There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it—retinol is the undisputed king of the skincare world, arguably the most tried-and-true ingredient of all time. Dermatologists love it for its long-proven track record and the wide variety of results it delivers. Retinol works on both the surface of the skin and on the deeper layers, explains Chicago dermatologist Dr. Jordan Carqueville. On the surface, it stimulates cell turnover, resulting in a brighter, more even tone; in the deeper layers, it boosts collagen production to help smooth out and prevent wrinkles, she explains. In short, it’s an excellent anti-aging ingredient, though it’s also ideal for combating acne, helping to keep pores clear, and even reducing oil production.
The good news is there’s no shortage of over-the-counter retinol products out there, the great news is that many of these can be found at the drugstore for an extremely wallet-friendly price. “When it comes to retinol, believe it or not, prestige brands are not necessarily the best. This is one category that big box brands at the drugstore do really well as far as formulation and stability. They do a lot of testing on their retinol to make sure they’re safe and effective,” points out New York-based dermatologist Dr. Kavita Mariwalla, who adds that the price points make it reasonable to add to your routine. Carqueville agrees, saying she doesn’t rank retinol efficacy by cost.
We conducted hours of research on the best drugstore retinol creams, evaluating each by formula, efficacy, and additional ingredients that can help soothe skin. After consulting with board-certified dermatologists to help us narrow down our picks, we landed on the following best in show.
Best Overall: Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream
If you’re looking to give your skin a smoother, more youthful appearance, then this retinol-infused night moisturizer will do just the trick. One of the main causes of wrinkles and fine lines is dehydration, so in order to give your thirsty skin exactly what it needs, you’re going to need an intensively hydrating moisturizer. Enter: hyaluronic acid, another skincare favorite for its extremely hydrating properties, which is also prevalent in this top-rated night cream.
Best Night Cream: Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Face Moisturizer
Contrary to its “night cream” label, this powerful retinol-infused formula works around the clock for a full 24 hours to keep your skin hydrated and firm. Plus, it’s fragrance and dye-free, so sensitive skin types can proceed without caution.
Best Serum: L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives Night Serum .3% Pure Retinol
Many drugstore options will use a retinol-derivative—that’s not a bad thing, these just tend to not be as potent as straight-up retinol. The latter is what you get here, via a featherweight serum that absorbs quickly into the skin. In a brand-backed clinical study, 100% of participants found that it improved the look of fine lines and wrinkles, and it’s also been tested by derms for both safety and efficacy.
Best for Beginners: RoC Retinol Correxion Smoothing Night Serum Capsules
Less is more when it comes to retinol; you need only a pea-size amount for your entire face, and many newbies will often overdo it, causing lots of unwanted irritation. Enter this innovative option, from one of the most beloved drugstore retinol brands. Each biodegradable capsule contains the perfect dose for your nightly application, and also ensures the formula stays stable and active (read: effective) until you use it.
Best for Wrinkles: No7 Advanced Retinol 1.5% Complex Night Concentrate
Retinol is paired with another proven anti-aging ingredient to up the wrinkle-fighting prowess of this best-seller. “What I like about this formula is that it incorporates a proprietary peptide blend called Matrixyl 3000+, which is a bonus,” says Mariwalla, who’s a fan. Plus, “the retinol is slow-release, which means it won’t cause as much irritation on the surface of the skin,” she adds. Fun fact: It amassed a waiting list of over 100,0000 people when it first launched in the U.K. last year.
Best for Sensitive Skin: CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum
Yes, even those with sensitive skin can give retinol a go. The key is seeking out the right formula that relies on the right type of retinol and the right added ingredients. This creamy serum checks all of those boxes. Along with its time-released, encapsulated retinol, all qualities that also help minimize irritation there’s also a combo of skin-strengthening ceramides, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and soothing niacinamide in the mix. Not to mention that it’s also fragrance-free, a must for sensitive skin types.
Best Budget: The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane
Okay, so technically speaking this isn’t a drugstore brand per se, but the jawdropping-ly affordable price makes it worthy of a spot on this list. Everything you need to know about the simple and straightforward formula is right in the name. You get a 0.5% concentration of retinol, potent for any OTC retinol product, coupled with squalane, a plant-derived hydrating ingredient that closely mimics our skin’s natural oil, to help minimize the likelihood of irksome side effects.
Best for Eyes: RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream
When it comes to undereye bags and crow’s feet, you need to give the delicate skin around your eyes some extra TLC. That’s where this eye cream comes in. It’s formulated with powerful retinol to reduce the appearance of puffiness, under-eye sagging, and dark circles in as little as 12 weeks.
“Overall, I was very happy with RoC’s Retinol Correxion Eye Cream,” said our tester. “I didn’t experience any irritation with it and saw some pretty immediate results as far as reduced dark circles and puffiness.”
