Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum.

Retinoids

About this product

A retinol serum formulated with vegan retinol linoleate, combining safflower-derived linoleic acid and retinol to support nightly skin renewal.

Full ingredients

Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Propanediol, Sorbitan Stearate, Sclerotium Gum, Retinyl Linoleate, Retinol, Avena Sativa (Oat) Bran Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Niacinamide, Bisabolol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytic Acid, Synthetic Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Copernicia Cerifera Cera/Cire De Carnauba, Maltodextrin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

Guru Score

80%

Yay

4 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

It's not true retinol. The formula uses vegan retinol linoleate, a gentler pro-retinol made from safflower oil and retinol, which means it's designed for sensitive skin and anyone beginning with retinoids. Gurus praise it for that beginner-friendly gentleness, though they note the naming can be misleading, and credit the brand for its smaller-business approach.

Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take February 2026

What they liked

Beginner retinol for sensitive skin

What they flagged

Marketed as retinol, actually pro-retinol

Best for

Mature skin

Type

RetinoidsDrops & dropper

Key actives

Retinoid Niacinamide Hyaluronic acidVitamin ESqualane

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Amazon → Google →

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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

✓Yay

"The Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum, which is 69 bucks for 1 oz. [...] It's got squalane, retinol, bisabolol, rose hip oil, a lot more other ingredients, but overall the base and the actives are the same. Very nice product. Smaller business. That's what I like."

Dr. Sam Ellis

898k subs

✓Yay

"If you're looking for a retinol that has a serum texture and in my opinion feels incredibly luxurious on the skin, I love the Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol. I absolutely love the way this product feels on the skin and I think a lot of that is due to all the amazing plant oils that it has."

Dr. Shereene Idriss

1.73M subs

✓Mixed

"She also has her newest product, which just launched, her Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum [...] for 69 dollars. It is a vegan retinol linoleate, which is derived from a pro-retinol composed of retinol and high purity linoleic acid from safflower oil, similar to the one that is in Glossier's Universal Pro Retinol Overnight Renewing Treatment. I don't like that they call it retinol because it's not really a retinol, but if you are sensitive and you want to begin, it is a beginner's retinol."

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

✓Yay

"For a beginner who's trying to use retinol who maybe is intimidated on how to mix it with niacinamide or hyaluronic acid and it all feels confusing, this is a gentle barrier supportive retinol that you can use alongside a moisturizer or an oil at night and actually get the benefits of retinol without the redness or the irritation that often comes with [...] 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

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 Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum?

A retinol serum formulated with vegan retinol linoleate, combining safflower-derived linoleic acid and retinol to support nightly skin renewal.

Is Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum worth it?

Mostly yes. 3 of the 4 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 80%.

What is Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum's Guru Score?

Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum holds a Guru Score of 80%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 expert reviewers we have collected.