LIFE-FLORetinol A 1% Advanced Revitalization Cream | Refines Skin & Diminishes Look of Fine Lines & Wrinkles | 1.7oz

I am an experienced retinol and Retin A user. My most recent purchase/test prior to this was The Ordinary - the 2% retinol, 1% retinol that they discontinued, and the 1% retinol in squalane that they replaced it with. I tried all three of those and while they had zero irritation, I didn't feel they were strong enough.This one's cheap, and I found a review for it somewhere, so I thought I'd try it out.Pros:1. It's strong. Like, actually strong. I feel like I need to know something is working, to see evidence vs just waiting for six months to see if I notice any changes. Day four of use - BAM! - irritation, just like I get from prescription Retin A. I have no doubt that there's enough retinol in here to do the job. I backed off to 3x a week and I'll work my way back up to daily use.2. It's moisturizing. I don't have to add anything on top of it at night. It's nice to skip a step in the p.m. when I'm tired.3. My skin looks better already.4. It's easy to spread around, and it's cheap enough to use extra. I know you're only supposed to use a pea-sized amount, but I am not at all about moderation. I use it at about double that rate, and I put it on my eyelids and under my eyes. I'm 46 and I'm not playing with these wrinkles that wanna move in on my face.5. It has a light citrus scent that I like. I prefer unscented, as I'm sensitive to a lot of perfumes, but whatever this is it's nice and doesn't irritate me.Cons:1. It's not airtight packaging. My jar is open for 6 - 10 seconds, max, so I'm hoping it won't degrade the retinol. But still, at this price I could throw out whatever's left at the end of every month and it would still be cheaper than most products I buy.Would I recommend this to a newbie? Maybe, if they were sure to slowly ease into it, and if I was certain they would use a high PPD/PA sunscreen every day, without fail, year-round. If you use this without a good sunscreen (Asian or European, as those are way more protective than American sunscreens) you will wreck your face. I'm not kidding - your skin will be even more vulnerable to sun damage.In the past I have used ROC, three different Neutrogena retinols, two different prescription Retin As, Retin A micro, and the Ordinary products. There may be more - I flit around a lot with different products. I would stack this as the best of the OTC ones, and just under prescription stuff. It's literally almost 8x cheaper than any prescription for Retin A in the US, and I likely wouldn't even bother with the prescription stuff because this works so well.

I must say it has made a noticeable difference in the appearance and texture of my skin.First and foremost, I appreciate the inclusion of retinol in this cream. After consistent use, I noticed a visible reduction in fine lines and improved overall firmness of my skin. It truly helps to promote a more youthful complexion.One aspect that impressed me about this retinol cream is its nourishing formula. It contains a blend of moisturizing ingredients that left my skin feeling hydrated and supple. Unlike some retinol products that can cause dryness or irritation, this cream provided a good balance of hydration without any discomfort.The texture of the cream is smooth and lightweight, making it easy to apply and absorb into the skin. I appreciate that it doesn't leave a greasy or heavy residue, allowing for seamless incorporation into my daily skincare routine. It also works well under makeup, providing a smooth canvas for application.While I noticed positive results from using this retinol cream, I did experience a mild tingling sensation upon initial application. However, it quickly subsided, and my skin adapted to the formula over time. I would advise patch testing and gradually introducing the product to your skincare routine if you have sensitive skin. I would have also liked the container to be in a pump design to reduce exposure to the air.

I turned 53 and two days later started this product. I've used it 22 times, almost every day, having missed only a couple days. Last week I had to stop and stare at myself in the mirror. My skin was glowing like it hasn't since I was in my twenties. In the last year, wrinkles had started appearing rapidly around my eyes and lips. It was very alarming. Now, a few of the lines around my eyes and mouth are gone, and others are diminished. There were lines appearing over my eyebrows and those are almost invisible now. The worry line between the brows is diminished, but still visible, as are those on my forehead. My pores are looking better. I'm looking forward to a couple months of use -- remember, this is only about three week's worth. I can't believe how fast it's working. I feel so hopeful!One of the biggest surprises was my mouth. I hadn't been putting it on my lips, but some cream would overlap onto my mouth because I was using it on the wrinkles on my lip line. Well, my mouth looks plumper and softer -- like a decade and a half removed in three weeks! Another notable improvement was in some small flat warts that had begun to appear. All but two are gone.This is an amazing product and I feel grateful to have found it. I had never used a retinol cream before and was a little worried about peeling, About two weeks in, I noticed some slight peeling around the corners of my mouth and around my crow's feet. A little VERY gentle salt scrub relieves it. When I go out I use a 15 spf. My skin is fair, but olive, and tends to tan instead of burn, so someone with sun vulnerability maybe needs something more powerful. But for me, I've experienced no sun sensitivity or burns just using my normal 15 spf.So, to recap --• Lines: it's diminishing medium-set lines, it's removing fine lines, it seems to have put the brakes on things getting worse, and the deepest lines are starting to improve just a bit.• Complexion: My skin is smooth and glowing, and the pores are a bit better.• Imperfections: Skin tags/warts are disappearing.This is a product that renews hope.