A thick ceramide-rich moisturizing balm formulated with retinaldehyde and Pinuchal ceramides, designed to nourish and support anti-aging while complementing prescription retinoids.
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Guru Score
The Guru Score: every expert's verdict on a product, in one simple number.
Under the score you'll see how many experts weighed in, or "Early verdict" while only a few have. Paid takes count for half in the score.
Guru Certified means at least 6 experts, a score of 85% or more, and almost no Nays.
How we score →Yay
3 experts · Moderate agreementWhat the gurus are saying
This balm's retinaldehyde and ceramide blend earns praise for working smoothly alongside tretinoin to address fine lines and wrinkles. Dermatologists prize its richness and nourishing power, with one noting she has used it as her personal standard for years. The thickness means those already using strong actives may want to ease off other heavy products to avoid overload.
What they liked
What they flagged
Nothing. None of the experts who reviewed it raised a problem.
The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.
“I use a prescription retinoid and I tend to get more easily irritated. This is kind of like the perfect nighttime moisturizer to use.”
Dr. Jenny Liu, watch at 10:50
“they use these in spas, this thermal water, and it's really healing for eczema and psoriasis and skin irritation and issues like that.”
No BS Beauty, watch at 1:37
“With the addition of other ingredients in here, I think it works really well with topical retinoin to help, you know, tamp down fine lines and wrinkles.”
Dr. Jenny Liu, watch at 16:34
“I use a prescription retinoid and I tend to get more easily irritated. This is kind of like the perfect nighttime moisturizer to use.”
Dr. Jenny Liu, watch at 10:50
Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.
Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.
A thick ceramide-rich moisturizing balm formulated with retinaldehyde and Pinuchal ceramides, designed to nourish and support anti-aging while complementing prescription retinoids.
Yes. All 3 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 84%.
Avène RetrinAL Ceramide Lipid-Replenishing Balm holds a Guru Score of 84%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.
Avène RetrinAL Ceramide Lipid-Replenishing Balm is generally suited to dry skin, sensitive skin and mature skin.
In their reviews, experts say Avène RetrinAL Ceramide Lipid-Replenishing Balm is good for irritated or reactive skin (2 experts), eczema (1 expert), fine lines and wrinkles (1 expert) and calming retinoid irritation (1 expert).
2 experts who reviewed Avène RetrinAL Ceramide Lipid-Replenishing Balm say it is. Dr. Jenny Liu put it this way: “I use a prescription retinoid and I tend to get more easily irritated. This is kind of like the perfect nighttime moisturizer to use.”
Lower-priced moisturizers the gurus still rate highly, versus this mid-range pick.
See how they stack up →Other products the same gurus have weighed in on, plus more from this brand and category.
Compare side by side →Stories where our editors dug into this product or its brand.
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