If you find your skin is irritated, breaking out, or just looking dry, drab, or aging, you may want to look into retinol. Retinol is basically a vitamin A derivative that is often used in skincare products as beneficial for everything from anti-aging to fighting acne.

But a retinol serum is also great for minimizing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, brown spots, and sun spots. Even better? It works — and works fast! To that end, here are 20 of the best retinol serum options out there.

1. Dermae Anti-Wrinkle Night Serum

Visibly refine skin and diminish the signs of aging with this concentrated rejuvenation treatment. Vitamin A encourages cellular renewal, reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles for a fresher, healthier looking appearance. 

(Dermae, $18.75)

RELATED: 15 Best Skincare Lines For Sensitive Skin

2. NEOVA Dual Matrix

Dual Matrix, a skin refining treatment, is a breakthrough power blend of Retinol+ DNA repair technology that delivers visible youth-enhancing results and improved overall appearance. It targets and exfoliates visible trouble spots caused by photo aging and hormonally induced acne.

(Neova, $95)

3. Dermelect Outcrease Retinol Trifecta Serum

While other treatments boast one source of Retinol, Dermelect’s Outcrease Retinol Trifecta Serum is successfully formulated with three types of Retinol (vitamin A, palmitate and acetate) to effectively target the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, thick skin and sun damage. The serum gently exfoliates the skin to refine texture, restore clarity and reduce the appearance of age spots.

(Dermelect, $39)

4. OZNaturals Pro-Retaxinol 2.5™ Retinol Facial Serum

This retinol serum reduces the appearance of wrinkles and pore sizes while diminishing brown or dark spots, improves skin texture and tone by creating luminosity and glow, and mimics skin cells to help reproduce newer, healthier skin cells.

(OZ Naturals, $17.95)

5. Savor Beauty Carrot Rose Serum

This glow-boosting face oil is a natural retinol that increases cell turnover and boosts collagen for velvet-smooth skin. It includes carrot seeds' vitamin A + beta-carotene to encourage cellular turnover, and the rose essential oil brings out skin clarity.

(Savor Beauty, $74)

6. 100% PURE Multi-Vitamin + Antioxidants Potent PM Serum

Potent, stabilized vitamins in this vegan serum work synergistically overnight to reduce lines and wrinkles, increase firmness and elasticity, brighten and even skin tone. Niacinamide and Vitamin C are two other anti-aging superstars in this proprietary formula that work together to restore a youthful complexion.

(Amazon)

7. Phyto-C SuperHeal O-Live Serum 

The O-Live Serum delivers unsurpassed antioxidant protection against UV damage while facilitating collagen production, diminishing fine lines and wrinkles, and improving and relieving symptoms of acne and Rosacea.

(Phyto-C, $135)

8. First Aid Beauty Fab Skin Lab Retinol Serum

A retinol serum for sensitive skin and beginner retinol users that helps smooth and soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while imparting firmer, younger-looking skin.

(Sephora, $58)

9. Dr. Brandt 2% Retinol Complex Serum

This time-released serum allows the product’s powerful retinol complex to deliver immediate and long-term effects while you sleep, with no downtime required and no side effects. It helps visibly reduce lines and wrinkles, nourishes and soothes, and minimizes the appearance of pores.

(Sephora, $69)

10. Epionce Intense Defense Serum

Epionce Intense Defense Anti-Aging and Repair Serum blends concentrated botanical extracts to target, correct and prevent the visible signs of aging. Palm, cottonseed and lindseed oils hydrate, heal and promote elasticity while hyaluronic acid reinforces skin's natural moisture barrier.

(Dermstore, $108.80)

11. IS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance+

This antioxidant-rich serum combines time-released vitamin C with a blend of botanicals to treat acne, Rosacea, contact dermatitis and even insect bites. Olive leaf extract works with the vitamin C to provide maximum antioxidant protection, and zinc sulfate reduces inflammation.

(Dermstore, $148)

12. Revision Retinol Complete

This product contains the power of five antioxidants and includes a botanical extract that enhances the effects of Retinol. It brightens and smooths skin’s texture, and contains time-released retinol for maximum efficacy with minimal irritation.

(Amazon)

RELATED: The Best Way To Wash Your Face, According To Your Skin Type

13. The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 5% In Squalane

This retinol serum reduces wrinkles, dark spots, and other signs of aging. It's also a non-irritating, high-strength retinoid serum. Doesn't your skin deserve that kind of treatment?

(Amazon)

14. Perricone Md High Potency Evening Repair

An evening treatment to transform skin's complexion and restore luminosity and suppleness. With Retinol, DMAE, and Alpha Lipoic Acid, do yourself and your skin a favor.

(Amazon)

15. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum

This is formulated with Accelerated Retinol SA, which is clinically proven to help fade the look of stubborn deep wrinkles, including crow's feet, forehead and cheek wrinkles, brighten skin tone, smooth fine lines and texture, and leaves skin feeling immediately soft.

(Ulta, $24)

16. Renée Rouleau Advanced Resurfacing Serum

Advanced Resurfacing Serum is a pure retinol cream treatment for sensitive skin to smooth and repair the look of sun damaged wrinkles without causing dryness.

(Renee Rouleau, $86.50)

17. Osmosis Skincare Calm Level 2 Vitamin A Serum

Calm’s starfeature is Liposome Delivered Retinaldehyde, where it stimulates 1,000 times more collagen than retinol without inflaming the skin. Calm restores the protective barrier and rebuilds the thin dermis during age-reversal, which also firms and hydrates the skin.

(Amazon)

18. Kat Burki Retin-C Treatment Complex

Retinols work by promoting skin cell turnover, allowing for new cell growth. The breakdown of collagen is reduced and skin is thicker at the deepest layer where fine lines and wrinkles begin. Research has demonstrated the two together increase the benefit of each.

(Kat Burki, $165)

19. AlphaRet Overnight Cream

The AlphaRet Overnight Cream is a unique combination of an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) and a retinoid that leaves skin looking rejuvenated with little-to-no irritation. It's the latest innovation in retinoid renewal delivering remarkable results, with little-to-no irritation compared to other products. 

(Skinbetter, $110)

20. KS Esthetics Moisturizing Retinol Night Cream

KS Esthetics is a professional grade skincare line developed by licensed Esthetician, Katelin Schebler. The ingredients are cosmeceutical grade and are blended to work synergistically, meaning every ingredient has a purpose to benefit and improve skin tone, clarity, texture, and fullness.

(KS Esthetics, $83)

21. Kypris Moonlight Catalyst​

Moonlight Catalyst gently revitalizes skin while you slumber. This herbal alternative to retinoid formulas employs a cocktail of renewing fermented pumpkin enzymes, biomimetic EGF, and hydrating botanical extracts to refine and renew your complexion without irritation or peeling.

(Aillea, $77)

RELATED: 5 Easy Home Remedies To Help Treat Your Dry Skin

Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her at alywalansky@gmail.com.

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