These Retinol Creams Boost Collagen in Your 30s

When all else fails, retinol is the answer to your anti-aging skincare problems. Leaving aside the fact that retinol is majorly successful in getting rid of acne and scars, it’s also the one thing that’s super effective in fighting signs of aging. Because it’s backed by science! When lines and wrinkles start to become too annoying to ignore in your 30s, over-the-counter retinol is the way to go. If you’ve already established a skincare routine, all you need to do is pick your favorite from the best retinol creams for your 30s below to fight and prevent wrinkles.

Botox and fillers are always there. You can get those whenever you want or whenever you can afford to. But make sure you give these retinol creams a try before getting injections.

As a woman in her 30s myself, I need to warn you about the use of retinol. Some of you may already know. But if you’re a beginner, you should definitely know what to expect from retinol.

Using Retinol in Your 30s

Retinol is a form of vitamin A. When used topically, it ‘damages’ the skin cells, forcing the skin to renew itself. This is what we call ‘speeding up skin turnover’. This removes dead skin cells from the surface and speeds up the formation of new and healthier cells underneath.

This process results in constant and faster collagen production. And that’s exactly what we want in our 30s; collagen. Using over-the-counter retinol in your 30s is a great way to deal with existing and future wrinkles.

As the skin resurfaces, the ever-renewing skin is smoother with minimized wrinkles and a more even and radiant skin tone.

Retinol is a great way to improve your skin texture on all possible levels in your 30s. By continuously regenerating the skin, your complexion becomes softer and smoother.

Using Retinol During The Day vs Night

Some people think that sunlight cancels out retinol and therefore it’s useless to use it during the day. This hasn’t been proven, but it’s something to keep in mind.

On the other hand, retinol is a treatment and for treatments to perform best, you need a long and uninterrupted time. Plus, your skin is in renewal mode at night.

So, this will ensure the efficacy of retinol. Regardless, there are great retinol creams and serums to use during the day as confirmed by several consumers.

Using Retinol With Other Acids

As retinol may cause sensitivity and irritation, you should avoid using it with other direct acids unless it’s advised by your dermatologist.

For example, products with chemical exfoliants like alpha and beta hydroxy acids can be too irritating when used together with retinol.

Even though some creams contain retinol as well as these acids, brands consider potential side effects and modify the concentration accordingly.

But if you use external products, you may not be able to modify the percentage yourself and you might end up causing inflammation. To be safe, try to alternate between retinol and other acids and avoid using them on the same day.

Side Effects of Retinol

Retinol has some notorious side effects like irritation, sensitivity, redness, and breakouts in the beginning. These are all expected on some level. However, you shouldn’t ignore severe redness or burning sensation.

That might mean that you’re using it too much. In that case, you should stop or take a break and consult your dermatologist. Retinol makes your skin sensitive to sunlight. You should always wear sunscreen when you’re using retinol.

Also, if you’re a beginner, try using retinol 1-2 times a week and observe your skin’s reaction. Give your skin some time to adjust to it and build tolerance.

For more information on how to properly use retinol creams and serums, check out our complete guide on retinol. Seriously, it’ll save you a lot of time and disappointment.

The Best Retinol Creams For Your 30s

Whether you’re a pro or a newbie, below are the best retinol creams to use in your 30s.

Dr. Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Intense Wrinkle Cream

Combined with ferulic acid, this retinol cream doubles the anti-aging effects. Ferulic acid is an antioxidant that wards off free radical damage. It also amplifies the effects of other antioxidants present in the product. The daily anti-aging cream locks in hydration as a potent moisturizer.

Besides retinol, it packs additional anti-aging benefits of polyphenolic antioxidants as well as bakuchiol. These are incredibly helpful in neutralizing free radicals and reversing their damaging effects. The moisturizer boosts collagen, moisture, and radiance.

SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3 Night Cream

Some level of sensitivity is expected when using retinol. That’s why SkinCeuticals Night Cream contains skin-soothing plant extracts like chamomile. They help manage potential irritation and redness. The concentration is 0.3%.

And is perfect for beginners who haven’t built up a tolerance to retinol yet. The non-comedogenic night cream clears out the skin from impurities and evens out the skin tone. The fragrance-free formula is ideal for skin that is reactive and sensitive.

