What is SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream?

A nightly retinoid cream combining a proprietary retinoid with alpha hydroxy acids (lactic and glycolic acid) designed to address fine lines, wrinkles, and skin texture while minimizing irritation.

Is SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream worth it?

Mostly yes. 12 of the 13 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 91%.

What is SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream's Guru Score?

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream holds a Guru Score of 91%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 13 independent expert reviewers we have collected. It is also Guru Certified, our mark for products that hold broad approval across many expert reviewers.

Who is SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream best for?

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream is generally suited to sensitive skin and mature skin.

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream: Guru Score 91%

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.

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Sincerely Miss Ash

195k subs

✓Approved

"I've actually been testing this for a little while now and I really like it. This has a blend of a retinoid along with glycolic and lactic acid. There's also blends of peptides in here, squalane, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, co-enzyme Q10, which is an antioxidant. There's a lot of great ingredients in here to nourish, to brighten, to correct texture, to soften and prevent fine lines and wrinkles. It is so good and it does it all, it just does everything in one product. I would recommend to use this at night time only because of the glycolic, lactic, and the retinoid, and you can use it every night depending on skin tolerance. This could actually replace your moisturizer because it's very moisturizing. The brand recommends not to use this around the eye contour area. I sometimes do, and my under eyes do not get irritated or dry when I use this underneath my eyes, but we should all be cautious around the eye area because the skin is so thin and delicate. I just find this to be so gentle and my skin is so soft, so smooth and bright, everything looks so rejuvenated when I'm consistent with this. I still use tretinoin, but when I was testing this I eliminated my tretinoin just to see how this worked, and it does a really good job, and I really love the performance of this product as well."

Skin Obsessed Mary

33k subs

✓Approved

"This is the SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream. This is the best retinoid I have ever used. It has retinaldehyde, which is the strongest retinoid you can get without a prescription, plus glycolic acid, which gives you daily exfoliation, but it is so kind to the skin, it's absolutely non-irritating. Plus it has peptides, antioxidants, brightener, soothers, the works. It feels so nice on the skin, soft, smooth. It's not what I consider a usual retinoid, which is really all about function, it's not usually so fabulous, this one really feels like it has a bit of luxury to it. But here's the problem, it's so expensive, it's like 180 euros over here. I do not want to like this, but I do, and I'm going to cry actual tears when it runs out."

Top Pick: retinoid

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

131k subs

✓Approved

"My over-the-counter retinol that I tend to gravitate towards and I'm using a lot lately is SkinBetter Science AlphaRet. I'll use this on the nights where my skin is not quite ready for tretinoin and I want a little exfoliation and I still want the benefits of a retinoid, but I want something that's a little bit better tolerated. This is a combination product that pairs a retinoid with an exfoliating acid, so you're going to get both cell turnover and gentle exfoliation in one step. I find it to be a really nice option when I want results but I don't want to push my skin any more, and especially if I don't want that peeling, dryness, and irritation I sometimes get from tretinoin. The key ingredient is the AlphaRet, which is a unique combination of a retinoid and an AHA, particularly lactic acid. There's also a little bit of glycolic acid for that optimal exfoliation in addition to the retinoid."

All 2 takes from Dr. Aleksandra Brown

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"My go-to lately has been the SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream. This contains retinol that's appropriate for even dry sensitive eyes but also has a little bit of AHAs to help increase skin elasticity and help further build collagen. The ingredients in this cream will help firm the skin, minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but also brighten the skin. Some of the key ingredients in here are the AlphaRet technology, which is a combination of retinoid and AHAs, or alpha hydroxy acids, and they work together to help build collagen and firm up the skin under the eyes. Peptide blend will also help increase skin's elasticity. You also find ceramides, squalane, and niacinamide in this eye cream, they'll help soothe but also hydrate the skin, as well as antioxidants."

Dr. Mamina

279k subs

✓Approved

"A higher-end option that I really do like is the SkinBetter Science AlphaRet. The AlphaRet combines a retinoid with an alpha hydroxy acid in a way that's effective but well tolerated. There's also a bunch of other nourishing goodies in the AlphaRet product."

