‘The only retinol that’s ever worked for me now has £37 off’
If there’s one skincare ingredient beauty insiders love to talk about, it’s retinol. And I'm going to let you in on a little secret – Medik8 R-Retinoate is, in my opinion, the only retinol serum you'll ever need.
Ask most beauty journalists, dermatologists and general skincare nerds and they’ll tell you that retinoids are the most effective group of ingredients for delivering results when it comes to smooth, firmer looking, glowy skin.
To my friends, I say SPF and retinol (not in that order of application, may I add) are the two essentials for a low-maintenance routine that will make a real difference to the appearance and health of your skin. Plus, perhaps, a vitamin C serum for tackling hyperpigmentation.
But not all retinoids are created equal, and you may find some formulations too strong if your skin is a little sensitive, while others don’t balance their formulation out with hydrating ingredients to give your complexion the TLC it deserves.
Want a product that’s guaranteed to do both? I've tried loads of them, and this Medik8 R-Retinoate Serum is the one I swear by. Plus, it’s currently reduced in the Black Friday sale.
r-Retinoate® Day & Night
You can read more about how retinoids actually work and the ones our Good Housekeeping Institute panel rated the best in our retinol serums review.
But if we were sat having a coffee or down the pub and you asked me for a genuine recommendation, a ‘what do you actually use and does it actually work’ kind of chat – trust me, I have a lot of them – then this would be the serum I’d suggest for minimising the signs of premature ageing. While I personally love my smile lines, I’m all for anything that makes me feel like the best version of myself.
The serum contains a Medik8-exclusive encapsulated retinyl retinoate (rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?) that’s somehow delightfully gentle, yet in my experience far more effective than other formulations. The brand claims it’s eight times more powerful than the average retinol serum, which they’ve tested in an independent lab, and I can well believe it.
It contains both vitamins A and C (for those dark spots and hyperpigmentation), plus hyaluronic acid, which holds 1,000 times its own molecular weight in water and helps to draw moisture into the skin – perfect for counteracting the dehydrating effect of that vitamin A and providing a much-needed antidote to windy and cold weather in the winter months.
It’s really the only formulation I’ve rigorously stuck to using. As a beauty writer, I get sent so many delicious skincare products to try, and I have so many favourites – clay face masks for decongesting my skin or cleansing balms for resetting myself at the end of the day, plus a whole host of innovative devices. But when it comes to a skin-softening, brightening and firming skincare product, this is the one I actually buy for myself.
It’s made the skin on my forehead feel plumper and more even, smoothed out the bumpy texture on the sides of my jaw, and firmed up a stubborn line that keeps cropping up between my eyebrows. It’s nothing crazily drastic, but when I’m regimented with using it (read: when I haven’t run out), it does just always feel like my skin, but better; bouncier and healthier.
Better still, you can try it for less this Cyber Monday – I’m talking 25% off the usual retail price – and I know it might seem expensive, but if you’ve never found a retinol that works for you, you won’t look back after investing in this. BRB, just off to stock up myself before it sells out…
Medik8 R-Retinoate Day and Night is available to shop for less on the brand's website or at John Lewis.
More Medik8 editor picks on offer...
Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil™
Crystal Retinal®
Daily Radiance Vitamin C SPF 30 Two-in-One Moisturiser
C-Tetra® Luxe
Advanced Day Ultimate Protect™
When does Black Friday end?
The Black Friday weekend runs from Friday 29 November to Monday 2 December (aka Cyber Monday). Most deals will finish at midnight on 2nd, so if you see something you like, we suggest snapping it up now.
More Black Friday deals from the Good Housekeeping team
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