Best OilL: Pixi Overnight Retinol Oil
Those who love a good skincare oil will appreciate that this relies on a blend of several oils (sweet almond, jojoba, and sunflower seed, just to name a few) as the base for a gentle retinol-derivative. It’s silky rather than greasy and absorbs quickly, but makes for a truly luxurious application experience you’ll never want to skip.
Best Clean Beauty: Honest Beauty Honestly Pure Retinol Serum
Ingredient purists will appreciate this serum, which relies on upon, wait for it, tapioca-derived retinol. It’s slow-released to cut back on side effects and is also combined with hydrating hyaluronic acid and squalane. Bonus points for the airtight, pump-top dispenser, which helps keep oxygen from getting in and degrading the efficacy.
Best for Dry Skin: Pond’s Rejuveness Advanced Hydrating Night Cream
Extra dryness and flaking is one possible side effect of retinol, the last thing you want when your skin is dry, to begin with. Happily, this luscious cream combines several heavy-hitting hydrators along with a retinol complex. Namely, glycerin, vitamin B3 (aka niacinamide), and dimethicone, all of which work together to combat dryness. (And fight fine lines, of course).
Best for Acne: Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
Differin used to be available only by prescription, but now you can buy it over the counter at drugstores and online. While it’s technically a gel rather than a cream, this high-strength formula is your best defense against acne. It leans on a type of retinoid called adapalene to increase cell turnover and help clear and prevent breakouts faster and more effectively than most other products.1
Best for Daily Use: LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream Moisturizer
Some retinol products can be a bit too intense for daily use, especially for folks with sensitive skin—but this cream is another story. The lightweight, fast-absorbing formula contains a blend of hydrating, nourishing ingredients (including hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and jojoba oil) to prevent excess dryness. You’ll also get a dose of vitamin E to combat redness and inflammation.2
Best for Body: Advanced Clinicals Retinol Cream
Your face and neck aren’t the only areas prone to fine lines, crepiness, discoloration, and other signs of photoaging. If you’re looking for something you can apply from head to toe, go with Advanced Clinicals. This generously sized pump bottle comes with plenty of retinol cream for your entire body, so you can work your way toward smoother, more radiant skin on your legs, arms, shoulders, hands, stomach—you name it.
Final Verdict
Yes, you need a retinol product in your life—it’s that simple. The drugstore is home to a treasure trove of standouts, including one of all our-time favorites, the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream. If you’re looking to capitalize on the ingredient’s wrinkle-fighting abilities, try the No7 Advanced Retinol 1.5% Complex Night Concentrate; if you’re after its acne-fighting benefits, consider Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment.
How We Researched & Tested
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. Our team also incorporated their own personal experiences testing products in their own lives. We then used these insights from our research and testing to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
What to Look For in a Drugstore Retinol Cream
Retinol Concentration
The exact percentage can be hard to find in drugstore formulas, but if a product does disclose it, that’s definitely a good thing, says Mariwalla.
Some of the highest concentrations you’ll find over the counter include Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream, No7 Advanced Retinol 0.3% Complex Night Concentrate, and Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment.
Delivery System
That being said, concentration isn’t the only thing to consider. The way the retinol gets into the skin, such as via an extra carrier ingredient or molecule, can impact the way it works, says Carqueville. For instance, CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol Serum contains a time-released encapsulated retinol to minimize irritation without compromising effectiveness.
Mariwalla agrees, noting that she suggests doing your research and checking out the brand’s website for more info about the exact formulation of any product.
Big Name Brands
Per Mariwalla’s previous point, the big companies at the drugstore are the ones who generally have the resources to put into lots of research and development. Olay, for example, has been formulating skincare products for decades, and you can count on its Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer to produce noticeable results.
Carqueville adds that sticking with tried-and-true brands is one of the best ways to feel confident you’re getting an efficacious retinol product at the drugstore.
FAQ
Can I use retinol every night?
You’ll want to start slow with retinol cream or serum. Initially, applying it once a week at night is your best bet. And you’ll want to follow it with a moisturizer, because it can be drying. Once your skin is used to retinol, you can progressively use it more often. But keep in mind that for many people, a nightly application would be too drying for their skin no matter how long they’d been using it for, so that shouldn’t necessarily be your goal. The same holds true for a retinol body lotion.
Is hyaluronic acid better than retinol?
Hyaluronic acid is neither better nor worse than retinol, as the two ingredients serve different functions. Hyaluronic acid is very moisturizing and can reduce the appearance of wrinkles as it visually plumps the skin.3 Conversely, retinol boosts your skin’s production of collagen, which in turn can reduce the appearance of wrinkles.4 You can use the two ingredients in your routine, and some products may even include both of them together.
How do you know if retinol is working?
Don’t expect quick results from retinol. Dermatologist Marnie Nussbaum tells Byrdie that “Diligent use of Retin-A is needed for two to three months to see visible results. Pending potency, OTC retinol can take up to six months to see results.” You’ll know that retinol is working before you get the full results from it when you see exfoliation, which may take the appearance of peeling or flaking skin. You also may notice that your pores are less clogged than they were before you started using it.
