Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment (30ml)

Everything about Paula's Choice has always struck me as being honest and down to earth. I've tried many of her products. I previously used Skinceuticals 0.3 (which is a 0.3% retinol concentration), I was ready to up the ante and try something stronger. This formulation, with the addition of Licorice (good for brightening) struck me as a good choice. First of all it's quite hydrating. If you have dry to normal skin this will suit you just fine. For myself being oily I had to use it very lightly so as not to over-hydrate my skin. The packaging - although good for keeping the ingredients stable was quite annoying as I always found it dispensed either too little or too much with each pump. As with other retinol formulations I did notice a difference in both pore size ... MoreEverything about Paula's Choice has always struck me as being honest and down to earth. I've tried many of her products. I previously used Skinceuticals 0.3 (which is a 0.3% retinol concentration), I was ready to up the ante and try something stronger. This formulation, with the addition of Licorice (good for brightening) struck me as a good choice. First of all it's quite hydrating. If you have dry to normal skin this will suit you just fine. For myself being oily I had to use it very lightly so as not to over-hydrate my skin. The packaging - although good for keeping the ingredients stable was quite annoying as I always found it dispensed either too little or too much with each pump. As with other retinol formulations I did notice a difference in both pore size and skin texture and in a fairly short amount of time. Additionally there was also a very slight difference to fine lines which I can only put down to the impressive choice of ingredients in here. I had been expecting to peel or notice redness but luckily that did not happen. The downside is the silicone content. I could only use this once or twice a week at most without experiencing a breakout. In itself it's a great product provided you are ok with silicones. For those like myself who are not, the hunt for the perfect retinol product continues...~ My Sephora Top 7 must-have list ~(My top 7 must-have beauty products of all time, focusing mainly on my purchases at Sephora)1. Hair Loss Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Hair Oil2. Shampoo: 'Sephora Collection' - Deep Cleaning Shampoo3. Face Mask: ‘Peter Thomas Roth’ – Pumpkin Enzyme Mask4. Pigmentation + Anti-Aging Serum: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Facial Treatment Serum5. Face Scrub: ‘Sisley' - Botanical Gentle Buffing Cream6. Lip Balm: ‘Nuxe’ – Reve De Miel Lip Balm7. Lip Liner: ‘Sephora Collection' - Rouge Gel Lip Liner

A must buy!

As a luxury skincare snob, I'm so excited to have found Paula's Choice as an affordable, yet equally effective alternative to brands like Biologique Recherche. I recently got into Paula's Choice because I really liked their branding on Sephora.com and thought it was worth a try. I love that each product is numbered so it's easy to put together a routine. This retinol treatment was one of my more recent purchases, and I am OBSESSED. I've never used such a hydrating retinol with such immediate results. My skin looks brighter, acne scars faded and fine lines are barely there. Even my esthetician asked what I was doing differently because my skin looks so good. I was able to switch over most of my routine to this and some other PC products with zero irritation or ... MoreAs a luxury skincare snob, I'm so excited to have found Paula's Choice as an affordable, yet equally effective alternative to brands like Biologique Recherche. I recently got into Paula's Choice because I really liked their branding on Sephora.com and thought it was worth a try. I love that each product is numbered so it's easy to put together a routine. This retinol treatment was one of my more recent purchases, and I am OBSESSED. I've never used such a hydrating retinol with such immediate results. My skin looks brighter, acne scars faded and fine lines are barely there. Even my esthetician asked what I was doing differently because my skin looks so good. I was able to switch over most of my routine to this and some other PC products with zero irritation or purging. I use this in the evenings with the Barrier Repair Moisturizer and their SPF and the Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum in the mornings. I've never felt better in my own skin!

A must-try product.

