The 6 Best Retinol Alternatives, According to a Dermatologist
You've heard dermatologists and skin care experts sing the praises of retinol, the vitamin A-derived skincare ingredient that does a little bit of everything to improve the skin. From stimulating collagen to fighting acne and even reducing the look of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, and dark spots, this long-standing cult classic ingredient packs a powerful punch to really whip the skin into shape. But retinol isn't a fit for every skin type due to the side effects it often brings about, and there are times when you must avoid it at all costs, like during pregnancy and breastfeeding, which is where the idea of retinol alternatives came to be. However, today's best retinol alternative ingredients are deep-rooted in science and provide similar benefits sans irritation, dryness, redness, or sensitivity, making it a safe choice for many.
Meet the Expert
- Dr. Connie Yang, board-certified dermatologist, fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and member of Dermstore's Medical Advisory Board
What Are Retinol Alternatives?
Retinol alternatives are exactly what they sound like. Rather than relying on vitamin A as the main ingredient source, the best retinol alternatives use plant-based and natural ingredients to improve the skin's tone, texture, and health while helping to eliminate common signs of aging. Like retinol, retinol alternatives are available in a multitude of different formulations, including eye creams, lotions, serums, moisturizers, and cleansers, making them more compatible with sensitive and dry skin and safe for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
According to dermatologist Dr. Connie Yang, the most popular retinol alternative is bakuchiol, a natural plant extract that is like retinol and helps reduce fine lines and pigmentation. "Other alternatives include peptides, antioxidants like vitamin C, and alpha hydroxy acids." All retinol alternatives mimic the end benefit of retinol but do it gentler, so there's usually little to no irritation, redness, or dryness as there can be with retinol. Plus, the retinol purge is far less likely to happen if you choose to use a retinol alternative.
Retinol Alternative: Bakuchiol
Bakuchiol is a promising ingredient for those seeking the benefits of retinol without its harsh effects. Its gentle nature and multifaceted benefits make it an excellent addition to any skincare routine, particularly for individuals with sensitive skin or those looking for plant-based alternatives.
2 reviews
$58.00
If you want to brighten your skin and reduce the common signs of aging, this pure plant-based bakuchiol serum lends a dose of moisture to the skin while providing benefits like retinol without any of the unwanted side effects. With continued use, skin emerges softer and more radiant.
Key Ingredients: Bakuchiol peptides, cica extract
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Smooths the look of fine lines and wrinkles, evens out the skin’s tone and texture, calms, and plumps the skin
Beauty Insider Tip: Since bakuchiol is not sun-sensitive like retinol is, this serum is safe to use morning and night.
$89.10
Get ready to say goodbye to fine lines and wrinkles with this lightweight retinol alternative serum that leaves skin feeling hydrated and looking healthy. Packed with plant-based ingredients, including bakuchiol, a gentler, vegan version of retinol, it leaves skin brighter with a natural lit-from-within glow.
Key Ingredients: Squalane, bakuchiol, jojoba seed, moringa seed oil
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Deeply hydrates, reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles, brightens
Beauty Insider Tip: To protect the skin, always use this serum in conjunction with sunscreen during the day.
$285.00
This hard-working dermatologist-tested moisturizing night cream regenerates the skin and smooths away wrinkles, so the skin looks visibly rejuvenated and rested come morning. It also works wonders to improve the skin's texture and replenish lost moisture while strengthening the skin's barrier—a true win-win!
Key Ingredients: Bakuchiol, enzymes, ashwagandha, ceramides
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Smooths, moisturizes, lifts, and plumps
Beauty Insider Tip: Its thick texture works with the skin’s sleep renewal cycle during peak absorption hours, which is why the formula is advised for nighttime use.
Retinol Alternative: Resveratrol
Resveratrol stands out as a versatile ingredient in skincare, offering a natural solution for those seeking to improve skin health and appearance while addressing the signs of aging. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make it a valuable addition to any skincare routine.
