Retinol is known to effectively addresses everything from wrinkles to pigmentation to uneven texture, but choosing the right product with this powerhouse ingredient requires careful consideration. The best retinol creams reduce the appearance of fine lines and improve tone, while being hydrating and non-irritating. Our top overall pick, the Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment, is a standout for its lightweight, creamy texture and high potency. Those with sensitive skin may prefer Drunk Elephant’s A-Passioni Retinol Cream, which contains an effective dose but is also infused with nourishing oils and peptides.
When it comes to retinol creams, it’s important to find a formula that matches your skin type and concerns. If you have dry skin, you may want a deeply hydrating formula. If you’re looking for an eye cream with retinol, you’ll want ingredients that penetrate without causing itchiness and irritation. Ahead, find our roundup of the best retinol creams, including expert tips from dermatologists on how to incorporate these into your skincare routine for a firmer, clearer complexion.
Best Retinol Cream Overall: Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment
Best Drugstore Retinol Cream: RoC Retinol Correxion Night Cream
Best Retinol Cream For Acne: CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Best Retinol Night Cream: SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0
Best Retinol Cream For Beginners: Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3
Best Retinol Cream For Sensitive Skin: Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream
Best Retinol Eye Cream: La Roche-Posay Redermic R Retinol Eye Cream
Best Retinol-Alternative Cream: Doctor Rogers Night Repair Treatment
Best Retinol Cream For Dry Skin: Olay Retinol24 Max
Best Firming Retinol Cream: Dr Dennis Gross Intense Wrinkle Cream
Best Retinol Cream Overall
Lightweight Formula With Peptides And Vitamin C
Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment
Skin type:All |Key ingredients:Retinol, oat extract, willow bark extract, licorice extract, peptides |Retinol concentration:1%
What you’ll love:
- Contains 1% retinol
- Slow-release formula
- Improves skin brightness and texture
Keep in mind:|
- May irritate sensitive skin
- Dry skin may require another layer of moisture
Paula’s Choice is a top pick among dermatologists for its high-potency 1% retinol. The controlled-release delivery allows active ingredients to absorb gradually, preventing the skin from drying out. It has the light texture of a lotion, similar to that of a primer. Layer a thicker cream or oil over it if you have dry skin. To note: Paula’s Choice also has a 0.3% retinol formula for beginners.
Best Drugstore Retinol Cream
A Top-Rated Retinol That’s Hydrating
MOST POPULAR
RoC Retinol Correxion Night Cream
Skin type:Oily, combination, normal| Key ingredients:Retinol, glycolic acid, shea butter, squalane| Retinol concentration:Unspecified
What you’ll love:
- Affordable
- Provides lightweight hydration
- Minimizes appearance of wrinkles
Keep in mind:
- Percentage of retinol unknown (could be anywhere from 0.1-1%)
- Some irritation may occur
- Some say it has an unpleasant odor
When shopping for an affordable product at the drugstore, it can be hard to know when you’re getting true bang for your buck. RoC tends to carry high-quality skincare that has good value, and this retinol cream is one of its more popular products. The non-greasy, hydrating night cream and correspondingeye creamboth remain bestsellers. In addition to retinol, it also contains glycolic acid to exfoliate the skin while shea butter and squalane help to hydrate. It’s marketed as a wrinkle-fighting cream, but the ingredients make it a good retinol option for oily or acne-prone skin, too.
Best Retinol Cream For Acne
Fades Dark Spots And Decreases The Appearance Of Pores
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Skin type: Acne-prone, oily, combination | Key ingredients: Retinol, ceramides, licorice root extract, niacinamide | Retinol concentration: Unspecified
What you’ll love:
- Affordable
- Contains three types of ceramides
- Diminishes post-acne marks and the appearance of pores
Keep in mind:
- Retinol percentage unknown
- Can be difficult to dispense
Retinol naturally exfoliates the skin to help clear debris from pores and can keep acne at bay. If you have oily skin, consider using a lightweight serum like this one instead of a cream. It contains encapsulated retinol to slowly release over time, protecting your skin’s barrier. The fast-absorbing and affordable serum also helps fade acne scars.
