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RoC

Retinol Capsules.

RoC Retinol Capsules
Retinoids

About this product

Single-dose retinol capsules with biodegradable packaging designed to deliver 1% retinol to the face and neck with minimal irritation.

Best for

Mature skin
Retinoids

The Guru Index verdict

83%

Approved

✓Approved · 83%
5Reviewers
5Approved
0Mixed
0Skip

What the gurus are saying

Dermatologists consistently recommend these capsules as an ideal beginner retinol, praising the pre-dosed format for preventing over-application and irritation. The biodegradable capsule design, portability, and stabilized formula are recurring strengths. Gurus emphasize the lightweight, moisturizing texture and note the brand's research-backed reputation; the added ceramides and antioxidants are seen as smart irritation-prevention. Overall sentiment is solidly positive with no meaningful criticism raised.
Synthesized from 5 expert reviews

Key actives & flags

RetinoidCeramidesFragrance-freeAlcohol-free

Full ingredients

Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Dimethiconol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Retinol, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Ceramide NP, Phenoxyethanol

Where to buy

Every take, in full

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 Approved only Skip only Mixed only Hide sponsored
Dr. Daniel Sugai
Dr. Daniel Sugai
716k subs · 23k devotees
✓Approved
"Rock was the first retinol that I ever tried and it's very affordable with no fragrance. They've done a great job with the retinol. I've enjoyed alternating retinol with my prescription tretinoin, and for myself personally, especially in the winter time when things start to get dry and sensitive on the face, I'm going to use a retinol. Rock has always been one of my favorite OGs in my routine."
All 6 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai
MY THREE BEST SKINCARE TIPS as a Dermatologist
"Their capsules are these biodegradable caps that are dosed for your face and neck. I like to travel with it, that jar is quite durable and I just throw it into my luggage or carry-on, quite small. Twist off the top for the serum and then apply it to your face and then it's ready to go. RoC's a great option for beginners, it's not very irritating, a lot of my patients can tolerate it well."
MY THREE BEST SKINCARE TIPS as a Dermatologist
"RoC's a great option for beginners because it's not very irritating and a lot of my patients can tolerate it well. The capsules are biodegradable and dosed for your face and neck, which is nice for travel. The jar is quite durable and small, and you just twist off the top for the serum and apply it to your face. RoC is around $35 to $40 and that can last you a while because you're just using a very small amount of the product for it to work."
Dermatologist Reviews Affordable Retinols: The Best Options For Your Skin!
"Each capsule is biodegradable. You just tear the top off and squirt that retinol serum into your palm and that's good to go. You can bring it down to your neck even, so you would apply it to your face and neck. It's dosed appropriately for those areas and put your moisturizer on and you're good to go to sleep after that. This has been really nice for travel, so giving you some options that you can get at your local drugstore if you're traveling. You forgot your retinol, go ahead and grab that at the Target or wherever you are at the moment. A little goes a long way, so you're not going to the store and buying it frequently."
Dermatologist Explains: Three Skincare Hacks You Need to Do Now!
"Rock makes a really nice one where it's very portable. I like their retinol capsules too."
Dermatologist Reviews: Men’s Skincare Routine- Is there a difference between Men and Women?
"RoC, not as expensive as Kiehl's, but I've been using RoC the longest. This is the first retinol I've ever tried as a dermatology resident at Harvard. A nice convenient pump as well. The one in the tube is pretty heavily fragrant, the one in the jar has no fragrance, this one has a little bit of a scent to it, very nice. RoC is just reliable. A lot of my patients use it, and I like the capsules for traveling. If you're a guy and you're willing to open up a capsule and squirt on your hand, get on your face and your neck, it's all dose appropriately for your face and neck. Very convenient retinol capsule, and then you throw away the capsules, they're biodegradable, so it's pretty simple."
Dermatologist Explains: Which is the Best Retinol for You!
"Rock was the first retinol that I ever tried and it's very affordable with no fragrance. They've done a great job with the retinol. I've enjoyed alternating retinol with my prescription tretinoin, and for myself personally, especially in the winter time when things start to get dry and sensitive on the face, I'm going to use a retinol. Rock has always been one of my favorite OGs in my routine."
Dr. Vanita Rattan
Dr. Vanita Rattan
1.22M subs · 10k devotees
✓Approved