This is legitimately a Holy Grail product for me -- and I don't say that lightly.It's probably the ONLY product, ever, that has lived up to the cult-like hype, and then exceeded expectations, further.Initially I started with a sample of the 0.03% Retinol & 2% Bakuchiol as my first-ever retinol product, and instantly fell in love, not only with the formula, but with how my skin felt when I used it.So I bought the full-size a few times, and then eventually graduated to this serum without issue; even though it was only the second retinol product I'd ever used, and though I suffer from dry, sensitive skin.I find it extremely pleasant to use, almost identical to the Bakuchiol serum: everything from the thick lotion-like viscous texture, to the colour, to the way it ... MoreThis is legitimately a Holy Grail product for me -- and I don't say that lightly.It's probably the ONLY product, ever, that has lived up to the cult-like hype, and then exceeded expectations, further.Initially I started with a sample of the 0.03% Retinol & 2% Bakuchiol as my first-ever retinol product, and instantly fell in love, not only with the formula, but with how my skin felt when I used it.So I bought the full-size a few times, and then eventually graduated to this serum without issue; even though it was only the second retinol product I'd ever used, and though I suffer from dry, sensitive skin.I find it extremely pleasant to use, almost identical to the Bakuchiol serum: everything from the thick lotion-like viscous texture, to the colour, to the way it spreads and absorbs into the skin, and even the subtle-scent which I look forward to. (I'd say the formula appears similar to Khiels or The Inkey List's -- but is more velvety, luxurious, intensive, emollient, and sophisticated.)It NEVER pills, even when used in combination with other serums and moisturizers from PC and elsewhere, and my skin looks great when I use it regularly; firm, plump, and glowy. Especially the next morning. I even found it to have diminished, slightly, forehead lines -- though I don't have much to begin with or to use for reference. As a bonus, I NEVER experienced irritation or dryness, even when used daily. Quite the opposite, really.That said, it does have a high price-tag (especially for us Canadian folk) and as I JUST started using tretinoin, I have a difficult time justifying the price right now for something I wouldn't be able to use consistently, anyway.As my skin adjusts to the new retinoid, and I'm ready to add OTC retinol back into the mix, I know I will be back to buy more, and look forward to the day I can make it a staple in my skincare routine again.Truly, this is one of the most beautiful and pleasant skincare products I've ever had the privilege of using.

Deceptively potent!

I had been using a French pharmacy retinol formula (A313) for several months before starting this one. A313 contains 0.12% retinol esters, basically a very mild formula which still gave me good results. It’s a thick pomade that feels very “active” on the skin, becoming warm and slightly itchy/burning after application, especially for the first few weeks (I was waiting the recommended 10-15 minutes after washing face to apply it). Over time I worked my way up to using it 5-6 nights a week and was pleased with the resultsI felt like it was time to step it up to a stronger formula though as I’m approaching 30 and heard good things about this Paula’s Choice retinol serum. At a 1% concentration of retinol, I expected more stinging/burning than I was used to with the ... MoreI had been using a French pharmacy retinol formula (A313) for several months before starting this one. A313 contains 0.12% retinol esters, basically a very mild formula which still gave me good results. It’s a thick pomade that feels very “active” on the skin, becoming warm and slightly itchy/burning after application, especially for the first few weeks (I was waiting the recommended 10-15 minutes after washing face to apply it). Over time I worked my way up to using it 5-6 nights a week and was pleased with the resultsI felt like it was time to step it up to a stronger formula though as I’m approaching 30 and heard good things about this Paula’s Choice retinol serum. At a 1% concentration of retinol, I expected more stinging/burning than I was used to with the A313. But the first night using it, I noticed how little irritation there was in comparison. So I went ahead and applied it pretty heavily the next night and the night after that. Day 4 is when it all caught up with me. My skin began peeling like CRAZY and felt very raw and more sensitive/dry than it ever has for 48 hrs+. I stopped using the serum of course, and only now on day 6 is my skin calming down and getting back to normalNeedless to say I definitely overdid it those first few nights expecting the same kind of immediate irritation I was used to with A313. At this strength the retinol is definitely more of a “slow burner” and may take a couple days to take full effect, which I now know! With that said, I’m giving this 5 stars because my skin does look great today and the peeling means it’s doing its job. Just be sure to start out SLOW if you’re new to retinol at this concentration. I’ll probably wait a few more days before I feel safe to use it again, but will update my review once I’ve safely and effectively worked it into my routine. Love Paula’s Choice and love that this has Vitamin C and Peptides in it as well. Great product but use with proper caution!