Best Retinol Night Cream
Line-Smoothing Ingredients In A Convenient Tube
SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0
Skin type: Acne-prone, oily, combination | Key ingredients: Retinol, alpha hydroxy acids, ceramides, shea butter, bisabolol, boswellia serrata extract | Retinol concentration: 1%
What you’ll love:
- Formulated with 1% retinol
- Promotes cell turnover
- Concentrated applicator
Keep in mind:
- Expensive
- May irritate sensitive skin
Retinol and alpha hydroxy acids can be most effective at night when your skin is repairing itself, and this cream contains both texture-smoothing ingredients.To balance them out, the formula also features healing botanicals like soothing bisabolol sourced from the chamomile plant, and boswellia serrata extract, which comes from frankincense. If 1% retinol still seems too strong for you, SkinCeuticals’ retinol creams come in three strength levels including 0.3% and 0.5%, which are great if you have sensitive skin or are just starting out on your retinol journey.
Best Retinol Cream For Beginners
Gentle Formula With Fast Results
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3
Skin type:All |Key ingredients:Retinal, hyaluronic acid, glycerin |Retinol concentration:0.03% retinaldehyde
Best for:
- Improving the appearance of wrinkles, texture and tone
- Minimizing dryness
- Visibly reducing dark spots
Skip if:
- You want something more potent
- You don’t like pump applicators
Medik8’s formula is made with retinaldehyde (retinal), which has been shown in certain studies to work 11 times faster than retinol. This top-rated, gradual-release serum is good for those new to using topical retinoids to treat things like acne, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation because it doesn’t overwhelm skin and cause irritation. It’s formulated with hyaluronic acid and glycerin to moisturize as it visibly smooths lines, firms skin and reduces spots. And when you’re ready to level up, Medik8’s Crystal Retinal is available in progressively more potent strengths, all the way up to strength 24, which contains 0.24% retinaldehyde.
Best Retinol Cream For Sensitive Skin
A Vegan Formula With Nourishing Oils
Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream
Skin type: Dry, combination, sensitive | Key ingredients: Retinol, peptides, vitamin F, jojoba seed oil, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil | Retinol concentration: 1%
What you’ll love:
- Formulated with 1% vegan retinol
- Has anti-aging peptides
- Comes in recyclable packaging
Keep in mind:
- Some may not love the scent
- May be too heavy for oily skin
This pick has 1% retinol—the highest concentration you can get without requiring a prescription. It balances out the pore-shrinking, fine line-diminishing, uneven texture-smoothing magic with several nourishing ingredients: jojoba, apricot and avocado oils.While this is suitable for sensitive skin, some people aren’t always a fan of its earthy scent.
What our editors say: “As someone with sensitive skin, I had concerns that retinol would cause redness and irritation,” says sleep and mattress editor McKenzie Dillon. “But after incorporating it into my nighttime skincare routine, it didn’t take long to see an improvement in my skin’s texture—particularly in acne scars. I have oily skin, and I don’t experience any dryness or peeling with this.”
Best Retinol Eye Cream
Caffeine-Infused To Revitalize Skin
La Roche-Posay Redermic R Retinol Eye Cream
Skin type: Dry, combination | Key ingredients: Retinol, hyaluronic acid, caffeine | Retinol concentration: 0.1%
What you’ll love:
- Caffeine helps to minimize dark circles
- Works to smooth lines
- Fast absorbing gel texture
Keep in mind:
- May cause skin irritation or peeling
- Might be too heavy for oily skin types
The skin around our eyes is more thin and sensitive than the skin on the rest of our face, so it can often be the first area where wrinkles start to appear. This highly-rated, cult-favorite cream pairs retinol with mineral-rich spring water to firm and nourish skin. Caffeine works to minimize dark circles, too.
