Time has seemed to fail me yet again; I never have enough and what I do have leaves big unpleasant marks everywhere. I barely had time to glance twice at a new retinol formula that came across my metaphysical desk. As I continue my quest to slow time’s march across my face while simultaneously preventing it from backsliding into my teen years and their hallmark acne, retinol has been my biggest ally. I’m always looking for the next big innovation. First, I needed something over the counter, then I needed an over-the-counter product as potent as a prescription, then I wanted a formula that delivered results without drying out my skin. The list goes on.
Just when I didn’t even know I wanted it, Glotheraputics has rendered unto us a new package of the wonder treatment. Their Tretinol 0.5% contains not only retinol built on a molecular level to work more effectively and quickly, but the company has added vitamin C and E to the mix, making a product akin to a retinol treatment and antioxidant serum in one. That’s a step saved from my nightly routine that I could sorely use. The retinol formula makes short work of both wrinkles and acne because it helps speed up the making of new cells, a process that slows as we age. The vitamin C has long been included in skincare to brighten skin and make hyper pigmentation a thing of the past, while E helps to keep skin safe from the ever-present threat of environmental stress, like the Sun.
The product feels like a serum, sort of a marriage of Philosophy’s slippery Miracle Worker pads and a more traditional anti-aging treatment. It does take a while to sink into the skin, but after a few days use, I really did glow. I didn’t see the product warning not to use it on acne-prone skin until a week into using it, since it was sort of buried amongst the product literature. It could have been a disaster, but no harm, no foul. I tend to break out at the slightest suggestion of an acnegenic agent, but this serum didn’t cause any problems at all. If anything, my skin stayed clearer than usual.
The serum retails for $60 at www.gloprofessional.com. The pricetag might seem steep, but a quick review: It fights acne and wrinkles while giving the benefits of an antioxidant serum. I wouldn’t call it time in a bottle, but it’s pretty close. And, from the same brand, we are also head over heels in love with the moisturizing properties of Glo’s Advanced B5 Hydration, that is an all-season moisturizing must with hyaluronic acid ($70).
What’s your “go to” retinol treatment and why? Discuss in the comments section below!
– Katharine McKenzie
Check out our roundup of the Best Retinol-containing creams and treatment as well.
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