We found a derm-approved formulation for every skin type.
Retinol is the answer to almost any skin issue — acne, fine lines, dark spots, drooping, dullness, dark circles, enlarged pores — you can think of. The best retinol cream can help address all of the above concerns and improve your skin’s appearance and texture with consistent use.
To help you sort the amazing products from their suspicious or just-average counterparts, keep scrolling for our favorite, dermatologist-approved retinol creams. At the bottom of this page, you’ll find frequently asked questions about all things retinol.
Best Overall: Eau Thermale Avène RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream
Instead of retinol, Eau Thermale Avène’s RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream is formulated with its sibling, retinaldehyde, and the brand’s Thermal Spring Water, which soothes and calms the skin in the event of irritation. The brightening cream smooths and evens skin, leading to a more radiant glow. The brand recommends that users apply this product at nighttime and incorporate sunscreen into their daily routines. Mamina Turegano, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New Orleans, Louisiana, deems this as a “good starter retinol for those with very sensitive and dry skin.”
The Retinol Cocktail: Lancer Skincare Advanced Retinol Treatment
Consider the Lancer Skincare Advanced Retinol Treatment as one of the most intensive retinol formulations on this list. This custardy formula combines the line-smoothing powers of retinol with its gentler cousin, bakuchiol to significantly improve skin elasticity, firmness, and tone. Though it contains mild bakuchiol, this highly-concentrated formula isn’t for sensitive skin types, considering that it contains a potent 1.25% concentration of retinol (cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson previously told Allure that the highest percentage of retinol recommended for an over-the-counter product is 1%). With that being said, those who aren’t highly sensitive to retinol won’t feel intense stinging or irritation, all thanks to the addition of moisturizing and soothing prickly pear extract.
Best Retinol for Acne-Prone Skin: Shani Darden Skin Care Retinol Reform Treatment
The Allure Best of Beauty-winning Shani Darden Skin Care Retinol Reform Treatment Serum goes above and beyond with the addition of exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids (lactic acid, to be exact), which reduce the appearance of fine lines while having the added benefit of unclogging pores and minimizing breakouts. It’s basically a two-in-one wrinkle and acne treatment that’ll refine your skin texture, so it’s especially great for acne-prone skin.
This formula is also gentle enough for senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen, a self-described sensitive skin type, to use. “Most retinol formulas leave my skin red and aching the morning after application, but this one houses aloe vera, glycerin, and rosemary leaf extract to hydrate and soothe, leaving behind fresh-looking skin that’s not tight-feeling or itchy every single time I use it,” she says. However, sensitive skin types should still proceed with caution and patch test before applying to their faces, considering that the concentration percentage of retinol is not disclosed by the brand for this treatment.
Best Skin-Brightening Retinol: Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment
What makes Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment so unique is its active ingredient combination of retinol and vitamin C, an antioxidant known for its brightening effects and hyperpigmentation-reducing properties. As this topical treats your skin with the line-diminishing benefits of retinol, it also addresses discoloration — and further firms the skin with the wonderful addition of peptides to its formula.
Best Intensive Retinol: Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream
New York-based board-certified dermatologist David Kim, MD, recommends A-Passioni Retinol Cream, which contains 1% retinol encased in nourishing oils like passionfruit, apricot, jojoba, and marula. It also happens to a Best of Beauty Award winner, in case that sways you. However, “it’s important to note that 1% retinol is a relatively high concentration and could be irritating to people with sensitive skin, especially patients with eczema or rosacea,” Dr. Kim cautions.
As we talked about earlier, the ideal frequency is different for everyone, so start slow and small (a pea-sized amount) in terms of dosage and build up over the course of a few weeks. “I typically recommend patients apply a moisturizer on top to alleviate any potential dryness,” Dr. Kim adds.
Best Allure Award-Winner Under $60: La Roche-Posay Redermic R Retinol Cream
In as little as a month, La Roche-Posay Redermic R Retinol Cream — a winner of Allure’s Best of Beauty Awards — can noticeably diminish wrinkles and soften skin. This particular cream’s smoothing benefits come from a combination of pure retinol and lipohydroxy acid. The thick white cream melts like butter to completely reform the skin’s look and feel. It’s also gentle enough to not cause major irritation to sensitive skin. Even so, treat it as you would any new retinol — start off gradually before increasing frequency in use.
