7 Best Retinol Creams

RoC’s Retinol Sensitive Night Cream is a mild formula that’s designed for retinol beginners or people with sensitive skin. This oil-free, non-comedogenic cream applies quite thickly, but that’s something that’s pretty normal for a night cream.

This cream contains a milder strength of retinol to accommodate even sensitive skin types. Like its full-strength counterpart from RoC, it also contains Hyaluronic Acid that helps hydrate and plump the skin.

In spite of being milder and more sensitive skin-friendly, this retinol night cream still effectively reduces the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, and fine lines. As expected, it doesn’t work as quickly as full-strength retinol products — but if you have sensitive skin, you know how difficult it is to find a product that’s both mild and effective at the same time. That said, we believe that great results are worth the wait! And in the case of this night cream, visible improvements are most likely coming your way.

At less than $20, this retinol night cream is a good deal. What’s more, you can usually get this on sale for less than $15 at Amazon. What a steal!

RoC’s Retinol Correxxion Creme has an oil-free and non-comedogenic formula that makes it ideal for dry, normal, and oily skin types. We love the creamy texture that instantly plumps the skin and makes it stay that way for 24 hours.

This moisturizer contains a bunch of ingredients that are great for skin health. Retinol rejuvenates the skin and helps manage the signs of aging. Hyaluronic acid delivers instant and long-lasting hydration. This retinol cream also has a high moisture content that softens and smooths the skin.

As far as hydration goes, this retinol cream instantly makes skin look more supple. After several uses, it makes a huge difference in terms of the skin’s softness and plumpness.

Its anti-aging effects took a bit longer to show up — so really, patience is key! Slight improvements in the depth of lines and wrinkles are visible after two to three weeks. In about two months, you can expect a significant fading of age spots, as well as a firmer-looking complexion overall.

This drugstore retinol cream is already inexpensive in itself, and the fact that a little product goes a long way bumps the value score even more.

This product is for those of you who are looking to counteract fine lines, dark spots, sagging skin, wrinkles, and other signs of aging at an affordable cost. Moreover, it’s a great starter retinol product for individuals with a damaged skin barrier.

L’Oreal’s Revitalift Cicacream moisturizer uses Pro-Retinol to help smooth the skin for a more youthful-looking appearance. But that’s not all. It also contains Centella Asiatica extract – a repairing ingredient that is widely used in Asian skincare. Centella repairs and strengthens the skin barrier, which results in a healthier complexion that is better equipped to resist the signs of aging.

This retinol cream has a smooth, almost-luxurious texture, but without the luxury price tag. Using it day and night will give you the best results. In as little as two weeks, you can expect firmer-looking skin and less severe lines around your eyes and mouth.

In spite of being a retinol product, it doesn’t irritate the skin (most likely due to the inclusion of Centella extract). We appreciate how the formula almost instantly sinks into the skin, so it’s a great pick whether you have a dry, normal, or oily complexion.

We were totally floored when we found out how inexpensive this retinol cream is – especially for something that contains 1.7 ounces of product. In spite of being so affordable, it gives surprisingly great results.

This product is meant for those who are looking for a moisturizing retinol cream that also contains sunscreen. In spite of having an SPF of 30, it doesn’t leave a white cast. Instead, it leaves your face looking all smooth and glowy. You’ll probably enjoy this product if you love light-finish hydration that quickly delivers noticeable anti-aging effects.

The Rapid Wrinkle Repair moisturizer has Retinol SA, Hyaluronic Acid, and Glucose Complex. These ingredients work hand in hand to reduce wrinkles, boost your skin’s hydration level, and brighten your complexion.

If you’re after a firmer and healthier-looking face, this moisturizer really works. Its retinol component not only reduces the look of lines, but it helps lessen the appearance of age spots, as well. The hyaluronic acid ingredient makes the skin so much more supple with regular use. Plus, some users even reported that this retinol cream helped clear up their acne.

This moisturizer’s sub-20-dollar price tag is a stark contrast to the mind-boggling prices of the first two retinol creams on this list. Even if your budget is a bit tight this month, splurging on this moisturizer wouldn’t hurt too bad.

Avene’s formula is clinically shown to effectively reduce the signs of aging. It’s an excellent cream if you have sensitive skin and are looking for a skincare product that will add youthful radiance back to your complexion.

This retinol cream boasts a blend of various patented skincare ingredients that aim to brighten the skin and increase its youthfulness. Aside from retinol, which is its primary ingredient for combatting lines and uneven skin tone, this product also contains antioxidants that protect your complexion from free radicals.

Additionally, it contains a photostable form of Vitamin E, meaning it won’t degrade or destabilize once exposed to light. The patented Relastide component plumps and firms the skin. And, of course, this wouldn’t be an Avene product if it did not contain thermal spring water, which soothes and calms the skin.

By the way, this product is free of parabens, fragrance, soap, soy, and gluten.

This product really makes a difference in the brightness and youthfulness of the skin. But what we really love about Avene’s RetrinAL cream is that it does the job without the usual side effects of retinol use – namely, redness, peeling, and hypersensitivity. If you have extremely sensitive skin, however, there’s a chance that you might experience these symptoms, but to a lesser degree.

What’s more, it’s got so many rave reviews for its ability to unclog the pores and firm the skin. So if you’re aiming for that “glass skin” appearance, look no further!

Another one of our pricier picks, the RetrinAL costs $70 for an ounce of product. But just like Drunk Elephant’s A-Passioni, we truly believe that it’s worth the investment.

Drunk Elephant formulated this retinol cream to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of aging. It is vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free. If you’re looking for a lightweight retinol cream that suits all skin types, this is a great pick.

A-Passioni contains 1% vegan retinol. Now, you might be thinking, “You mean retinol isn’t always vegan!?!” Well, yes. Retinol can either be sourced from plants, animals, or synthetic ingredients. But even if you’re not vegan, you’ll probably appreciate this fact because vegan retinol is generally more gentle compared to the animal-derived version.

On top of that, A-Passioni also threw Vitamin F and a potent trio of peptides into the mix. The triple peptide blend boosts retinol’s anti-aging effects, while Vitamin F is good for making the skin more supple.

Lastly, as with all other Drunk Elephant products, this cream is free of silicones, fragrances, essential oils, and dyes.

Three words: THIS. PRODUCT. WORKS.

A-Passioni reduces the intensity of fine lines and wrinkles with minimal flaking and peeling. Users with problematic skin have reported a huge difference in terms of texture and tone after using this cream for a few weeks. We love how effective it is at combatting sun damage. So if you struggle with dark spots and uneven skin tone, we couldn’t recommend this product enough.

Although the A-Passioni is widely-loved for being effective, it will set you back $74. This amount can be rather painful to spend on an ounce of product, but we genuinely believe that it’s worth every penny.