The Drugstore Anti-Aging Treatment Our Beauty Editor Has Used Every Day Since Turning 30

Dermatologists are constantly touting retinol as the one ingredient that everyone should be using by the time they hit 30, so when my own 30th birthday rolled around this year, I knew it was time to up my game. After trying dozens of different retinoids on the market in my near-decade as a beauty editor, I found my new, grown-up go to at the drugstore with RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Night Serum Capsules ($33).

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RoC 30-Count Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Night Serum Capsules

RoC 30-Count Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Night Serum Capsules — $33.00

Each capsule delivers a recommended pea-sized amount of product you need for your entire face, and the packaging keeps the formula fresh (and longer-lasting). For just $33, it’s a supremely effective go-to and one of my favorite skin-care staples.

RoC’s original retinol serum has earned itself the title of America’s #1 most awarded retinol, and the capsules package up that same formula into easy, single-use servings. What makes it so special is the fact that it pairs the vitamin A derivative with RoC’s proprietary mineral complex, which makes the retinol more potent, more hydrating, and less irritation-inducing. In clinical studies conducted by the brand, 97 percent of users saw visibly reduced lines and wrinkles overnight, and after four weeks, 100 percent of participants continued to see a significant reduction in the appearance of lines and wrinkles, as well as visibly firmer and more hydrated skin. In other words? This stuff works, and my own wrinkle-free complexion is living proof.

The capsules deliver the derm-recommended pea-sized amount of product that you need to cover your entire face, and keep the formula fresh so that it lasts longer in your beauty cabinet than a standard serum. Plus, they’re biodegradable. The product itself has got a silky, lightweight texture that doesn’t feel goop-y or sticky, and is gentle enough to use on my extra-dry skin nearly every night without causing irritation. I love that it offers both instant gratification and long-term results, and that an entire month’s worth of product only costs $33.

Retinol, of course, is known as the gold-standard of anti-aging actives. It works to stimulate cellular turnover in order to replace the old, dead cells on the surface of your skin with healthy new ones, leaving skin supple and smooth. 83 percent of clinical trial participants said that they’d choose RoC’s retinol capsules over prescription-grade products, and as someone who’s tested a lot of retinoids throughout her lifetime, I’d say they’re absolutely right about that.

For more 411 on why retinol is the gold-standard of skin care, check out the video below. 

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