Best Retinol-Alternative Cream
A Plant-Based Serum That Targets Signs Of Aging
Doctor Rogers Night Repair Treatment
Skin type: Acne-prone, oily, combination | Key ingredients: Bakuchiol, squalane, glycolic acid, shea butter, salicylic acid | Retinol concentration: None
What you’ll love:
- Gently exfoliates skin
- Boosts moisture
- Plant-based retinol alternative
Keep in mind:
- Pricey for a small bottle
- May irritate anyone with rosacea
Whether you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or just have ultra sensitive skin, you may want to avoid retinol products and go for an ingredient like bakuchiol—a gentle, plant-based retinol alternative that can provide similar results. Developed by a dermatologist, this serum combines bakuchiol with glycolic acid, salicylic acid and antioxidants to lightly exfoliate and hydrate skin while smoothing lines and wrinkles.
What our editors say: “This is a great product for those wanting some of the skin-smoothing, brightening effects of retinol in an alternative version,” says deputy editor Jane Sung. “The high-quality ingredients are effective yet very gentle, and the formula is so nourishing that I don’t always need to layer a moisturizer on top.”
Best Retinol Cream For Dry Skin
An Affordable Moisturizer With Skin-Boosting Benefits
Olay Retinol24 Max
Skin type: Dry, combination, sensitive | Key ingredients: Retinol, niacinamide | Retinol concentration: Unspecified
What you’ll love:
- Can help lighten dark spots over time
- Non-greasy
- Provides added hydration
Keep in mind:
- Jar packaging not ideal for unstable ingredients like retinol
- Retinol percentage unknown
Olay’s retinol products are rigorously tested and highly rated among dermatologists for their efficacy. The Retinol24 Max moisturizer is designed to help firm, repair and hydrate dry or sensitive skin thanks to a retinoid complex and reparative niacinamide (also known as vitamin B3). Although it’s technically a night cream, you can also wear it during the day so long as you pair it with an SPF.
What our editors say: “I love its hydrating-but-not-greasy feel, as well as its lightweight and breathable profile on my dry and quite sensitive skin,” says editorial director Brinda Ayer. “The very subtle scent is great for bedtime—I’m not kept awake by an obtrusive perfumey smell—and its equally gentle formula allows me to use it night after night without any breakouts or irritation. I have deeper-toned skin with a tendency towards hyperpigmentation, and using this product over time has led to a noticeable fading of dark spots.”
Best Firming Retinol Cream
Powerful And Plumping
Dr Dennis Gross Intense Wrinkle Cream
Skin type: Dry, combination, sensitive | Key ingredients: Retinol, bakuchiol, rambutan, shea butter, ferulic acid, evening primrose oil | Retinol concentration: Unspecified
What you’ll love:
- Contains both retinol and bakuchiol
- Hydrating
- Safe for dry and sensitive skin types
Keep in mind:
- Retinol percentage unknown
- May feel too heavy for those with oily or combination skin
This hydrating cream contains ingredients that help prevent and treat fine lines while nourishing dry or sensitive skin. In addition to retinol and bakuchiol, antioxidant rambutan helps with collagen production. It also contains ferulic acid and niacinamide to keep skin hydrated and minimize hyperpigmentation—all of which contribute to a younger-looking complexion.
RECOMMENDED BYFORBES VETTED
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
Forbes Vetted’s beauty team has extensive experience reporting and writing about skincare, and we have tested hundreds of beauty products. We have covered a variety of anti-aging products, including the best vitamin C serums, the best neck-firming creams and the best microcurrent devices.
- Author of this story beauty and fashion writer Molly Calhoun has written about lifestyle topics, including beauty, for two decades. She has reported on the best mineral sunscreens and the best skincare for women over 50, and written an in-depth comparison of the Omnilux and Currentbody LED face masks.
- Forbes Vetted deputy editor Jane Sung assigned and edited this story. She oversees the beauty, fashion and travel verticals for the site, and she has tested and written about everything from the best LED face masks to the best at-home laser hair removal devices.
- We polled Forbes Vetted staffers for this story and included their first-person accounts with these retinols where possible.
- We tapped two experts for this story—Beverly Hills-based dermatologist and stem cell expert Dr. Nathan Newman and board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Kim Nichols.
How We Chose The Best Retinol Creams
When selecting the best retinols, we began by researching a wide group of formulas from trusted skincare brands before digging in further to narrow down our picks.
