Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum ($92)
This high-dose retinol is the perfect partner for the brand’s top-selling moisturizer, Dynamic Skin Recovery. The creamy serum treats four signs of aging (pore size, texture, tone and wrinkles) and is gentle enough to use every night without irritation.
“Retinol can sometimes be a pain to use, and you have to skin cycle and use it every second Tuesday when the wind blows to the east [laughs] because you have to build up retinol receptors in your skin, or else you’re get the negative side effects like dryness and irritation,” says Heather Hickman, vice president of education for the brand. “What makes this serum unique is that it preserves and maintains the health of the skin barrier with no peeling, no redness, no irritation—just results.”
“We used three types of retinoids: retinol, encapsulated retinol and granactive retinoid, which is fantastic because it doesn’t have to go through all the conversion steps and rather interacts directly with the retinoid receptor. It’s potent and stable,” says Dr. Angela Murphy, vice president of R&D for the brand. “In our two-week clinical study, 30 volunteers saw an improvement in the reduced appearance of wrinkles, pores, dark spots and uneven texture.”
