视黄醇、视黄醛、维 A 酸，别只挑最强的那个

While the advantages of retinoids like retinol—firmer, clearer, and brighter skin—are essentially fact at this point, what constitutes the best retinoid is a bit more debatable. That’s because retinoid is not a single ingredient, but an umbrella term for multiple vitamin A-derived molecules. “Think of retinoids as a family of ingredients that all work by communicating with skin cells and encouraging them to behave in a healthier, more youthful way,” says Azideh Shirazi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in La Jolla, CA. “The biggest difference is how directly they get to the active form your skin can use.”

Vogue’s Favorite Retinoids

• Best TK: L’Oréal Paris Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum, $32
• Best TK: Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6, $87
• Best TK: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment, $40
• Best TK: Musely The Anti-Aging Cream, $35

The active form she’s referencing is retinoic acid. “Typically a prescription, retinoic acid is biologically active and does not have to go through any conversions to work on your skin,” says Brendan Camp, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY. These include tretinoin and tazarotene. Adapalene is similar, working directly on the retinoid receptors in skin without any conversions. Meanwhile, retinal requires one conversion, while retinol calls for two. Those conversions effectively act like speedbumps, slowing down the ingredient’s effect on skin and therefore making it easier to tolerate. “Generally, the fewer steps, the more direct and potentially more powerful the ingredient can be,” says Dr. Shirazi.

But for the most part, you aren’t applying retinol on its own in a formulation—or even in your routine. So while it may be tempting to jump to the strongest retinoid out there, “things like the formulation, concentration, and how well your skin tolerates it also make a difference,” Dr. Shirazi says. Moreover, a stronger formula doesn’t necessarily make it a better one, especially if it causes painful side effects like stinging and peeling, which are fairly common with retinoids. Rather, “a retinoid that you can comfortably use consistently will usually serve you better than one that leaves your skin irritated and forces you to stop,” she explains.

Before you choose your retinoid, consider what exactly you need. “I usually start by asking my patients three questions: What are we treating? How sensitive is your skin? And what is your experience with retinoids?” says Dr. Shirazi. If you have acne, you may benefit more from adapalene than someone who’s concerned about fine lines. And, for those who are new to retinoids or have sensitive skin (or both), an over-the-counter retinol can help you build tolerance without sacrificing your comfort.

At the end of the day, “you don’t necessarily need the strongest retinoid,” she says. “You need the one that's going to give you results without making your skin miserable.” With that, scroll ahead for the types of retinoids for every concern.

Retinol

Retinol has turned into a catch-all name for over-the-counter retinoids—not because it’s accurate, but because it was the first version to become widely used in skin-care products. That said, it’s fairly weak as far as retinoids go. “Retinol is less potent than retinal,” says Dr. Camp. “Skin has to convert retinol to retinal before it turns into retinoic acid.” But because of that, it’s an excellent option for those who’d like to dip their toe into this ingredient category, he says, as well as people with sensitive skin. If that’s the case, “consider sticking with retinols, as opposed to retinals and retinoids, which are stronger,” he says.

SkinCeuticals

Retinol 0.5

Dr. Camp likes that this retinol cream comes in three concentrations: 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0. That makes it “appropriate for novices, experienced users, and expert users,” he says.

Revision Skincare

Retinol Complete 0.5 Serum

This formula relies on a time-released retinol, which boosts its efficacy while minimizing irritation, according to Dr. Camp. It also comes in two concentrations (0.5 and 1.0) and “brightens dull skin, smooths uneven texture, and boosts overall radiance,” he says.

SkinMedica

Retinol Serum 1.0 Complex

Dr. Shirazi recommends this one for sensitive skin or newcomers, in part because of its inclusion of moisturizers. “It’s a comprehensive formula with retinol, peptides, ceramides, and vitamin E, so the skin receives active ingredients but also ingredients that soothe and hydrate the skin,” she says.

L'Oréal Paris

Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum

Excellent retinols can be found in the drugstore aisle, too—and they can be powerful. In fact, Dr. Shirazi likes this serum for its potency, noting that it's ideal "for someone looking for a high-strength formula or someone who has plateaued on their current retinol," she says.

Retinal

Retinal, short for retinaldehyde, is more of a newcomer to the skin-care realm, drawing attention for its potency. “Retinal is also known as retinaldehyde and is the strongest retinoid available without a prescription because it is more bioavailable than other forms,” says Dr. Camp. (Bioavailable indicates how much of it can be put to work by skin—meaning it can yield better results.) “It requires fewer conversions than retinol to become its active form.” Because of that, it’s a great starting point if your skin can handle it, or a good way to step up your results if you've been using (and comfortable with) retinol for a while.

Medik8

Crystal Retinal 6

Medik8 Crystal Retinal isn’t a standalone product so much as a system: It comes in six concentrations (ranging from 0.01% to 0.24%) so you can graduate to a higher strength as your skin adjusts to each formula and the results level out.

Avène

Retrinal Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream

Ideal for those with sensitive or redness-prone skin, this French pharmacy staple pairs an easygoing 0.1% concentration of retinal with a nourishing combination of squalane and shea butter.

Adapalene

Adapalene is a bit of a black sheep in the family of retinoids. Like tretinoin, it’s immediately available in the skin—no conversions required. But it works a little differently: It’s a synthetic retinoid, for one, and has a different structure and activity than tretinoin, according to Dr. Shirazi. As a result, it “binds to fewer nuclear receptors than retinoic acid,” says Dr. Camp, who notes that it was created specifically for acne-prone skin. Because of this nuance, “It may be better tolerated than retinoic acid, and is available in OTC and prescription strengths,” he says.

La Roche-Posay

Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment

Dr. Camp recommends this adapalene-powered cream for those with oily or acne-prone skin. The 0.1% concentration works to address blackheads, whiteheads, and other blemishes.

Differin

Acne Retinoid Treatment Gel

One advantage of adapalene is that, as both an acne treatment and a retinoid, it gives you multiple benefits. To that end, this gel works to both clear breakouts as well as the dark spots they may leave behind.

Tretinoin

Tretinoin is retinoic acid. Because of that, “it works more directly,” says Dr. Shirazi. “It’s very well studied for both acne and signs of aging like fine lines, texture, and sun damage.” But it can come with some harsh side effects, like redness, peeling, and dryness, for new users—even those who’ve used over-the-counter retinoids in the past.

Tretinoin can be especially impactful for those with mature skin, offering the maximum power available to smooth wrinkles and fine lines, not to mention fade age spots—making it worth your while, if you can handle it. However, “keep in mind that mature skin tends to be more dry and that retinols can further exacerbate dryness,” says Dr. Camp. So pair it with a good moisturizer and ease into your prescription.

Musely

The Anti-Aging Cream

Musely’s formula requires a virtual consultation with a medical provider and isn't available in all states, but this compounded topical cream pairs tretinoin with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, in concentrations tailored to your needs.

Agency

Night Renew

This overnight treatment also requires a medical consultation and isn't available everywhere in the US. It combines tretinoin with complementary ingredients like estriol (for hydration), tranexamic acid (to brighten), and glycerin, depending on your concerns.

Everything You Need to Know

How We Tested

When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue's vast network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity estheticians—to gain professional acumen on the industry's standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.

As it relates to retinoid creams and serums, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: type of retinoid, other active ingredients, concentration, texture, packaging, finish, and the skin-care concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you. Read more about our testing methodology here.