feedback on their ease of use, characteristics and performance.
How to find (and use) the best OTC retinol product for you
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??Consider your skin type. Both creams and serums can be effective, so which is best comes down to your skin type and preferences. If you have combination, oily, or acne-prone skin, you may prefer a serum or lotion, as they tend to be lightweight, and if you have normal or dry skin, you may want to choose a cream, as these formulas are richer and provide more hydration.
??Beginners should start slow. Only use a product with retinol once per day, at night, to start, as your skin may need to adjust to the ingredient’s strength. If you don’t experience residual dryness, irritation or facial redness, then you can try using it both A.M. and P.M. a few days per week. If you do have side effects, reduce use to every second or third day.
??Use SPF. Your skin will be more susceptible to burning and irritation from the sun while using retinol, and for several weeks after you stop. This is because speedier cell turnover pushes new, delicate skin to the surface. That means you must apply sunscreen every day when you’re using a product with retinol, even if you’re only applying it at night. (Check out our pros’ go-to moisturizers with SPF and facial sunscreens.)