Middle-Aged Shoppers Say This Non-Irritating Retinol Serum Makes Wrinkles 'Not Noticeable' (2024)

Love it or loathe it, working in the beauty industry means trying a lot of different products. For the most part I’m game to test any and all formulations that come across my desk, with one notable exception: retinol. That’s because I’ve finally found one that doesn’t leave my skin irritated and flaky, only glowy and youthful. For the better part of six months, my one and only retinol serum has been Dermalogica’s Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum ($94).

You only need a pea-size amount of this best-selling and celebrity-loved retinol serum to see benefits like smoother skin texture, less blemishes, reduced pore size and wrinkles and faded dark spots. As the name suggests, its hero ingredient is retinol, or vitamin A; specifically three skin-smoothing retinols the brand coins its Retinoid Complex. To balance out any irritation that this powerful anti-ager can cause, the formula also includes barrier-restoring squalane and beta-glucan, a humectant moisturizer that also repairs skin and prevents future damage.

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Courteney Cox, fresh off her 60th birthday, and 31-year-old Selena Gomez are both fans of Dermalogica’s Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum; just one example of its popularity among consumers of all ages. “It makes my skin glow without irritating it and helps with my hyperpigmentation,” wrote one shopper in their 30s. Another reviewer in their 40s said their “wrinkles are less visible,” while a user in their 50s said their dark spots were “much lighter” after two weeks. A 70-year-old shared they use it “nightly without any irritation.” Another 40-something with “sensitive and rosacea-prone skin” noted they’re “already seeing a difference in [their] fine lines” after just one week. Cox herself raved, “It smooths skin texture and evens my skin tone without irritation.”

I’ve written about my love for this retinol before, but to celebrate Dermalogica’s Friends and Family Sale I’m shouting it out again. Now through June 25, Dermalogica is giving away up to five free gifts with any Dermalogica order. Just in time for summer vacations, the brand is offering two free mini products when you spend $50+, four free minis when you spend over $100 and five free minis, plus a tote bag and their skin-sculpting gua sha when you spend $150+. Hurry—these epic gifts are only available while supplies last.

For more of Dermalogica’s straightforward and science-backed skin-care products we’ve covered over the years, keep scrolling.