Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum.

Retinoids

About this product

A night serum with 1.5% microencapsulated retinol, squalane, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid, designed to deliver retinol's anti-aging and brightening benefits.

Full ingredients

Cyclopentasiloxane, Squalane, Water/Aqua/Eau, Retinol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Bisabolol, Lecithin, Potassium Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate- 20, Alcohol

Guru Score

64%

Mixed

3 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

One dermatologist praises it as one of the strongest over-the-counter retinol formulas available and notes it delivers an instant glow, though she stresses it's not for retinol beginners and recommends starting with once-weekly use at night. However, another expert views it as an overpriced basic oil with limited ingredients relative to cost. The key to know: this concentration is potent, so anyone new to retinol may want to ease in slowly, and those pregnant or trying to conceive should avoid it entirely.

Synthesized from 3 expert reviews · most recent take February 2026

What they liked

Strong retinol concentration clearly labelled
Gives skin an instant glow and sheen
One of the strongest OTC retinol options

What they flagged

Very oily texture, not for sensitive skin
Pricey for a simple squalane base

Best for

Mature skin

Type

RetinoidsDrops & dropper

Key actives

Vitamin C RetinoidVitamin ESqualane

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeContains drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Ulta → Amazon → Google →

Opens a store search. We may earn from these links.

Scan it in the shopFree iPhone app. Scores in the aisle.

What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

Redness1 expert

“But this is a great choice if you have dry, flaky, red skin, but you still want to incorporate a retinol and you want something gentle.”

Beyond50Skin, watch at 10:29

Flaky dry patches1 expert

“But this is a great choice if you have dry, flaky, red skin, but you still want to incorporate a retinol and you want something gentle.”

Beyond50Skin, watch at 10:29

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Nay

"It's just a basic squalane-based serum oil. It's got a really oily texture to it. It doesn't have a ton of ingredients. It's got 1.5% encapsulated retinol, squalane, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid as the main ingredients. 65 bucks for this. A little bit overpriced in my opinion, and a brand that most people probably don't want to support any longer."

Beyond50Skin

32k subs

~Mixed

"The retinol infusion by Peter Thomas Roth is a very gentle retinol. If you have oily skin, you're not going to like this because it's a little bit on the oily side. [...] But this is a great choice if you have dry, flaky, red skin, but you still want to incorporate a retinol and you want something gentle."

Dr. Shereene Idriss

1.73M subs

~Yay

"Peter Thomas Roth has a Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum with 1.5% microencapsulated retinol. This is not for beginners because it is one of the strongest forms of over-the-counter retinol that you will find, but when I look through the retinol products at Sephora it was hard to find any of them that actually specified the percentage and this one does that. If you are trying to dip your toes you can try it."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Retinoids

Retinoids are among the best studied ingredients in dermatology, with solid evidence for acne and for the fine lines and rough texture that come from sun exposure. Dryness and flaking in the first few weeks are common and usually settle.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin C

Topical vitamin C is an antioxidant with reasonable evidence for dullness and uneven tone. It breaks down in light and air, so how a product is formulated and packaged matters as much as the percentage on the front.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum?

A night serum with 1.5% microencapsulated retinol, squalane, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid, designed to deliver retinol's anti-aging and brightening benefits.

Is Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 64%.

What is Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum's Guru Score?

Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum holds a Guru Score of 64%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.