DREAM (EYE)
CREAM
Fragrance- and
dye-free, this
time-release
retinol is gentle
enough for the
eye area.
Olay Eyes
Retinol24 Night
Eye Cream ($29).SUPER
PEEL
These pads
combine a retinol
blend with lactic,
glycolic, and
salicylic acids for
an instant glow and
long-term antiaging.
Skinbetter Science
Rejuvenate
AlphaRet Exfoliating
Peel Pads ($95).LUXE
MOISTURIZER
A potent balm
that melts into a
serum and gently
fights wrinkles.
Clé de Peau
Beauté Wrinkle
Smoothing Serum
Supreme ($310).The holy grail of skin-care ingredients gets even better—
with a little help from its friends. By Margaux AnboubaRetinol Reboot
SKINTELLIGENCEt’s the ultimate makeover story: Something no
longer cutting-edge is reborn newer, better, and
cooler. For years, retinol (an over-the-counter
form of prescription retinoid) has been touted by der-
matologists, aestheticians, and skin-care obsessives
as the gold standard ingredient for its antiaging and
acne-fighting superpowers. Skin enzymes convert
retinol into retinoic acid, which encourages cellular
turnover and can even improve the “scaffolding of
the skin” so it looks smoother, says Nanuet, New
York–based cosmetic dermatologist Heidi Waldorf.
In fact, a study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatol-
ogy concluded that retinol affects the skin on a mo-
lecular level, increasing collagen production overall
to significantly reduce the appearance of wrinkles
after 12 weeks of daily use.
But the skin-smoothing, glow-inducing effects
often came with a price—redness and irritation—that
caused many users to jump ship and sent plenty of
skin-care companies back to the lab. Now a new
generation of reformulated products allows retinol
to work its magic gradually, combining it with gentle,
skin-coddling ingredients.
“There is less irritation with new formulas made
with humectants or retinoids that are released over
time instead of all at once,” Waldorf says. For exam-
ple, the night serum, face cream, and eye cream inthe new Olay Regenerist Retinol24 line ($29 each),
which took 10 years to formulate, slowly but steadi-
ly release a blend of two ingredients in the retinoid
family—retinol and retinyl propionate.
“Aside from causing less irritation, this also means
that the conversion to retinoic acid is a bit more con-
stant,” says Frauke Neuser, PhD, the brand’s principal
scientist. “You want it to go deep, but you also want
the penetration to be sustained to get the best possi-
ble efficacy.” Olay’s formulas contain two additional
ingredients that make skin more resilient: “Vitamin
B3 improves the skin’s moisture barrier,” Neuser
says. “And peptides help with cell regeneration by
boosting collagen production.”
Clean beauty brands are putting their own spin on
retinol, too. Retinol can easily degrade and become
ineffective when exposed to light or air, so formu-
lation and packaging are critical. Marie Veronique
Gentle Retinol Night Serum ($110) forgoes synthetic
preservatives by encapsulating the retinol in a two-
step process: first with an oil-soluble liposome mix,
then with a probiotic-based byproduct of lactoba-
cillus, vitamin E, and rosemary. The serum is also
paired with vitamin C to promote collagen renewal.
With more than 5,000 retinol-related releases
since 2016, according to Mintel’s Global New Products
Database, skin care’s MVP isn’t retiring anytime soon.I
BEAUTY
ALEXANDRE WEINBERGER/TRUNK ARCHIVE; REMAINING IMAGES: COURTESY OF THE BRANDS.106