This $25 Night Cream Reduced My Fine Lines Within a Week (2024)

We put RoC’s Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review.

By some miracle of time and space, I am suddenly in my mid-30s (!) and while my skin is holding up decently thanks to daily sunscreen use, I’m definitely starting to see some signs of aging: lines around my mouth, my eyes, and a few on my forehead, too.

I’m not opposed to botox, I just like to avoid needles as much as I can (I’m a little squeamish), so I’m forever in search of something that will reduce and prevent these signs of aging in a less painful, more cost-effective way. That’s why I was so excited to try RoC’s Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream.

Keep reading—here’s how it worked out.

About My Skin: Fair and acne-prone (these days)

While my arms and legs get tan, my face is another story. The sun makes it burn up or brings out my freckles. As mentioned, it's also showing some signs of aging, mostly in the form of fine lines around my eyes and mouth, and a few on my forehead.

And as of the last 18 months (ever since my daughter was born), I get some pretty reliable hormonal acne that pops up at the same time every month—a week or so before my period. My dermatologist recommended retinol to help with it, which was another reason I was so excited to try this night cream.

The Feel: Light (and smells great)

Because retinol is considered a harsher product and can cause irritation and dryness, I expected this to feel heavy, but it was surprisingly light (and smelled amazing). It's important not to overdo it with retinol, though, so I applied a few dots to different areas of my face and rubbed it in. I imagine if I’d treated it like a moisturizer, it would have started to feel very heavy very quickly (and probably produce a bad reaction).

Irritation: None, but I exercised caution

Years ago, I used way too much retinol on my face, and my skin quickly became dry and flaky. At the ripe old age of 34, I know much better, and when applying this night cream, I used it very sparingly. I was also even more careful with sunscreen than usual, making sure to apply it to my face more than once a day.

All that to say: I didn’t experience any irritation with this product, much to my surprise—although I can see how if you have sensitive skin, use too much, or don’t apply sunscreen, you might.

The Results: Fewer fine lines, and still working on them.

RoC’s Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream promises to do all its hard work at night when the skin is believed to be most receptive. It is also said to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by up to 50% and make skin look “10 years younger.”

As for the hormonal acne, I can’t say I’ve seen less of it just yet, but that’s a longer game to play, according to my dermatologist. I’m hopeful that with a few months of use, I’ll experience fewer breakouts.

The Value: Very affordable

At under $25, RoC’s Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream is very affordable as far as retinol or night cream goes. The bottle is one ounce, which doesn’t seem like a lot, but a little goes a long way. At the rate I’m using it, I’d say it will be a while before I have to buy a new bottle.

Similar Products: You’d be hard-pressed to find one this affordable

Sunday Riley Luna Retinol Sleeping Night Oil ($105): I couldn’t use retinol while I was pregnant or breastfeeding (which was the bulk of 2019 and 2020), but before getting pregnant I was using this night treatment. At $105 for a bottle that was roughly the same size, I can’t say the results were much different from RoC’s Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream. Sunday Riley’s version does include more natural ingredients though (the first ingredient is extra virgin cold-pressed avocado), so if that’s something you care about, it may be worth splurging.