405 reviews
$168.00
Most antioxidant serums are made for use during the day, but this nighttime one packs a dose of pure resveratrol into the formula to help with skin firmness and overall radiance. It also counts vitamin E among its ingredients, and the two help slow down premature aging and free radical damage.
Key Ingredients: Resveratrol, vitamin E, baicalin
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Diminishes visible signs of aging, improves radiance and elasticity, neutralizes free radicals, replenishes skin lipids, improves firmness
Beauty Insider Tip: To target dark spots, use the serum and a glycolic acid-containing skincare product to achieve a more even skin tone faster.
$62.00
Retinol alternatives are great for use on more delicate parts of the face, like around the eyes, which is where this firming and depuffing gel comes into play. Use it to give a lifting effect or reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles around the eye, but no matter what you are targeting with this fragrance-free eye cream, its silky texture melts into the skin and never rolls or pills under makeup.
Key Ingredients: Quinoa extract, biopolymers, peptides, resveratrol, vegan collagen 1, hyaluronic acid
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Firms, smooths, depuffs
Beauty Insider Tip: Collagen depletes at a rate of 1% per year, yet by incorporating collagen-containing ingredients, like this one, into your skincare routine, you can achieve anti-aging benefits.
$195.00
Perfect for improving skin that suffers from dehydration, stress, environmental damage, and signs of aging, this super clean hydrating serum increases skin elasticity while diminishing skin imperfections for a holistic approach to healthier, more youthful skin.
Key Ingredients: TCF8, vitamin C, polysaccharine moisture complex, squalane, sodium hyaluronate, pomegranate seed concentrate, resveratrol, rice bran oil, edelweiss extract
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Reduces the look of lines, wrinkles, and discoloration, smoothes, lifts, tightens, firms, hydrates, calms stressed skin, and reduces redness
Beauty Insider Tip: The serum features a refillable design and an airless pump, making it eco-friendly.
Retinol Alternative: Peptides
Incorporating peptides into your skincare routine can significantly improve skin health and appearance, making them a valuable ingredient for those seeking anti-aging benefits and overall skin rejuvenation.
Related Article: The Complete Guide to Peptides for the Skin, According to Dermatologists
$72.00
Rich in peptides and hyaluronic acid, this ultralight moisturizer hydrates and nourishes while giving a plumping effect. It also helps stimulate and support the skin's natural production of hyaluronic acid, collagen, and elastin for supple, dewy skin.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, peptide complex, resveratrol, vitamins A, C, and E, green tea, bakuchiol, caffeine
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Hydrates, nourishes, and plumps
Beauty Insider Tip: For optimal results, pair the serum with moisturizer to lock it into the skin and plump it.
2 reviews
$44.00
This lightweight serum increases the skin's bounce factor and plumpness, improving its overall appearance. It's also hydrating yet quick to absorb, making it the perfect makeup prep.
Key Ingredients: Peptides and algae
Skin Type: Dry, normal, and combination
Skin Benefits: Smooths fine lines and wrinkles, hydrates, plumps
Beauty Insider Tip: The formula is safe enough for sensitive skin, and it's non-comedogenic so that it won't clog pores.
35 reviews
$98.00
This thick, restorative moisturizing cream helps transform dull skin while you sleep. Packing a unique blend of moisture-attracting ingredients to combat dryness, the cream repairs the skin to soften fine lines and wrinkles so it looks and acts younger and healthier.
Key Ingredients: Apple and peptide-derived stem cells, resveratrol, green tea polyphenols, caffeine
Skin Type: All, even sensitive
Skin Benefits: Softens the skin, hydrates, improves elasticity, tone, and texture
Beauty Insider Tip: Although this cream is a retinol alternative, you can use it with a retinol or retinoid if it is applied second in your skincare routine.
