Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer
Called Retinol 24, but the main vitamin A is retinyl propionate, a weak ester, not retinol. It ships in a jar.
Reviewed by Dr. Schwarz, MD · Dermatologist
A dermatologist’s take
Eh.
A gentle drugstore cream carrying a mild vitamin A, not the retinol the lid implies. Most of the vitamin A here is retinyl propionate, an ester that has to convert twice before it even becomes retinol, and Olay discloses no strength at all. If you want a real retinol, buy one that states its dose.
Pros
- No added fragrance
- Good fit for sensitive skin
- Good fit for dry skin
Cons
- Retinol concentration is not disclosed
- Retinol can irritate
Skin fit
Who is it best for?
Sensitive Skin
Good fitEvery vitamin A has to be converted into retinoic acid before skin cells respond, and each step loses potency.
Retinyl propionate is two steps further out than retinol, so less arrives and less irritation with it. That is why it rarely stings.
Dry Skin
Good fitAs a plain moisturizer this is a good one. Glycerin pulls water into the outer layer, dimethicone slows it escaping, and niacinamide pushes skin to build more of its own barrier fats.
Sun Damage
Okay fitRetinoids have the best evidence for the lines and mottling UV leaves behind, but the effect tracks the dose.
Olay does not say how much retinyl propionate is in the jar, and an ester needs 0.3 percent or above to do anything. Set expectations to match.
Hyperpigmentation
Poor fitRetinoids do fade dark marks, but the active here is a weak ester. Real retinol, azelaic acid or vitamin C will get there first.
Acne
Poor fitThe retinol name gets this bought for breakouts. The dose is far below what clears acne; adapalene is the over-the-counter retinoid that does.
Feel & smell
What does it feel like?
Cream
It is a light night cream that spreads easily and sinks in without much residue. Fragrance free, and gentle enough that most people feel nothing on the first night.
It comes in an open screw-top jar, and vitamin A breaks down in light and air.
Inside the formula
What do the main ingredients do?
More ingredient roles
How this formula works.
Vitamin A ingredients sit on a ladder, and skin cells only respond to the top rung, retinoic acid — prescription tretinoin. Retinal is one step below, retinol two, retinyl esters like retinyl propionate three. Every step down is a conversion, and each one loses some of what you applied.
Full clinical explanation
Vitamin A ingredients sit on a ladder, and skin cells only respond to the top rung, retinoic acid — prescription tretinoin. Retinal is one step below, retinol two, retinyl esters like retinyl propionate three. Every step down is a conversion, and each one loses some of what you applied.
This cream leads with retinyl propionate, the bottom rung, and carries pure retinol only in trace amounts even though the name says Retinol. Retinyl propionate is the best of the esters, but it needs 0.3 percent or higher to do much, and Olay does not print a number.
The other half of the formula is better — a well-made, fragrance-free moisturizer with niacinamide, which has real evidence for barrier repair and tone. Judged as that, it holds up.
Full ingredient list · 23 ingredients
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Retinol, Retinyl Propionate, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, DMDM Hydantoin, Polysorbate 20, Laureth-4, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Laureth-7, Dimethiconol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Aminomethyl Propanol, Titanium Dioxide, Disodium EDTA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
All ingredient roles
Dimethicone
A silicone that smooths the surface and adds to the protective film.
Glycerin
A small humectant. It moves into the outer layer of skin and holds water there.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
A light oil made from coconut oil and glycerin. It smooths and softens the surface.
Water
The base the other ingredients are dissolved in. Most of it evaporates soon after the product goes on.
Disodium EDTA
Binds minerals in the water so the preservative works better and the formula stays stable.
Use & results
How to use it.
How much
A pea-sized amount for the whole face, warmed between the fingers first.
Careful
Wear sunscreen every morning — any vitamin A leaves skin more sensitive to sun. Keep it off the immediate eye area, and hold off on exfoliating acids the same night until you know how your skin takes it.
What to expect
Skin feels better moisturized from the first night. Any vitamin A effect is slow and mild, over months. Peeling is uncommon here, and getting none is the formula, not a mistake on your part.
Price spectrum
Where does the price fall?
Paying more doesn’t guarantee better results. A good buy is a formula with the right ingredients, strength and texture for your skin. Use price per ounce to compare cost, then weigh it against the pros and cons above.
The product line
Which Olay product should you choose?
Olay’s lineup combines basic moisturizing with retinol, vitamin C and peptide-focused formulas. These are different choices, not successive upgrades. Choose the ingredient for your goal, then compare the texture and any disclosed strength.
Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer
Vitamin A at night, mostly retinyl propionate, a weak ester rather than retinol. In a jar.
Retinol 24 Night Smoothing Serum
The same idea in a thinner serum, if you would rather pick your own moisturizer.
Regenerist Vitamin C + Peptide 24 MAX
The morning member. Vitamin C works on tone, not texture.
Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24
Peptides only. No vitamin A, no acid — the mildest of the four.
More about the lineup
Olay's "24" products are one idea in several jars — a single headline ingredient in a rich base, split into morning and night versions.
Alternatives
If it didn’t work for you
Good Molecules Gentle Retinol Cream
Real retinol at a disclosed 0.11%, plus bakuchiol 0.30%, fragrance-free, about $10. A beginner strength, but a number.
Read the review →
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Regenerating Cream
Real retinol rather than an ester, at a similar price. Strength still undisclosed, and also a screw-top jar.
Read the review →
A313 Pommade
Also ester-led, retinyl palmitate at roughly 0.06% retinol-equivalent. A thick ointment rather than a light night cream.
Read the review →Questions
Before you buy
Is Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer a strong retinol?
No. Its main vitamin A is retinyl propionate, an ester.
Is Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer fragrance-free?
Yes.
Is the jar a downside for Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer?
Yes. Vitamin A degrades in air and light.
Is Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer still worth using?
As a gentle moisturizer with niacinamide, yes. As a retinoid, no.
What is the DMDM hydantoin in Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer?
A preservative that releases small amounts of formaldehyde. Some sensitive people avoid it.
Sources
Sources and further reading
- Nicotinamide increases biosynthesis of ceramides as well as other stratum corneum lipids to improve the epidermal permeability barrier.
- Niacinamide-containing facial moisturizer improves skin barrier and benefits subjects with rosacea.
- Topical application of retinyl propionate, 4 hexyl resorcinol, and niacinamide reverses molecular and clinical features of ageing.
- Enhanced retinoid response by a combination of the vitamin A ester retinyl propionate with niacinamide and a flavonoid containing Ceratonia siliqua extract in retinoid responsive in vitro models.
- Efficacy and tolerability of short contact therapy with tretinoin, clindamycin, and glycolic acid gel in acne: A randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded two-center trial: The MASCOTTE study.
Keep exploring
Keep exploring.
A313 Pommade
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Regenerating Cream
Acne
Dry Skin
Good Molecules Gentle Retinol Cream
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Retinol Serum
Coconut Oil
Glycerin
Coconut Oil
Dimethicone
Rosacea