- We looked at both bestsellers and reputable brands with retinol offerings. We also investigated lesser-known but potent formulas.
- We incorporated team members’ recommendations where possible, in addition to their firsthand comments.
- We sought the expertise of two board-certified dermatologists and asked them what to look for in a retinol, what to avoid and general best practices.
- We extensively evaluated specs for each formula, including key ingredients and retinol concentration. We included options for different skin types, concerns and areas, such as the best retinol for dry skin and the best retinol eye cream.
- Finally, we read through hundreds of customer reviews and only included top-rated formulas in our final list.
What To Consider In A Retinol Cream
“Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A that works by accelerating skin turnover and promoting collagen production,” says board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Kim Nichols. “This helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone and texture. It can also help to unclog pores and reduce acne, making it a versatile ingredient for both aging and acne-prone skin.”
Retinol Concentration
You don’t want to start using a strong concentration of retinol right out of the gate or it can be extremely irritating to skin, and stronger is not always better, according to dermatologist and stem cell expert Dr. Nathan Newman. In general, he advises beginners to use a concentration from 0.25% to 0.3%, intermediate users to use a concentration of 0.5%, and experienced users with tolerant skin to use 1.0% retinol or higher.
Other Ingredients
When choosing a retinol cream, it’s not just about the retinol concentration. “In order to mitigate any dryness, flaking or other irritation, I recommend pairing retinol with hydrating and soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, ceramides and peptides,” says Nichols. “These help support the skin barrier and improve tolerability.”
Skin Type
If you have sensitive skin, it’s important to choose a retinol that is gentle and well-tolerated like Drunk Elephant’s A-Passioni Retinol Cream. Otherwise, “individuals with very sensitive skin, rosacea, eczema, or who are pregnant or breastfeeding should generally avoid retinol unless advised otherwise by their healthcare provider,” says Nichols. “In such cases, alternative ingredients like bakuchiol or azelaic acid may be safer options.” For a retinol alternative, we like Doctor Rogers’ Night Repair Treatment. Also, because retinol can increase skin sensitivity, it’s generally best to avoid things like chemical peels, lasers or waxing unless it’s approved by your dermatologist.
Application
“Retinol can be used year-round, but you must be extra diligent with sun protection with the daily use of SPF 30+ sunscreen,” says Newman, who recommends mineral sunscreen specifically due to potentially heightened sensitivity with the use of retinol. During fall and winter, the skin may be drier and more sensitive, he says, so you should increase moisturizing or reduce the frequency with which you use retinols.
So what’s the best way to apply a retinol? “It should be used only at night, as it breaks down in sunlight, rendering it less effective,” says Nichols. After cleansing and drying your face, apply a pea-sized amount of the retinol to your entire face, avoiding the eye area. Then follow with moisturizer to help buffer the irritation, and in the morning be sure to apply sunscreen. If you’re a retinol beginner or you have sensitive skin, “the ‘sandwich method’ of applying moisturizer before and after retinol can help to reduce irritation,” says Nichols.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our pick for best retinol cream overall is Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment for its slow-release formula and light texture. It’s potent, though, so this is a formula that you should ease your way into using slowly if you’re new to retinols. If you’re looking for a beginner option, we like Medik8’s Crystal Retinal 3, for its fast-acting formulation and lower concentration of retinal.
This is complicated, because the highest concentration of retinol, while most potent, may not be right for you. For the most part, higher concentrations—from 0.5% to 1.0%—tend to provide the most noticeable results when it comes to deeper lines, hyperpigmentation or acne. But because retinols can be irritating, it’s best to gradually increase the frequency and strength of the retinol you’re using over time. Medik8 offers a wide range of retinal strengths, so you can gradually progess to higher levels.
While stronger options—like tretinoin and tazarotene—are available by prescription, the highest over-the-counter formula you can get is 1.0% retinol. However, “it’s important that retinol is stabilized and encapsulated for slow, controlled release to reduce irritation,” says dermatologist Dr. Newman. “Dry, sensitive skin may not tolerate higher percentage retinols.”
