Avène RetrinAL Advanced Correcting Serum, & RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream firm, plump and renew skin & Helps Reduce Signs of Aging, Anti-Aging

Why it's worth it

This pairs a 0.1% retinaldehyde cream with a bakuchiol-based serum, both fragrance-free. Retinaldehyde converts to active retinoic acid in one fewer step than retinol, which is why it tends to work as well with noticeably less redness.

If your skin goes red at the mention of an active, retinaldehyde is the form to try. It sits one conversion step closer to retinoic acid than retinol does, so less of it needs to happen on your skin to get the same effect. A peer-reviewed JEADV study found 0.05% retinaldehyde produced photoaging improvements statistically comparable to retinol at the same strength, with meaningfully less erythema over an 18-week trial.

The set includes a bakuchiol serum alongside the retinaldehyde cream, and that matters more than it sounds. A randomized controlled trial in the British Journal of Dermatology found 0.5% bakuchiol matched 0.5% retinol for improvement in fine lines, pigmentation, and elasticity across 12 weeks, with significantly less stinging, scaling, and photosensitivity. On nights when your skin needs a break, the serum gives you something to use instead of nothing.

From our review of 8 retinol creams for sensitive skin, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +If your skin goes red at the mention of an active, retinaldehyde is the form to try
• +The set includes a bakuchiol serum alongside the retinaldehyde cream, and that matters more than it sounds
• +Avène built its reputation on thermal spring water and formulas for reactive skin, and it lands alongside La Roche-Posay in…
• +The formula is fragrance-free, which is not a small detail

What to know

• –Buying a two-product set costs more than buying one cream, and you may not want both
• –Retinaldehyde is less common than retinol, which means fewer head-to-head studies and fewer formulations to switch between if…
• –The serum instructions call for twice-daily use, and daytime application of any retinoid-adjacent routine means you absolutely…