My skin definitely feels the difference

I love Paula’s Choice and this Retinol Treatment is yet another reason to love it more. The Vitamin C and peptides really do wonders for my skin. I’m 46 years old and my skin isn’t as vibrant as it used to be. I have semi sensitive skin and a little redness on it. I also have combination skin with some fine lines. I love how gentle this is on my skin- no irritation or tingling. I really feel m skin disks it up and it doesn’t feel oily on my face. It leaves it feeling moisturized. I feel it makes my skin feel plump and my wrinkles seem to look less visible- let’s be real, any product takes over a month to see the full benefits. I use it twice per week and I feel my skin definitely feels the difference. A great addition to my skin care routine. We need to take care of ... MoreI love Paula’s Choice and this Retinol Treatment is yet another reason to love it more. The Vitamin C and peptides really do wonders for my skin. I’m 46 years old and my skin isn’t as vibrant as it used to be. I have semi sensitive skin and a little redness on it. I also have combination skin with some fine lines. I love how gentle this is on my skin- no irritation or tingling. I really feel m skin disks it up and it doesn’t feel oily on my face. It leaves it feeling moisturized. I feel it makes my skin feel plump and my wrinkles seem to look less visible- let’s be real, any product takes over a month to see the full benefits. I use it twice per week and I feel my skin definitely feels the difference. A great addition to my skin care routine. We need to take care of our skin as we age and this definitely helps. It also has like no scent (for those who don’t like or can’t do scented products).

Powerful retinol that turns back the clock

I've been using this product since Paula's Choice first released it-around 9-ish years ago? I used lower concentrations of retinol first and worked my way up to this. (If you're a retinol newbie, I recommend starting w/ a less concentrated retinol product. But if you do decide to use this, be very careful. Work up to using it everyday at full strength. Dilute it w/ another serum at first. Otherwise, you will FRY your skin.)Anyway, for those acclimated to retinol, this is a beautiful formula. I started using this around the time I turned 40. I'm 49 now (only a year away from the big 5-0 (!!)), and I swear my skin looks like I hit the "pause" button on aging. People are always telling me I look 10 to 15 years younger than my biological age. I've attached a pic of ... MoreI've been using this product since Paula's Choice first released it-around 9-ish years ago? I used lower concentrations of retinol first and worked my way up to this. (If you're a retinol newbie, I recommend starting w/ a less concentrated retinol product. But if you do decide to use this, be very careful. Work up to using it everyday at full strength. Dilute it w/ another serum at first. Otherwise, you will FRY your skin.)Anyway, for those acclimated to retinol, this is a beautiful formula. I started using this around the time I turned 40. I'm 49 now (only a year away from the big 5-0 (!!)), and I swear my skin looks like I hit the "pause" button on aging. People are always telling me I look 10 to 15 years younger than my biological age. I've attached a pic of myself from last week so you can judge for yourself. In the pic, I'm not wearing any foundation-just some tinted SPF. It's hard to be objective about oneself. So you tell me, do I look like a lady who's about to turn 50? These are the results you can get from using this fabulous retinol product along w/ Paula's Choice skincare line AND protecting your skin from the sun.

Quality intermediate retinol

I was gifted this product to try by Paula’s Choice. My skin was already acclimated to 0.5% retinol so I was comfortable testing this. This is a potent retinol serum that I would not recommend to beginners. I’ve used this serum every other night for just over a week and can already see subtle differences in my complexion and skin texture. My skin appears more glowy and even than it’s been looking lately, and I didn’t change anything else in my routine. I don’t have many fine lines or wrinkles yet due to consistent retinol use and sun protection (32 years old), so I can’t comment on line reduction. I did notice a bit of irritation after the second use, but a soothing mask alleviated that. I don’t consider that a negative; it’s normal when going up in strength with a ... MoreI was gifted this product to try by Paula’s Choice. My skin was already acclimated to 0.5% retinol so I was comfortable testing this. This is a potent retinol serum that I would not recommend to beginners. I’ve used this serum every other night for just over a week and can already see subtle differences in my complexion and skin texture. My skin appears more glowy and even than it’s been looking lately, and I didn’t change anything else in my routine. I don’t have many fine lines or wrinkles yet due to consistent retinol use and sun protection (32 years old), so I can’t comment on line reduction. I did notice a bit of irritation after the second use, but a soothing mask alleviated that. I don’t consider that a negative; it’s normal when going up in strength with a retinol serum to have some irritation. I enjoy the texture of the serum and find it spreads out well without leaving any residue. I’m excited to continue using this!

THE BEST ALWAYS!

