Peter Thomas Roth: Retinol Fusion PM Review

One of the things I really loved using as a teenager was my retin-a acne medication. It cleared away my acne like nothing else and smoothed my skin out. My doctor also jokingly warned me not to share my prescription with my mother. It also had anti-aging benefits he told me. Not that I would need it just yet. I always remembered that little bit of advice. So when it was time for me to look for anti-wrinkle skin care, I immediately thought of retin-a.

Unfortunately for me, retin-a is not an item sold over the counter. The cosmetic version of retin-a is retinol. It is much less potent, but still claims to have much of the same anti-aging properties of retin-a. One of the most well know cosmetic retinol items on the market is Peter Thomas Roth's Retinol Fusion PM serum. 

What it is:
A potent retinol serum that delivers skin-renewing benefits via optimally concentrated encapsulated retinol for maximum results with minimal irritation.

What it is formulated to do:
This technologically advanced combination of encapsulated retinol, and vitamins C and E, encourages the skin's renewal process with prime efficacy. It helps improve skintone and texture, assists in collagen production, and reduces lines and wrinkles to create a vibrantly youthful and healthy complexion. A dose of moisture minimizes redness and irritation, and mitigates the retinol's drying effects.

Retinol Fusion PM comes in a dark blue bottle with a dropper top. As with Josie Maran's Argan oil, I dislike the dropper top since it repeatedly exposes the product to air. There is a lot of product to go through and I wouldn't want it to go bad before I finish using it.

Initially, I was shocked at how watery the serum appears to be. It is as clear as water too! The only giveaway that it is beauty product is that is it a bit oily to the touch. It is not what I expected a high end retinol serum to be like. It applies very easily though, but takes awhile to absorb into the skin. Sometimes the Retinol Fusion PM alone on my skin feels too drying. Other times it would be no problem at all.

My skin started purging during the first couple of days. It was nothing major and everything subsided once my skin got used to the serum. I realized about two weeks of applying it that the typical retinol effect of drying and peeling started to take place. It works!

I only use this as night since the serum doesn't contain anything that protects your skin during the day. Anyone using any type of retin or retinol product should steer clear of direct sunlight. Retin/retinol makes your skin super sensitive to sun damage.

I still lament that it is not as strong as prescription retin-a, but PTR retinol keeps my skin relatively blemish free and smooth.

All photos (c) Little Luxuries 2013.