I have been reading a lot about retinol lately. It's the one ingredient that crops up all the time as the must-have in anti-ageing products. I excitedly went to speak with my beautician about it but she was (somewhat annoyingly) quite hesitant to recommend any prescription strength retinols, because like any active ingredient they can irritate the skin.
I wasn't put off though and after some online reading I decided to give the Neutrogena retinol product a go.
The serum comes in packaging that's light resistant and the pump is easy to use and doesn't dispense too much. On first application I felt the reassuring tingle/sting that means it's doing something, right? Unlike some of the other expensive potions I have been talked into at facials. There are some that as you put them on you feel you might as well rub the money you just spent all over your face instead - but this isn't one of them. Plus it's affordable which makes me happy.
It has an unusual fragrance but it's not unpleasant and doesn't stick around. The next morning I noticed a tiny bit of flaking on my chin but this hasn't happened again.
I have been using it every evening for three weeks and can report that my skin feels and looks great. It's far too early to see results in terms of lines and wrinkles but what I have noticed are the following:
Less noticeable pores Less congestion and blackheads around my nose, forehead, and chin Smoother and brighter looking skin overall
I will review again with before and after photos when I have been using it for 6 months to see if there is any effect on my wrinkles. I am definitely going to stick with it purely for the clearing effect it has on my pores and the overall look of my skin.
Once again a fail for Rapid Wrinkle Repair. I don't have a lot of wrinkles for my age but I did not notice a difference after months of use, maybe years of use would be of benefit.