ADVANCED CLINICALS Retinol Firming Cream
Works for
Anti-agingRetinol, Camellia sinensis leaf extract + 1 moreWorks well
“Visibly smooths the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and crepey skin.”
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains retinol.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
Evens skin toneRetinol, Camellia sinensis leaf extractWorks well
“Helps improve the look of uneven texture and tone”
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: retinol.
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
MoisturizingParaffinum liquidum, Cetearyl alcohol + 8 moreWorks well
“Provides rich hydration for soft, supple skin.”
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
glycerin, butylene glycol.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: caprylic/capric triglyceride, isopropyl myristate.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: paraffinum liquidum
ExfoliationSide benefit · RetinolWorks well
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: retinol.
Anti-blemishSide benefit · Retinol, Camellia sinensis leaf extract + 1 moreWorks well
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: retinol. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
Anti-oxidationSide benefit · Retinol, Camellia sinensis leaf extractWorks well
This product contains antioxidants (retinol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
The following ingredients - camellia sinensis leaf extract also can have an antioxidant effect, but there is less evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin.
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy2 strong irritants: Retinol, Iodopropynyl butylcarbamateMedium risk
Comedogenic4 ingredients rated 2 or more on the 0–5 pore-clogging scale4 flagged
User reviews
1 of 2 community members would buy it again.
Love it, comes also in big size and you can use it for the whole body (not only face!). No smell, amazing
Once I stopped using this, the random acne I got around my face stopped. It is definitely comedogenic.
This was a good starting point as it helped with my smile lines, but there are better out there.
Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~40–60%
Paraffinum liquidum~6.1–9.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Mineral oil. One of the most effective and well studied occlusive and emollient moisturizing ingredients. Helps reduce moisture loss in skin and repair skin barrier function
More about Paraffinum liquidumCetearyl alcohol~3.2–4.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
More about Cetearyl alcoholGlyceryl stearate se~2.5–3.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
Used to stabilize the product formulations and works as an emollient
More about Glyceryl stearate seIsopropyl myristate~2.1–3.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 3/5
An emollient that helps soften the skin. Could be comedogenic
More about Isopropyl myristateGlycerin~1.7–2.6%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinButylene glycol~1.4–2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
More about Butylene glycolCeteareth-20~1.2–1.8%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
Helps oil and water mix together. Has some emollient properties
More about Ceteareth-20Caprylic/capric triglyceride~1.1–1.6%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
More about Caprylic/capric triglycerideRetinol~0.85–1.25%
- Irritation risk
- High
Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating
More about RetinolAloe barbadensis leaf juice~0.5–1.15%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
More about Aloe barbadensis leaf juiceCamellia sinensis leaf extract~0.4–1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Can contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
More about Camellia sinensis leaf extractAnthemis nobilis flower extract~0.35–0.8%
- Irritation risk
- High
A plant extract that one one hand, can contain compounds that can help calm down skin irritation, but, on the other hand, its other compounds (especially fragrant ones) can themselves be irritating
More about Anthemis nobilis flower extractAcrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer~0.3–0.7%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Maintains the texture of skincare products. Allows the product to spread evenly. Helps oil and water mix together
More about Acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymerDisodium edta~0.15–0.65%
Maltodextrin~0.15–0.55%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to stabilize the product formulation and can help absorb oil
More about MaltodextrinPhenoxyethanol~0.1–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
More about PhenoxyethanolIodopropynyl butylcarbamate~0.01–0.02%
Caprylyl glycol~0.1–0.3%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
More about Caprylyl glycolSodium hydroxide~0.05–0.2%
Ingredient list view
Water, Paraffinum liquidum, Cetearyl alcohol, Glyceryl stearate se, Isopropyl myristate, Glycerin, Butylene glycol, Ceteareth-20, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Retinol, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Anthemis nobilis flower extract, Acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, Disodium edta, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, Caprylyl glycol, Sodium hydroxide
Compare prices
Retailers ranked by price — lowest first.
Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| ADVANCED CLINICALSRetinol Firming CreamYOUR PRODUCT | BiopelleEmepelle Night Cream | RevuelleMultivitamin weather barrier cream baby | Elizabeth GrantAdvanced Retinol Day Cream | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 80% | 78% | 78% |
| Price | $19.99 | — | — | $44.95+$24.96 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 2 of 6 | 4 of 6 | 3 of 6 |
| Key difference | — | Niacinamide | Lactic Acid | Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 |
| Irritancy | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: Seoul Ceuticals Korean Skin Care Gentle Retinol CreamREVOLUTION SKINCARE Retinol Smoothing Night Cream
Product summary
Based on the ingredients included, "ADVANCED CLINICALS - Retinol Firming Cream" works well for moisturizing the skin. This moisturizer uses a good combo of humectants and emollients. These both types of ingredients are essentials for improving the skin hydration and keeping the skin barrier healthy. Humectants in this product (glycerin and butylene glycol) help to increase the water content in the upper layer of the skin. (These ingredients do so by "capturing" water molecules from the outside air or from within the deeper layers of the skin). Emollients in this formulation (paraffinum liquidum, isopropyl myristate and cetearyl alcohol) help to reduce the moisture loss from the skin. They also soften the skin surface and relieve the feeling of dryness and tightness.
Ingredient callouts
- this moisturizer contains an effective form of retinoids (vitamin A): retinol 0.45% - 1.05%. Retinoids are potent multitasking actives. They work to improve and prevent early signs of aging, reduce hyperpigmentation (age spots and post-acne marks), and prevent inflamed blemishes and clogged pores. The downside of retinoids is that they can be irritating. If you are not already using a retinoid in your routine, it is best to start slowly and apply the retinoid product only a few times per week. If your skin tolerates it well, you can gradually increase the frequency to daily. Because of the irritation risk of retinoids, we recommend to have another, retinoid-free moisturizer in your routine to use on the alternative days or when your skin feels dry.
Irritation risk
There are some common irritants in this product, including ingredients that do not have benefits for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be high. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
Price
The product retails for 101.70A$ in Australia, from 14.99$ up to 24.99$ in the United States and for 59.42£ in the United Kingdom.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 6 studies and safety reviews.
- 1A review on the extensive skin benefits of mineral oilncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2
- 3
- 4Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol)ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5
- 6
Affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate, WIMJ earns from qualifying purchases.