Dr. Daniel Sugai

718k subs

✓Approved

"Skinbetter science AlphaRet Overnight Cream has become the industry's best-kept secret. I've mentioned it on my channel for many years, and it has quietly earned a permanent place in my practice. It's hands down the best retinoid I can recommend that does not require a prescription, one of the gold standard retinoids with over 10 years of transformative results. I've rated it 10 out of 10. It hasn't made a name for itself through viral trends, but is relied upon by professionals who care about real outcomes, long-term skin health, and consistency. Traditional retinoids rely on multiple conversion steps to become active retinoic acid in the skin, and during that conversion process you can lose potency and also get increased irritation. That irritation leads to dryness, redness, and peeling, and eventually patients stop using it. A retinoid you can't use consistently is not an effective retinoid. This is where AlphaRet is fundamentally different. Formulated with skinbetter science's number-one, 33-time award-winning AlphaRet technology, it uniquely combines a retinoid with an alpha hydroxy acid for visible improvement in fine lines and wrinkles. That pairing allows AlphaRet to bypass the traditional conversion process, delivering efficacy with little to no irritation."

Top Pick: non-prescription retinoid

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"My favorite retinoid that does not require a prescription, hands down, is SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream. Just one pump gives you a pea-sized amount for your entire face. You have an alpha hydroxy acid paired with a retinoid, so you get exfoliation from the AHA, and the retinoid has been shown in studies to be comparable to tretinoin 0.025% for fine lines and wrinkles, but without the tolerability issues. With tretinoin, patients will often get irritation, especially if they're not moisturizing well or it's cold out. With AlphaRet, you won't see that problem. If I was on an island worried about fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots, I'm going to use AlphaRet at bedtime. It is a higher price point."

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"Just a pea-sized amount to the entire face to help with collagen boosting. It helps with fine lines and wrinkles, increases cell turnover, and thus helps with hyperpigmentation. It also helps keep your pores clear with the exfoliative action of the alpha hydroxy acids, plus you have retinoids that prevent the shedding of dead skin into the pore and thus keep them clear and help with the appearance of your pores. Just an overall winner. I know it's a little higher price point, but for me it's been worth it."

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"This is SkinBetter Science AlphaRet. It has lactic acid conjugated to a retinoid, and you also have glycolic acid mixed in. So you have AHAs helping to gently exfoliate the skin plus you have a retinoid that will help boost collagen production and help with hyperpigmentation. Just one pump is all you need for your entire face. You don't want to overdo it. If you want to treat your neck, go ahead, but just put maybe a half pea-size amount for your neck to start off and see how you tolerate it before doing a full pea-size amount to your neck."

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"One of my favorite retinoids is SkinBetter Science AlphaRet. This here has niacinamide in it and that just helps brighten the skin but also help regulate sebum production. So when I recommend something for my patients with acne I want niacinamide a lot of times so that doesn't clog up the pores, it keeps the oil down. This has niacinamide, so it has it all there, it's a moisturizer with SPF so we have SPF 30. Just keep in mind that this is not water resistant."

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"If you don't have access to your dermatologist, the next option for retinoids would be SkinBetter Science. It is at a higher price point. But instead of hitting your skin with Leon exfoliants at home, you could have an exfoliant already attached to your retinoid. Their alpha has alpha hydroxy acids paired with their retinoid. So you're getting exfoliation from the alpha hydroxy acid plus the retinoid. Consider that one in your 40s and up. You can definitely start it like I did in my early 30s and up."

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"If you want to have an exfoliant mixed into your product like the AlphaRet by SkinBetter Science that's probably more preferable than scrubbing the dead skin cells away"

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"They applied one side of the face with AlphaRet and the other side tretinoin for 4, 8, and 12 weeks and looked at fine lines and wrinkles, erythema, dyschromia, skin tone, and pore size. They found that AlphaRet was not inferior to tretinoin, so it performed just as well as generic tretinoin. The conclusion showed early reductions in photo damage and improvements in hydration. At 12 weeks, that's when you really want to assess fine lines or wrinkles because that doesn't usually happen in the first eight weeks of use. AlphaRet has lactic acid, which is an AHA, and two molecules conjugated with retinoid. The retinoid is not truly tretinoin but very similar to tretinoin. This isn't technically prescription, but when it first came out you could only get this at a doctor's office. It is now available online and you can get it without seeing a dermatologist. Do not use this if you're pregnant or if you have very sensitive skin or rosacea. If you do obtain it and have sensitive skin, start very slowly. This also has glycolic acid, which works like lactic acid in exfoliating the skin."