Best Lightweight Moisturizer: Obagi Medical Retivance Skin Rejuvenating Complex
Dr. Turegano bills this lightweight moisturizer as a “gentle yet effective retinol.” Why you ask? This lightweight moisture stars retinaldehyde, a stable and less potent form of vitamin A that is better suited for more sensitive skin but still packs a punch in terms of improving elasticity and curbing the appearance of wrinkles. Furthermore, ingredients such as chamomile, shea butter, and vitamin E act as calming agents.
Best Retinol Neck Cream: SkinCeuticals Tripeptide-R Neck Repair
SkinCeuticals Tripeptide-R Neck Repair’s 0.2% pure, slow-release retinol (to boost cell turnover), 2.5% tripeptide concentrate, and 5% glaucine (derived from yellow poppy seed) complex is specifically designed to treat signs of aging in the neck. That includes smoothing out the appearance of neck lines, firming delicate neck skin, and reducing crepiness. Massage one to two pumps every other night in an upwards motion (up to the jawline) and steadily increase usage if/when your skin can tolerate it.
P.S. This isn’t the only SkinCeuticals retinol product worth noting — the brand also offers face creams with concentrations of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5%.
Best Drugstore Retinol: Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ 0.3% Night Cream
Effective retinol treatments don’t necessarily equate to high price points. Case in point? Dr. Turegano recommends Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair Pro + 0.3% Night Cream as a relatively affordable option that is a “very gentle yet fast-acting product for anyone who is a beginner to retinol.” While this 0.3% concentration of pure retinol is the drugstore brand’s highest offering yet, all skin types should be able to handle this cream, as it’s cushioned with glycerin and hyaluronic acid to support softer, smoother skin.
Best Soothing Retinol Cream: IT Cosmetics Hello Results Wrinkle-Reducing Daily Retinol Serum-in-Cream
Apart from retinol, of course, this IT Cosmetics serum-like cream is notable for also featuring “niacinamide, vitamin E, and panthenol to moisturize and soothe [the skin],” Dr. Turegano notes. If you have ultra-sensitive skin and crave extra assurance, you can always pair this treatment with another moisturizer that goes heavy on ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
The pump top might be our favorite design feature. It keeps all of the retinol goodness sealed shut and away from potential contaminants (we’ve all been guilty of leaving our skin-care bottles and tubs open), dispenses the perfect dose, and makes application mess-free.
Best Fragrance-Free Retinol: Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer
The beauty of some over-the-counter retinol formulas is the drugstore prices. Ringing in at less than $40, Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer promises that its retinol (yes, actual retinol) quickly promotes smoother, brighter skin, and it gets additional hydrating and firming support from niacinamide (a.k.a. vitamin B3) and a line-reducing peptide. This fragrance-free nighttime formula is an ideal starter retinol both for your retinoid-virgin skin and budget.
Best Antioxidant Cream: Dr. Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Intense Wrinkle Cream
You might’ve heard of the stabilizing powers of ferulic acid when paired with vitamin C, but did you know that it’s also a mightily useful partner to retinol? Let us explain. In Dr. Dennis Gross’s Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Intense Wrinkle Cream, you’ll find an age-defying concoction of retinol, bakuchiol (a popular, plant-based retinol alternative), rambutan, and ferulic acid that amps up your skin’s collagen production to visibly smooth fine lines, treat dryness and roughness, and restore elasticity. Now that’s the power of antioxidants (such as ferulic acid) at work.
Best Customizable Retinol: Fig.1 Retinol Night Cream
Fig.1’s Retinol Night Cream is ideal for beginners because it only contains a retinol level of 0.15%, making it super gentle (but effective) for those who are just starting out. Just apply a thin layer to your freshly-cleansed skin every other night and you’ll start seeing results before you know it. And if you’re ready to level up, Fig.1 also offers No. 2 (0.3% retinol) and No. 3 (0.6% retinol) for $52 and $62, respectively.