I definitely love this treatment! I expected it to be more gel-like and have more of a serum consistency, however I was pleasantly surprised when it came out more as a moisturizer/lotion consistency! It made my skin feel so moisturized and brighter immediately (I think this has to do with the consistency because I have super dry skin). It also dries very nice and I notice that my skin feels firm, but also very moisturized still (which I feel can be rare because firming things tend to dry my skin and this doesn't)! I also noticed that my forehead wrinkles/fine lines looked more smooth. I think this also has to do with the fact that the treatment is very moisturizing and luminizing! I definitely recommend giving this a shot! It also says on the bottle that it should ... MoreI definitely love this treatment! I expected it to be more gel-like and have more of a serum consistency, however I was pleasantly surprised when it came out more as a moisturizer/lotion consistency! It made my skin feel so moisturized and brighter immediately (I think this has to do with the consistency because I have super dry skin). It also dries very nice and I notice that my skin feels firm, but also very moisturized still (which I feel can be rare because firming things tend to dry my skin and this doesn't)! I also noticed that my forehead wrinkles/fine lines looked more smooth. I think this also has to do with the fact that the treatment is very moisturizing and luminizing! I definitely recommend giving this a shot! It also says on the bottle that it should be used 3 times weekly at first to see how your skin reacts, then to do it every night. I have semi sensitive skin and I had absolutely no problem or reaction to this and I am super excited to see the long term benefits happen!

The best retinol without a prescription

This is the best Retinol without a prescription but BE CAREFUL if you have never used retinol before,I read people complaining that this burned their skin, remember this is like POISON if you are new to retinol. I always recommend starting with a low concentration of retinol to see how the skin responds then increasing slowly until you reach 1%. I have personally spent a lot of money trying to find the best care for my skin and I got wonderful results with this Paula's Choice 1% retinol, it is so far the best option I have tried.I noticed a difference in the texture of my skin, and the wrinkles less visible (my biggest concern was the frown lines).I already had experience using retinol. It took me several months to start using retinol and develop tolerance. I ... MoreThis is the best Retinol without a prescription but BE CAREFUL if you have never used retinol before,I read people complaining that this burned their skin, remember this is like POISON if you are new to retinol. I always recommend starting with a low concentration of retinol to see how the skin responds then increasing slowly until you reach 1%. I have personally spent a lot of money trying to find the best care for my skin and I got wonderful results with this Paula's Choice 1% retinol, it is so far the best option I have tried.I noticed a difference in the texture of my skin, and the wrinkles less visible (my biggest concern was the frown lines).I already had experience using retinol. It took me several months to start using retinol and develop tolerance. I started with 1% I started using it 2 times a week and used only the size of a pencil tip (less than recommended pea size). I have oily skin and the first applications I felt like fire on my face.Please note that each skin type is different and if it works for me may not work for you so I recommend starting SLOW to see how skin respond!..Finally this IS NOT MAGIC this is a PROCESS and you will not get what you want in a few days (many people start using retinol and looking and looking in the mirror want their wrinkles to disappear in few days) I know that even using tretinoin (pure vitamin A) there are people who even take several months or years to see a great improvement in their skin.Patience and more patience that is the key.

Useless?

I don't know whether to be happy or annoyed? After reading the rave reviews I thought I'd give it a shot. I worked into it slowly, almost scared with all the warnings that my skin could react, especially since I was using both the AHA liquid exfoliator and BHA exfoliator at the same time at night as well as Vitamic C moisturiser and eye cream in the morning. Eventually I worked my way up to every night when I thought I was tolerating it well and honestly, when I did....i noticed nothing. No irritation, no improvement to lines or wrinkles, no... anything. Only a greasy or shiny face in the morning when I wake up. I started lathering the product on the last few days to see if anything occurred and you guessed it. Nothing. I will say, though I drew my hands down my ... MoreI don't know whether to be happy or annoyed? After reading the rave reviews I thought I'd give it a shot. I worked into it slowly, almost scared with all the warnings that my skin could react, especially since I was using both the AHA liquid exfoliator and BHA exfoliator at the same time at night as well as Vitamic C moisturiser and eye cream in the morning. Eventually I worked my way up to every night when I thought I was tolerating it well and honestly, when I did....i noticed nothing. No irritation, no improvement to lines or wrinkles, no... anything. Only a greasy or shiny face in the morning when I wake up. I started lathering the product on the last few days to see if anything occurred and you guessed it. Nothing. I will say, though I drew my hands down my neck a few times and each time I did I realised I would get a zit either under my jaw and most recently a cystic pimple that hurts to touch but that's all. My face looks the same after about 6 weeks of use.