The 5 Best Retinol Creams in 2022

Retinol is one of the best and most powerful skincare ingredients because it can regulate skin oil, cleanse skin pores, prevent breakouts, and make the skin smoother.
It is one of the derivatives of vitamin A that can exfoliate deeply to give you a bright and smooth look. Long-term use of retinol creams improves skin texture, reduces dark spots, and eliminates hyperpigmentation.

Many retinol creams and serums are available on the market and they vary in their combinations either to enhance or balance the effects of retinol.
Retinol is available as a prescription medication for serious skin conditions. The OTC retinol creams also work, but they take a longer time. Studies suggest that OTC retinol products give the same effects, even if the product is weak. (1)

In this article, we will discuss the best 5 retinol creams on the market nowadays to help you choose the best for your skin type.

1. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream

Oily skin types are prone to acne more than other skin types. People think that they should avoid hydration to cure acne, which is not true. Dehydration will make your skin produce more oil, which will make acne breakouts worse.

Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream contains hyaluronic acid. It is added to balance the effects of retinol and works as a lightweight moisturizer.
Hyaluronic acid increases skin moisture and diminishes fine lines and wrinkles. Also, it makes skin firmer and soothes redness. Along with retinol, it is considered a perfect combination for acne-prone skin types. (2, 3)

Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream is SPF 30, which is effective in reducing wrinkles and protecting against sunlight.
Most users are satisfied with it but you should avoid using it near the eye areas since it can cause burns. Also, it might not work for you if your skin is super sensitive.

2. SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream

If your skin is dull and rough, it is time to give SkinActive Clearly Brighter Face Moisturizer a try. This moisturizer will make your skin smooth, firm, and radiant.

This formula works for all skin types, whether it is normal or oily. It also works for many skin concerns such as acne, aging, and discoloration.

It is perfect for sun-damaged skin since it uses retinol 0.5. The product contains about 1% of pure retinol.
Retinol is one of the main derivatives of vitamin A. It is a powerful antioxidant that enhances cell turnover. Therefore, it is ideal for fine lines, wrinkles, and aging signs. (9,10,11,12,13)

Besides, it helps in minimizing blemishes and decreases the size of skin pores, which prevents debris and dirt from accumulating inside them and improving the texture of the entire skin. In addition, the product contains bisabolol and boswellia serrata extract, which soothes the skin since retinol might irritate the skin in some people. (14,15,16,17)

SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream comes in special packaging made perfectly to preserve the efficacy and potency of retinol. The cream is also non-comedogenic, paraben-, fragrance-, and gluten-free.

The results are fast and guaranteed according to most customers. Within 1 week, your skin will be brighter, and your skin texture will improve significantly.

3. StriVectin-AR Advanced Retinol Intensive Night Moisturizer

StriVectinAdvanced Retinol Intensive Night Moisturizer is a good option if you want an effective OTC retinol that works as a hydrating moisturizer as well.

StriVectin claims that the secret key of this product is the patented Nia-114 technology that decreases the sensitivity of some skin types to retinol.
The cream has a great blend of ingredients including hyaluronic acid, which hydrates and soothes the skin, shea butter, which is also a good hydrating agent (6), copper tripeptides, which enhances collagen production (7), and resveratrol, which prevents any free radical damages (8). The product is designed for all skin types, but it is supposed to be great for dry skin.

On the other hand, some people say it is expensive for the results.
A customer on Amazon says:

Used this product for over a month now. My skin is soft, but it brought all impurities to the surface. This is great but I would have like to know that ahead of time to be sure I did not have any events soon after purchase. Like the texture but feel it is very expensive for the results I got.

4. LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream for Face

LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream may be a good option if you want to get extra hydration for your skin. LilyAna claims that after a few days, you will see actual results.

Many active ingredients in LilyAna reduce aging signs and hydrate skin deeply including vitamin E, green tea, and hyaluronic acid.
The polyphenols in green tea fight aging signs and reduce under-eye puffiness (9).
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that makes skin more youthful. It also prevents free radical damages (10).

Most users are satisfied with how it makes them feel. However, the results are not promising. It may not have a great impact on wrinkles, fine lines, or other aging signs.

5. RoC Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Night Cream

Our last choice on this list is RoC Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Night Cream. RoC is the first brand to create retinol products. After years on the market, this cream is still on the top list of the best retinol creams.
There are no definite percentages of retinol in RoC creams. It can be from 0.1% to 1% so choose the best cream for your skin type.

RoC contains many active ingredients such as glycerin, which is great as a hydrating agent (11), ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), which prevents free radical damages and increases collagen production (12), and citric acid protects against antioxidants and works as an exfoliating agent (13).

Overall, it is a good product if you are looking for a non-expensive retinol cream. The results are not guaranteed though.