Best Retinol for All Skin Types: Verso Night Cream
Want to know a fascinating fact about this antioxidant-enriched Verso Night Cream? Its fan base comprises folks of all skin types — oily, prickly, dry, pimple-prone, young, not-so-young — you name it. While its star ingredient, retinyl retinoate, is less fierce than retinol, one study found it to be more effective at stimulating hyaluronan production than both retinol and retinoic acid.
“Hyaluronan helps retain water in our cells and is involved in cell division and migration,” says Wilson. Ramping up your supply can not only abet vitamin A’s brightening actions but also increase skin’s tolerance and offset any desiccating side effects.
Best Moisturizer with SPF: CeraVe Skin Renewing Day Cream with Sunscreen
We always appreciate a skin-care product that incorporates UV protection, which is just one of the reasons why CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Day Cream with Sunscreen has earned our stamp of approval. Formulated with SPF 30, this moisturizer features encapsulated retinol for time-released goodness to prevent irritation. Like the rest of CeraVe’s dependable lineup, it also features three ceramides as well as good ‘ol hyaluronic acid to restore the barrier and seal in moisture.
Best Peptide Serum: Sobel Skin Rx 4.5% Retinol Night Treatment
If 4.5% sounds like a higher retinol concentration than your typical OTC retinol formula, your suspicions are right: 2% is the usual maximum. Developed by a dermatologist, Sobel Skin Rx 4.5% Retinol Night Treatment offsets the extra retinol — and the potential irritation it can cause — with soothing ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, and macadamia seed oil to help fortify your skin’s barrier. And while the retinol gets to work on fine lines, it gets a helping hand from similarly smoothing peptides.
What is retinol?
The transformative ingredient is otherwise known as pure vitamin A. Along with a bunch of other vitamin-A derivatives starting with the letter R, retinol is an example of a retinoid — that’s the catchall term for these A-based formulas, both the over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription (Rx) varieties.
As a refresher, retinoic acid is the active form of vitamin A that immediately binds with receptors on our skin cells, causing them to behave in a healthier capacity. This directive can translate to countless improvements, like normalized cell turnover for clear, glowing skin; balanced pigment production for fewer dark spots; revved-up collagen synthesis for smoother skin and tighter pores.
How much retinol should I use?
“When it comes to a retinol cream, it’s important to know what percentage of retinol is included in the formula to determine if the product is actually going to deliver all the glorious benefits vitamin A has,” Dr. Kim explains. “Studies have shown that retinol is about 10 times less potent than prescription-strength retinoic acid, so I usually recommend products with at least 0.25% retinol.”
How often should I apply retinol?
Especially for first-time users, retinol treatments generally come with an irksome adjustment period. Over-the-counter vitamin-A formulations, like those with retinol and retinaldehyde (often shortened to retinal), tend to be weaker because the skin has to convert them to retinoic acid before they can take full effect. With any retinoid, especially if you have sensitive skin, you have to practice restraint and apply a pea-size drop only one or two nights a week until your skin acclimates.
Will retinol irritate my skin?
New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD, reminds us that some degree of irritation — like dryness, peeling, redness, and burning — is normal and should subside by the fourth week. You can also buffer your retinoids with a squirt of anti-inflammatory serum or lotion — think formulas spiked with niacinamide, polyphenols, lipids, and ceramides. These are doctors’ orders — well-established ones — that we’ve long practiced and preached.
Even still, this hasn’t completely spared many of us from going through quite a few retinoid rough patches or falling for common retinol myths. (News flash: they don’t increase your risk for developing sunburns, but you should obviously still wear SPF regardless to avoid sun damage.) Landing on a retinol that your skin won’t reject takes patience and knowledge, but most of the latter’s credit goes to the cosmetic chemists who’ve dreamed up innovative ways to deliver all the magic of this molecule without the cursed side effects.
In our extensive search for non-irritating retinols, we’ve discovered plenty of standouts that are at once ultra-effective yet gentle enough for the retinoid-intolerant. What makes these non-Rx gems so transformative is that they all contain either pure retinol or a next-generation derivative shown to turn on those same aforementioned receptors to spark visible change.
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When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of retinol creams, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors — along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
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