Retinol Alternative: Niacinamide
Niacinamide is a powerful ingredient that can help address a wide range of skin concerns, from acne and inflammation to aging and hyperpigmentation. By incorporating niacinamide into your daily skincare routine, you can help improve the overall health and appearance of your skin.
Related Article: 7 Niacinamide Benefits for Your Skin, According to Derms
2 reviews
$65.00
Enlarged pores and acne often accompany oily skin, so a niacinamide-rich serum like this helps improve discoloration and the skin's overall tone to appear more even. Use it anywhere lingering signs of past acne breakouts and redness are an issue, like the face, neck, and decollete.
Key Ingredients: Niacianmide, brightenyl, trans-resveratrol
Skin Type: Oily, blemish-prone, normal
Skin Benefits: Reduces the look and size of pores and redness, creates better skin balance, improves radiance
Beauty Insider Tip: The serum visibly reduces surface redness and discoloration in just two weeks while creating a better-balanced moisture balance.
$65.00
This gel-cream formula is the one to reach for skin that needs serious brightening. Packed with a brightening complex that includes star skin tone improvers including niacinamide, tranexamic acid, kojic acid, pentapeptide, and alpha arbutin, it helps to fade away discoloration, no matter the root cause, for skin that's clear and even.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, tranexamic acid, kojic Acid, Alpha Arbutin and Pentapeptide, the clinically advanced formula is boosted by THD Ascorbate Vitamin C
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Brightens, fades discoloration, age spots, acne spots, leaves skin more evenly toned
Beauty Insider Tip: Start off applying a small amount of the treatment to the skin every other day and gradually build up to daily use so that the skin can adjust without irritation.
70 reviews
$26.00
Safe and gentle enough for daily use, this facial toner helps control oil production while minimizing the appearance of enlarged pores and lightly hydrating the skin. It also soothes and calms the skin, making it smoother and protected from damaging elements.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, chamomile, burdock root extract
Skin Type: Oily, combination, and normal skin
Skin Benefits: Refreshes and nourishes the skin
Beauty Insider Tip: Apply the toner to the face and neck in the morning and at night, followed by sunscreen for daytime use.
Retinol Alternative: Azelaic Acid
Overall, azelaic acid is a versatile and effective ingredient in skincare, suitable for treating acne, rosacea, and hyperpigmentation while improving overall skin health. Its gentle nature makes it an excellent option for those with sensitive skin or those looking for alternatives to harsher treatments.
52 reviews
$56.00
One of the many benefits of retinol is its ability to improve the skin's tone and texture. If your skin can't tolerate it, azelaic acid does the same on a gentler level. Great for improving the look of skin imperfections and the signs of aging, this skin treatment also helps to lightly exfoliate the skin so that the pores look clearer, too.
Key Ingredients: Willow bark extract, orange fruit extract, meadowfoam extract, rosa canina fruit oil, shea butter, lavender extract, avocado oil, olive oil, salicylic acid, azelaic acid, hyaluronic acid
Skin Type: Normal to combination
Skin Benefits: Clarifies pores, smooths the skin texture, reduces irritation
Beauty Insider Tip: Use the product daily to really reduce redness associated with blemishes.
6 reviews
$43.00
This lightweight and oil-free dark spot treatment works hard to reduce the appearance of uneven skin tone. A unique blend of exfoliating acids removes dead skin cells from the surface, giving way to smoother, softer skin with far less discoloration.
Key Ingredients: Azelaic acid, glycolic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid
Skin Type: Normal
Skin Benefits: Cleanses, tightens pores, preps the skin, brightens, improves dark spots
Beauty Insider Tip: The solution’s exfoliating powers allow for greater penetration of other skincare ingredients applied following.
14 reviews
$120.00
This does-it-all moisturizing cream is ideal for improving the skin's tone and minimizing the common signs of aging so that the skin looks, acts, and feels smoother, clearer, and younger. Its blend of acids also helps to improve adult acne and the discoloration that results from it, all while leaving the skin with a natural, luminous glow.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic, salicylic, and azelaic acids
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Hydrates, resurfaces, retexturizes, smooths
Beauty Insider Tip: Avoid applying the cream to broken skin, which can cause damage, but apply it over acne and clogged pores.
