Soft Services Retinol Body Serum: a Guru Score of 84%

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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✓Yay

"Soft Services is a brand that recently launched at Sephora and they have their updated Retinol Body Serum for $44. This one is pure retinol at 0.25% and even though it is technically a body retinol you could potentially use it on your face as well and it's going to be lighter than other options. It is meant to be used on your body and they claim that body retinols are typically formulated at 0.1%, making this product 2.5 times more potent."

Beyond50Skin

32k subs

✓Yay

"The retinoid of choice that I've been using is by Soft Services, but this is a 0.25% retinol. I haven't gotten any skin irritation, but I'm considering picking up the 1% because there are times throughout the winter that my body just starts erupting and sort of itchy, rashy patches and I have used the necessary through those patches in the past and I may just pick that up to have on the back burner in case this is just a bit too much. But I do believe that using retinols throughout the winter months is just as important as using them the rest of the year."

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"Another retinol body product that I can't recommend highly enough is the one by Soft Services. This is a bump up to 0.25% retinol. So go slow, try it out, see how you respond, and then they only recommend this max four times a week. I love all the body products at Soft Services. You cannot go wrong with this skincare line for the body."

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"This is their body serum, Soft Services Body Serum. This is a 0.25% Retinol Body Serum. Love both of these. Actually, I can't talk enough about all of the Soft Services products. I have their Ura Cream. I have their just body lotion. Love all of their products. 20% off Soft Services is a steal and they're so giftable. The boxes are absolutely beautiful. Just the most giftable body care I have ever seen."

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"This is their [...] 0.25% Retinol Body Serum. It's a very lightweight serum. [...] I've been using it everywhere about three times a week. It says you can use it up to four times a week. I'm only using it three times a week. And I've been layering it with the ones body. So I'll put the ones body on as a little buffer to the retinol and then I'll put the Soft Services retinol on. [...] I have been really surprised about the number of dark spots on my body area that I've been able to get rid of just with over the counter sticking with a good skincare routine for the body."

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"The retinoid of choice that I've been using is by Soft Services, but this is a 0.25% retinol. I haven't gotten any skin irritation, but I'm considering picking up the 1% because there are times throughout the winter that my body just starts erupting and sort of itchy, rashy patches and I have used the necessary through those patches in the past and I may just pick that up to have on the back burner in case this is just a bit too much. But I do believe that using retinols throughout the winter months is just as important as using them the rest of the year."

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"A body care brand that has become a fast favorite is Soft Services. They gifted me their Retinol Body Serum and their Urea 10% body lotion. Love these both. These fit into a mature body skincare routine perfectly. I also think that this would be the perfect gift for someone that you know is struggling with crepey skin. It's got a 0.25% retinol. They say to use it conservatively starting out with one day a week, especially if you're not used to retinoids. You might get some irritation if you're using it every night. In fact, the max number of nights they recommend to use it is four. So, you know, it's got some potent actives in here and I've just added it into my body skincare routine and I'm absolutely loving 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

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is Soft Services Retinol Body Serum?

A lightweight serum with 0.25% pure retinol, designed for body use to address signs of aging.

Is Soft Services Retinol Body Serum worth it?

Yes. All 2 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 84%.

What is Soft Services Retinol Body Serum's Guru Score?

Soft Services Retinol Body Serum holds a Guru Score of 84%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 2 expert reviewers we have collected.