First Aid Beauty FAB Skin LAB Retinol Serum 0.25% Pure Concentrate

Even though we’re listing retinol creams, we couldn’t ignore this retinol serum. Because some people prefer serums over creams as they can be more penetrating and more effective. This one contains a beginner-friendly retinol concentration. Sensitive skin types find it challenging to use retinol because of its sensitizing effects.

But this one contains several skin-calming plant extracts to help you with irritation and sensitivity. With oatmeal, allantoin, and aloe, the serum soothes redness while nourishing the skin. Besides 0.25% retinol, the serum contains signal peptides to stimulate the formation of essential proteins like collagen and elastin. The anti-aging serum improves your complexion and promotes a youthful appearance.

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream

Boldly announcing the amount of retinol present in the product, Drunk Elephant offers one of the best retinol creams for your 30s. The vegan cream has peptides to strengthen the skin barrier function and stimulate collagen growth as well.

Additionally, it has vitamin F to energize and plump up dull-looking skin. The fragrance-free formula is full of skin-caring antioxidants to reverse the signs of aging and repair free radical damage. It’s one of the best retinol creams for your 30s to tackle lines, dark spots, and wrinkles from all angles.

HydroPeptide Nimni Face Cream

This one will replace all your anti-aging products. The cream packs all that is anti-aging. It renews the skin with 0.25% retinol and layers it with antioxidants from the skin-brightening superstar vitamin C. It boosts collagen production with signal peptides.

And it makes sure your skin is hydrated and moisturized. It contains amazing humectants and emollients including squalane, ceramides, and several amino acids. The luxurious cream moisturizes the skin and retexturizes it as well. Plus, retinol is encapsulated. So you don’t need to worry about irritation.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer SPF 30

This drugstore retinol cream is a multi-tasking one that’s highly practical for your 30s. The affordable formula has SPF 30 for daily sun protection because let’s face it, most of us skip SPF. Neutrogena keeps it simple and effective by combining retinol with hyaluronic acid. Because you need all the hydration you can get when using retinol.

To avoid drying out the skin and leaving it flaky, hydration-boosting hyaluronic acid comes in handy. When you don’t want to layer products in the morning but still want to get rid of wrinkles, apply a small amount of this and you’re good to go!

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream

Formulated with retinol and a less irritating form of it (retinyl propionate), Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream works to boost collagen and elastin to revitalize aging skin. It has moisturizing goodies like shea butter and squalane to leave the skin feeling plump and bouncy.

Plus, it has red algae extract as well as barrier-repairing niacinamide to restore the skin at night. The potent night cream makes sure you wake up to renewed, toned, and supple skin.

Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment

This is one of the best retinol creams for women in their 30s who are looking for something intense. Blended with nourishing antioxidants like skin-brightening vitamin C, and moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid, this highly concentrated retinol cream does it all!

It clears out the skin, shrinks enlarged pores, reduces wrinkles, and promotes glowing radiant skin. Packed with soothing oatmeal and licorice extract, the intense formula rapidly resurfaces the skin and eliminates photodamage without drying it out. Plus, it’s sustained-release, which reduces potential irritation too.

StriVectin Advanced Retinol Daily Repair Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

This one has retinol as well as peptides to boost the effects. To prevent any dryness and irritation, the cream has niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to enhance moisture. Additionally, it has a blend of antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E to protect the skin against wrinkle-causing free radicals.

Last but not least, the cream has your daily sun protection as well. It is perfect for 30-somethings who’re looking for an effective but still gentle formula that’s suitable for daytime use. The retinol cream targets wrinkles, deep-set lines, hyperpigmentation, and acne scars without irritation.

Kate Somerville Retinol Firming Eye Cream

Using retinol for the under-eye area requires caution. But it’s one of the most effective ways to smooth out crow’s feet and firm up the area. This one contains good old retinol besides the plant-derived version of it, namely bakuchiol. The duo enhances the results. The retinol eye cream hydrates the delicate eye area with hyaluronic acid and nourishes it with several plant extracts.

As fine lines start to become more visible around the eyes, you can try this anti-aging eye cream in your 30s to soften and delay the appearance of wrinkles. Plus, the applicator tip is super convenient to massage the product into the skin to energize and depuff your eyes.

This concludes our round-up of the best retinol creams for women in their 30s. Anti-aging isn’t just about retinol. But it’s a big part of it. And if you’re looking for anti-aging creams formulated with retinol only, these are currently the hottest ones out there.

NEXT: The Best Non-Surgical Anti-Aging Treatments