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"If you want to go for something with more of a punch that has alpha hydroxy acids mixed in, a double conjugated retinoid with two molecules of lactic acid plus glycolic acid, consider SkinBetter Science AlphaRet. There's an intensive or non-intensive version. This is the non-intensive I'm using more in the winter time, and the intensive has 18% glycolic acid versus this one here is the 10% glycolic acid. You just want to do a pea-size amount to your entire face, that's usually just one pump, then moisturize over it."

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"I like the AlphaRet by SkinBetter Science, that's a nice retinoid to consider."

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"SkinBetter Science makes a nice retinoid. AlphaRet is a double conjugated retinoid with lactic acid molecules attached to it and it has exfoliative properties from the lactic acid and also glycolic acid. In a split face trial they found that tretinoin 0.025 and AlphaRet were comparable and couldn't say that one was inferior to the other. I've used it for myself for over five years now and I think it's a great retinoid. It's been so good, it's helped change my skin. Start off with the non-intensive if you're starting off, always start off with your retinoid about twice a week and then increase to nightly as tolerated. Some people can only do it every other night otherwise they'll get super dry, and that's totally fine. This one has niacinamide and a whole bunch of other goodies in it as well. We have a peptide blend which we like peptides because of the cell signaling capabilities, it has squalane, the niacinamide, ceramides, fatty acids, centella which is soothing, and you have vitamin C and E. Lots of goodies in there so you got your antioxidants in it."

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"SkinBetter Science AlphaRet, which has niacinamide with it, it's their own special double conjugated retinoid with lactic acid and glycolic acid. It's one of my favorite retinoids that you can get."

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"My favorite alphaRet by SkinBetter Science has niacinamide with their retinoid their Alpha R compound."

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"The ultimate it's the AlphaRet Overnight Cream by SkinBetter Science this one is a higher price point but if you want to talk about packing a punch this one has been shown in a study to be equivalent to Tretinoin 0.25% which I prescribe this one has glycolic acid and lactic acid and that's where you get the alpha R you have the alpha hydroxy acids paired with it without the irritation usually and this one just formulates it so well together it's a higher price point but a 10 out of 10 retinoid to me one of my favorite holy grail retinoids"

Dr. Sam Ellis

863k subs

✓Approved

"The SkinBetter Science AlphaRet is one of my tippy top favorites. Right now, you can only get it in dermatology clinics or from an aesthetician, and it is one of the pricier retinoids on the market. But when it comes to being spendy with skincare, it is one of the things that I think is truly worth the investment if you have really sensitive skin. If you want a clinically tested retinoid that has shown to be good for sensitive skin and yields really efficacious results, it is absolutely worth trying."

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"The AlphaRet Overnight Cream from SkinBetter is a super unique formula. I have so many patients who've not been able to use prescription tretinoin or other over-the-counter retinol or retinaldehyde products, and then they use this and they're like it's a miracle. Not only does my skin tolerate it, but my skin actually looks better because of it, and to me that is absolutely worth the investment."

The Style and Beauty Doctor

220k subs

✓Approved

"Those Alpharett products sound freaking amazing. This combines retinoid and alpha hydroxy acid infused with retinol and lactic acid. It accelerates skin renewal for a visibly smoother complexion. This has all of the things in it. Niacinamide, glycolic, retinol, lactic acid. I'm gonna order this and try it because it sounds freaking amazing."

Doctorly

3.57M subs

✓Approved

"If we're looking at something that's expensive but probably still worth the money, I would say it would be AlphaRet from SkinBetter Science. This is what would be medical grade skincare personified, this would be the definition of that category if it existed. AlphaRet is still a great product."

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"SkinBetter Science AlphaRet is a very well formulated product with enough science to justify it being called medical grade. That product is unique, it's innovative, it's novel, it combines multiple things. I'm a big fan of that product."

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"It works really well. It's just expensive, you know. It's got your retinol and your lactic acid and your antioxidants. But it's a good product. It's just really expensive."

