Retinol Skincare: The Best Over-The-Counter Retinols, According to a Skin Expert

Retinol. It’s one of the most widely beloved skincare ingredients for its proven results and power to improve skin texture, tone, pigmentation and signs of aging with nightly use. But how does it work? The potent ingredient increases skin-cell turnover, blood flow and actually thickens the skin over time, according to Virginia McIntosh, LE, CLS, and aesthetician at Majewski Plastic Surgery and Spa.

“There’s a reason it’s considered the gold standard of anti-aging!” she says. “It’s great for overall texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and the appearance of pores.” 

But with an ingredient so popular, comes a treasure trove of options on the skincare market—and a variety of terms that can make choosing a simple retinol overwhelming.

If you’ve seen “Retin-a” and “Retinol,” both retinoids, and are confused, don’t be. Both are made from vitamin A and promote faster skin cell turnover, but while Retin-a is an FDA-approved prescription medication to treat acne, Retinol is more commonly found in over-the-counter skin care products, like those from SkinMedica and SkinCeuticals that McIntosh recommends below. (For a more detailed explanation of retinoids, these dermatologists set the record straight).

“Retinol contains other ingredients that can combat the dryness and irritation associated with Retin-a,” she says. “Plus, both SkinMedica and SkinCeuticals .5 Retinols (more on the numbers below!) were independently tested against prescription Retin-a and yielded the same results.”

We promise: getting started with a retinol in your regimen doesn’t have to be intimidating. “If you’re new to retinols, I would suggest starting low and building up to the strongest percentage you can handle,” says McIntosh. She recommends this path of treatment to help your skin form a tolerance to the results-driven ingredient. “Start with a low-dose retinol every third to every other night at first, gradually increasing to every night over an 8-12 week period.” Check out McIntosh’s favorite options below: 

SkinMedica 

A nighttime retinol lotion, the SkinMedica Age Defense Retinol Complex is offered in three concentrations: Retinol Complex .25 ($62), a great retinol introduction for first-time users of various skin types; Retinol Complex .5 ($78), which is formulated for skin that’s already tolerant to retinol treatments and stimulates collagen production and cell renewal a bit faster; and Retinol Complex 1.0 ($93), a great option for skin types that are pre-conditioned to retinol treatment. Because of its intense concentration, it minimizes the appearance of age spots and wrinkles, as well as improves elasticity and can even reduce acne scars.

SkinCeuticals Retinol 

Similar to SkinMedica’s options, advanced skincare brand SkinCeuticals offers three concentrations of its beloved Retinol Cream: Retinol 0.3, Retinol 0.5 and Retinol 1.0 ($67). The facial cream is packed with pure retinol to not only improve the appearance of visible fine lines and pesky signs of aging, but it also minimizes both pores and breakouts. While SkinCeuticals’ night cream retinols are designed to minimize irritation often associated with the ingredient, drying effects can occur in more concentrated versions (of any brand!), so McIntosh suggests introducing a highly moisturizing cream into your routine. “SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid is a great product to use in conjunction with their retinol to lessen the drying effects,” she says. All products are available in store at Majewski Plastic Surgery and Spa.