Retinol Alternative: Rosehip Oil
Rosehip oil is a versatile and effective skincare ingredient that provides hydration, anti-aging benefits, and skin rejuvenation. Its rich nutrient profile makes it an excellent addition to any skincare routine, promoting healthy, radiant skin.
8 reviews
$44.00
Key Ingredients: Rosehip fruit and seed oil
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Improves the look of dullness, discoloration, and fine lines, nourishes, moisturizes, and brightens
Beauty Insider Tip: Mix a few drops of the oil with your favorite moisturizer and massage into the skin for even more hydration.
90 reviews
$118.00
Consider this anti-aging face oil the antidote for reinstating balance, firmness, and vitality into your skin. Expertly developed, the treatment helps the skin reach optimal hydration and protection while protecting it against daily stressors that cause damage. It also increases collagen production and reduces inflammation to help take down puffiness, redness, fine lines and wrinkles.
Key Ingredients: Rosehip oil, jojoba oil, vitamins C and E
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Alleviates redness, dryness, and itchiness, restores elasticity, protects against
Beauty Insider Tip: Just a little bit of this oil goes a long way to work its magic, so there’s no need to overdo it.
13 reviews
$135.00
Skin redness and discoloration don’t stand a chance against this serum. Perfect for improving the appearance of bothersome wrinkles, scars, breakouts, and discoloration, this all-natural organic face oil absorbs into the skin without any greasy residue and gives a natural, healthy glow.
Key Ingredients: Bulgarian rose damascene, calcium K, organic oryza sativa, organic rosehip oil, organic helichrysum, organic vitamins C and E
Skin Type: All
Skin Benefits: Refines the skin, improves acne, reduces redness and inflammation, stimulates natural hyaluronic acid production, firms the skin, decreases discoloration, hydrates, brightens
Beauty Insider Tip: Rub any excess oil onto dry body parts like the elbows, cuticles, and knees
FAQs
Are Retinol Alternatives Safe for All Skin Types?
The best retinol alternatives are generally considered gentler, safer, and less irritating, but that doesn't mean they're a shoo-in for all skin types. Any skincare ingredient has the potential to be irritating, especially if it is used alongside other ingredients that can upset the skin. Dr. Yang cautions that those with sensitive skin may better tolerate bakuchiol and peptides, which tend to be less irritating than retinol.
Are Retinol Alternatives Pregnancy Safe?
For the most part, retinol alternatives are safe to use during pregnancy, but it's crucial to always understand the pros and cons of these ingredients. "The safety of topical bakuchiol in pregnancy has not been well established, and more studies are needed," Dr. Yang says. However, topical peptides, vitamin C, and alpha hydroxy acids are considered safe in pregnancy." You can always ask your doctor for their thoughts on a retinol alternative before incorporating it into your skincare routine.
The Bottom Line
Retinol alternatives make it easy to reap the skin benefits of retinol without the downsides that sometimes come with it. The best retinol alternatives include rosehip oil, bakuchiol, and niacinamide, which help improve the skin without irritation, sensitivity, dryness, or redness. Still, some skin types may find these ingredients a little too much for them, so a patch test first is a good idea.
Elise Minton Tabin is an award-winning beauty journalist, editor, and beauty expert with more than 16 years of experience. She previously held the title of Executive Beauty Editor at NewBeauty magazine, where she reported on beauty, plastic surgery, anti-aging, health and wellness. She was also instrumental in the launch of the beauty supplement brand Hush & Hush. A self-professed beauty junkie and retinol and sunscreen pusher, Elise knows what’s new, what works and who’s the best to go for every procedure under the sun. Follow Elise on Facebook, Instagram, and on her beauty blog, elisetabin.com