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"This is from SkinBetter Science. The reason why I'm going to shout it out is because right now I'm telling you to take a retinoid and cycle it with glycolic acid. With the SkinBetter Science product, it's actually a retinol attached to a lactic acid that when it enters the skin it releases the retinol and the lactic acid plus it has glycolic acid in it, so it basically eliminates the need to cycle the routine. So it's one product that you would use in your night routine for that pro-aging normal skin: cleanse, apply the SkinBetter Science AlphaRet, and then moisturize."

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"It's a retinol ester. They combined lactic acid and retinol in one ingredient and put it in one formula stable, and then once it gets on top of the skin the body actually goes through a hydrolysis process that breaks it down into these two separate molecules and it does it in a time-released fashion so you're delivering that lactic acid and that retinol in a gentle way. This is the intrigue, this is the mystery of AlphaRet because they take what was don't use these ingredients together and they said no, you can do that, which you can, but this is the preferred way you do it with a very deliberate formulation. They've shown that it's stable. It's a very unique mechanism. And beyond that there's also vitamin C in there, so this is like that list of ingredients that you'll see a million TikTok videos on: don't use A and C together. And this is oh, here's A and C and they're together and they do it well. I love that. Even though it's kind of on the pricier side, you also have almost like a three-in-one product. It's got this very interesting ingredient, plus it also has glycolic acid, another alpha hydroxy acid, and it also has the peptides that make up Matrixyl 3000, and it has many other ones."

Dr. Vanita Rattan

1.22M subs

✓Skip

"They really could have done that and they haven't. They failed very badly. It's probably the worst product we've seen so far today and the most expensive."

Tea with MD

107k subs

✓Approved

"My personal favorite retinoid-containing product is the skinbetter science AlphaRet Overnight Cream. That's the only retinoid that my really sensitive, rosacea-prone skin can tolerate. It's actually a retinoid conjugated with lactic acid, along with a whole host of other goodies. That's my retinoid of choice for those with sensitive skin."

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"This product is a lactic acid based exfoliant so it's a chemical exfoliant it also has licorice root which is meant for brightening it has aloe for calming down your skin as well as lemongrass for helping with skin radiance. I use this on nights when I'm not using my retinoid. I find that this leaves my skin texture feeling really smooth it helps to unclog my pores and it's just a really nice gentle treatment that gives me all the benefits of an exfoliant without leaving my skin feeling stinging or over exfoliated."

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"One ingredient I haven't been able to use is my retinoid, my usual SkinBetter Science AlphaRet, and I've been sorely missing it. I haven't actually replaced it with anything really in terms of its exfoliating property because my skin's really sensitive right now."

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"SkinBetter Science AlphaRet is a very very gentle retinoid that's conjugated with an AHA and it's the only retinoid that I can tolerate. Knowing specifically that someone has sensitive skin I would recommend that product for them and they can even use that with peel pads."

Dr. Jenny Liu

318k subs

✓Approved

"It's not actually irritating and in fact it's the reverse. They've actually compared this product with a traditional over-the-counter retinoid, and patients who use this not only improved better skin hydration but also similar outcomes as far as improving fine lines and wrinkles, and that is also my personal experience. It's a rich creamy retinol serum that is lovely hydrating but not sticky, greasy, or heavy. In addition to the retinoid, the lactic acid also contains peptides along with other antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E that just all around a great product to incorporate into your anti-aging skincare routine."

Dr Alexis Stephens

580k subs

✓Approved

"Definitely one of my favorite anti-aging creams. SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream has palmitoyl tripeptide 1 in addition to many other fantastic skincare ingredients."

208SkinDoc

2.08M subs

✓Approved

"Skin Better Science is an amazing company with my favorite retinol, the one that I use every night called AlphaRet. This is a retinoic acid, very similar to prescription tretinoin, but it's combined with lactic acid and even glycolic acid to give you a little extra exfoliation. That sounds like it could be drying, but it's so gentle. I use it most nights without even using a moisturizer, and I don't get any dryness or irritation. It is a little bit more expensive than your typical over-the-counter retinol, but it will last you 5 months because one pump is all you need every night, and there's 150 treatments in that bottle. If you're looking for a very good retinol that is not irritating, check out SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream."