Retinoids are often hailed as the holy grail of anti-ageing skincare. As vitamin A derivatives, they work by speeding up cell turnover to help boost collagen production and improve tone and texture. You can buy retinol and retinal over the counter, in everything from serum to moisturiser. Meanwhile, tretinoin is a stronger retinoid (up to 20 times more potent than retinol) that’s available by prescription only.
Skincare brands like Renew+Me and Skin+Me provide access to dermatologist-prescribed tretinoin for less than £30 a month. The high-strength retinoid is aimed specifically at those aged 35 and over, so as a 42-year-old beauty journalist I was keen to try its main product: the nightly active treatment.