"They've corrected the problems in the capsules with 1% retinol in an airless, very interesting packaging. They've also added ceramides to counter any irritation. It has a silky smooth finish on the skin. It is great for beginners for anti-aging and for texture improvement."
All 2 takes from Dr. Vanita Rattan
I TESTED every RETINOL in Sephora
"They've corrected the problems in the capsules with 1% retinol in an airless, very interesting packaging. They've also added ceramides to counter any irritation. It has a silky smooth finish on the skin. It is great for beginners for anti-aging and for texture improvement."
Dr V's Ultimate Guide To Retinol: Everything You Need To Know
"I recommend these RoC Capsules, not the serum as this contains fragrance. It's £35 for 30 capsules with 1% retinol in an airless pump plus ceramides that help reduce irritation. I love it."
Dr. Aleksandra Brown
Dr. Aleksandra Brown
104k subs · 4k devotees
✓Approved
"If you start over the counter there's Rock Neutrogena larage py they all have really good retinols"
Dr. Jenny Liu
Dr. Jenny Liu
315k subs · 6k devotees
✓Approved
"RoC is a very well-respected brand in the retail space with years of research and over 25 patents on their product formulation, so a brand that I trust makes effective yet gentle retinols. I like these capsules especially if you are a beginner and you're worried about using too much product that may contribute to irritation. These capsules are great for a couple reasons: number one, it ensures the freshness and the stability of the retinol; two, it helps you to dose the right amount each time so that way you're not using too much that may lead to irritation. These capsules are also biodegradable. Formulation-wise, it contains retinol and an antioxidant that's very similar to vitamin E, so it works together synergistically to combat signs of skin aging. Texture-wise, it's very lightweight, fast absorbing, and non-sticky, so it's a great one to use for all skin types, especially if you have sensitive skin."
All 2 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu
Retinol for SENSITIVE SKIN | Dermatologist's Guide
"RoC is a very well respected brand in the retinol space with years of research and over 25 patents on their product formulation, so it's a brand that I trust makes effective yet gentle retinols. I like these capsules especially if you are a beginner and you're worried about using too much product that may contribute to irritation. These capsules are great for a couple reasons: number one, it ensures the freshness and stability of the retinol; two, it helps you to dose the right amount each time so you're not using too much that may lead to irritation. These capsules are also biodegradable. The formulation contains retinol and an antioxidant that's very similar to vitamin E, so it works together synergistically to combat signs of skin aging. Texture-wise, it's very lightweight, fast-absorbing, and non-sticky, so it's a great one to use for all skin types, especially if you have sensitive skin."
Dermatologist's favorite Retinols for Sensitive Skin
"RoC is a very well-respected brand in the retail space with years of research and over 25 patents on their product formulation, so a brand that I trust makes effective yet gentle retinols. I like these capsules especially if you are a beginner and you're worried about using too much product that may contribute to irritation. These capsules are great for a couple reasons: number one, it ensures the freshness and the stability of the retinol; two, it helps you to dose the right amount each time so that way you're not using too much that may lead to irritation. These capsules are also biodegradable. Formulation-wise, it contains retinol and an antioxidant that's very similar to vitamin E, so it works together synergistically to combat signs of skin aging. Texture-wise, it's very lightweight, fast absorbing, and non-sticky, so it's a great one to use for all skin types, especially if you have sensitive skin."
Dr Dray
Dr Dray
2.66M subs · 34k devotees
✓Approved
"RoC is a good brand. Retinol differs from tretinoin or adapalene in that your skin has to convert it to retinoic acid, which takes two steps to get there. It just takes a little bit more time and patience to work. This particular product I have tried and it's very nice. It's nice and moisturizing and it almost has an immediate skin smoothing and hydrating impact from a cosmetic angle, but it does take time for the retinol to work. What the retinol is going to do is help improve the rate of skin cell turnover. Retinol is not actually exfoliating the skin like an alpha hydroxy acid, but instead it is teaching the cells in the skin to move along at a more reasonable rate. The long-term benefit of consistent retinol use can help with smoothing out the skin surface, removing some sun damage, getting the cells of the epidermis to turn over more efficiently, and ultimately improving moisture retention."
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