We loved the previous generation of Avène Eau Thermale Retrinal 0.1% Intensive Multi Corrective Cream, but it was reformulated just as our panelists were testing products. We will happily consider the new recipe for any update of this guide.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum had a nice texture, and we appreciated that it was fragrance-free, but it didn’t stand out among similar sheer lotion serums.
With a silky feel and a fresh botanical fragrance, Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream was a pleasure to use, but it seemed overpriced compared with others in the running.
We eliminated Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum because it was too specialized for acne-prone skin, as well as because of its cloying fragrance and sticky texture.
Gold Bond Age Renew Retinol Overnight Body & Face Lotion was surprisingly luxurious—it’s a rich, nourishing cream for the body, but it feels way too heavy for faces.
Innbeauty Project Retinol Remix 1% Retinol Treatment’s satin-like texture was nice, as was its fresh fragrance. But we couldn’t help thinking there was a significant upcharge for the packaging’s cool graphic design.
La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum ran a close second to the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift drops. We liked its aroma and its efficient, sanitary dropper delivery system, but we also found it just a tad sticky.
There were so many luxurious aspects to L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Anti-Aging Moisturizer—the rich, iridescent cream, the chic texture, even the floral fragrance. It earned lots of high marks, but it was edged out because it triggered irritation in one tester, even though its active ingredient is retinyl palmitate, which is among the gentlest, weakest derivatives.
At nearly $100, Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum should look and feel expensive. While the formula is undoubtedly elegant and smooth, the ombre green bottle doesn’t feel special enough to warrant the splurge.
Our testers enjoyed how readily Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream absorbed into skin, but across the board they gave it low marks for being way too fragrant.
Similarly, the otherwise reliable Neutrogena Retinol Serum lost points for its polarizing aroma (one tester thought it smelled sweet, and another thought she detected metallic topnotes).
Both in our fingers and on our faces, the No. 7 Pure Retinol Night Concentrate felt too slippery, and it had a slightly sour odor.
A hearty cream in a purple plastic pot, Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer required too much massaging before it fully absorbed. And even then, it tended to feel greasy on our faces.
A very sheer, lotion-style serum, Paula’s Choice 1% Retinol Booster delivered a nice amount of moisture and not a bit of tingle or sensitivity. In the end, though, we deemed it to be just a bit too slick.
Testers had wildly different experiences with RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream. One tester loved the fragrance, another detested it. One person appreciated the tube, another said it tended to ooze and leak. But, most notably, one tester felt a burning sensation and had to wash it off entirely within five minutes.
There was a lot to love about Shani Darden Retinol Reform Anti-Aging Serum, with its chic, sheer texture and slight botanical aroma. It was just edged out by the SkinMedica serum for a higher-strength retinol product.
The only breathtaking aspect of SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream was its $140 price tag: The sheer, smooth serum was fine but not fantastic, and the plastic bottle rattled and felt cheap. Meanwhile, at $80 and $102 per ounce, respectively, SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3 and SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength didn’t feel like commensurate upgrades over many far-more-affordable options. Plus, the caps were small, tricky to handle, and easy to misplace.
The inky blue color of the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil was polarizing for our panelists, as was its post-application finish: Some loved how smooth and slaked their skin felt, while others thought the overall effect was greasy.
The Inkey List SuperSolutions 1% Retinol Serum had a perfectly serviceable sheer formula, but it smelled like musty leaves. The Youth to the People Retinal + Niacinamide Youth Serum also had a slight funk, and once the slick orange lotion dried down, it felt too sticky.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
