Retinol Products That Will Transform Your Skin—Ranked

You're one cream away from baby-bottom skin of your dreams

By Taylor Stephan May 29, 2019 10:30 AMTags
E-Comm: Retinol Products Ranked

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Skincare is a very personal experience and nailing down what works for you takes time. There's no one size fits all routine but, with that being said, there is one product we feel strongly about incorporating into your routine. That product is retinol. What's retinol you ask? Simply put, it's a super popular anti-aging ingredient that targets wrinkles, redness and pores for visibly younger looking skin. 

Sound too good to be true? The good news is that is really does work. More good news is that it's in a lot of types of products so you can really find the one that works best for your skin. We've tried 'em and here are the ones that standout to us!

Dr. Brandt Skincare 2% Retinol Complex Serum

We like this time-release serum because it does the work while you snooze. It's also got two-percent retinol packed in there, which is higher than a lot of products (so you know you're getting your money's worth).

SHOP NOW: $70 at Sephora

Murad Resurgence Retinol Youth Renewal Serum

Murad is one of our favorite science-backed beauty brands, so here's a serum we know we can trust. We love layering this serum (made with retinol plus some key hydrating ingredients) under our moisturizer—day or night.

SHOP NOW: $90 at Ulta

Strivectin Advanced Retinol Day Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

If you're someone that would rather do a full-on skincare routine during the day, here's the retinol product of all retinol products for you. A retinol that's also an SPF? We'll take it. 

SHOP NOW: $100 at Ulta

L'Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Night Cream

It's hard to believe this $18 cream works as well as it does, but we've used it and can vouch. It's loaded with Pro-Retinol A and other skin-loving ingredients that'll help reduce the appearance of wrinkles in just four weeks. 

SHOP NOW: $18 at Ulta

Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask

If retinol targets wrinkles (and we know it does!), it only makes sense that you'd want this powerful ingredient in your eye mask situation. Even better: These ingenious eye masks work in just 15 minutes too, so we're big fans. 

SHOP NOW: $68 at Ulta

The Inkey List Retinol Serum

We recently just learned about this super affordable, ingredient-driven brand, and we like it. Their $10 retinol cream is no fuss and is sensitive enough for all skin types to use. 

SHOP NOW: $10 at Sephora

Eve Lom Time Retreat Intensive Night Cream

Eve Lom is one of our favorite luxury skincare brands, so when they dropped this intensive night cream, we immediately ordered it. The powerful yet gentle cream obviously has retinol, but also nourishing ingredients like shea butter, squalene, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera.  

SHOP NOW: $140 at Sephora

Kate Somerville DermalQuench Liquid Lift + Retinol Advanced Resurfacing Treatment

This is one of the most unique retinol products we've tried and, in our humble opinions, is well worth the $98 price tag. The cooling oxygen mist is best used right after you wash your face. We like it because the formula is super potent and bubbly, so feels fresh to the touch.

SHOP NOW: $98 at Sephora

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream

Cute packaging included, Drunk Elephant always gets their products right. This one-percent vegan retinol also contains superfood-rich ingredients that'll give you that baby-bottom skin you're after. 

SHOP NOW: $74 at Sephora

Sunday Riley Luna Retinol Sleeping Night Oil

Listen carefully, because this sleeping night oil is a game-changer. We love a nighttime oil that really soaks in and plumps skin, but adding a skin-smoothing, wrinkle-reducing retinol in there, too? Pure genius.

SHOP NOW: $105 at Sephora

—Originally published April 24, 2019 at 3:30 a.m. PT