If you don’t know it yet, retinol needs to become your companion, especially if you are over the age of 18 and trying to upgrade your age-defying skincare routine. Retinol is essentially a vitamin A derivative that was stumbled upon by scientists who were working to develop the best severe acne treatment. Now it has been developed into one of the best grooming products that help reverse wrinkles. It also smooths out the skin’s texture, diminishes acne scarring, and lightens hyperpigmentation. Simply put, the best retinol serum for men is an essential tool for preventing and reversing skin damage.
It is not advisable to use a retinol product regularly as it may result in dryness, redness, and sun sensitivity due to it bringing fresher, newer skin to the surface. Unless your dermatologist recommends it, stick to products containing 1% retinol or less to help prevent skin irritation. This is also the part where the importance of wearing face moisturizers with SPF comes into play. The dryness and redness usually go away over time. Still, the ongoing vulnerability may make your skin more sensitive to environmental stressors that cause aging and end up worse than when you started. And applying a daily SPF might help prevent that.
It’s impossible to pick a single best face men’s serum with retinol because no two guys have the exact skincare needs—it makes sense that no two of us should have the same skincare regimen. Sure, there’s a reliable baseline regimen that should be in place for everyone. Still, we all need to build our unique steps on top of that foundation—to target whichever unique hurdles our skin faces (like acne, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, irritation, inflammation, rough texture, and so on).
Below are some contenders for the title of best face men’s serum with retinol, each with its hero ingredient to target a specific skin concern.
Best Hydrating Serum
The gel serum uses everyone’s favorite hydrating ingredient, the ultra-absorbent hyaluronic acid, to attract moisture into the skin. It doubly hydrates with Vitamin B5, which also helps expedite any acne marks or blemish scars.
Best Brightening Serum
Use the Vitamin C serum every morning to harness its ascorbic acid and, in turn, promote a brighter, more radiant complexion. It’s one of those products you didn’t know you were missing until the compliments started rolling in on how healthy your skin looks.
Best Pore-Clearing Serum
The serum combines the pore-clearing powers of salicylic acid with the anti-inflammatory qualities of zinc to help prevent and treat breakouts. People with acne-prone skin will appreciate a two or three-times-weekly use of this to help mitigate oil production and keep dead skin cells and bacteria out of their pores.
Best SPF Serum
If you aren’t using an SPF moisturizer, then apply this SPF serum daily beneath your standard-fare hydrator. It provides SPF 50 broad-spectrum coverage while absorbing quickly into the skin. It also uses Vitamin C to brighten skin and ceramides to firm and plump. It’s terrific for acne-prone skin as well as a base SPF layer for makeup and concealer wearers.
Serums are one of the best ways to add some customization to your skincare routine. For example, if you are acne-prone, the best retinol serum for men might help mitigate the matter. Retinol products are not priced for the faint of heart. We’re not talking about not making the car payment or forgoing Christmas this year, but it might mean skipping a dinner out or buying a cheaper bottle of wine. The results, however, are worth it.