Style Skincare Wrinkles and Fine Lines Are No Match for This Retinol-Alternative Serum That's Perfect for Sensitive Skin Reviewers saw smooth, plump, and soft skin in weeks. By Nina Huang Nina Huang Nina Huang is a lifestyle writer focusing on beauty, fashion, entertainment, home, and food. You'll find her work on People, InStyle, Real Simple, Entertainment Weekly, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, and other Meredith publications. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 13, 2022 Fact checked by Emily Peterson Fact checked by Emily Peterson Emily Peterson is an experienced fact-checker and editor with Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and French. Our Fact-Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: tula.com Many think of and love retinol as the skincare ingredient for reducing signs of photoaging, UV damage, and hyperpigmentation, but those with sensitive skin might be less receptive to it. Retinol, a form of vitamin A, can become an irritant and cause redness, dryness, and flaking—all things that people with sensitive skin already face. Thankfully, avoiding retinol doesn't mean you can never experience the benefits it provides. If retinol isn't an option for you, there are alternative ingredients that offer similar advantages—most famous of which is bakuchiol. The all-natural retinol alternative has antioxidant properties that give it similar anti-aging properties, but bakuchiol is much less irritating by comparison. And people who are eager to try out the ingredient can't stop praising Tula's Wrinkle Treatment Drops Retinol Alternative Serum that puts bakuchiol front and center; reviewers with dry and sensitive skin actually said it left their faces "smoother and with a better glow." tula.com To buy: $58 with code CHECKYOURGLOW15 (was $68); tula.com. Along with bakuchiol, the Wrinkle Treatment Drops serum is formulated with stevia and alfalfa sprouts as two other retinol alternatives to give you a heaping dose of antioxidant protection and shield your skin from free radicals (which attack your skin barrier to create signs of photoaging like wrinkles and fine lines). On top of these anti-aging protectors, the serum features squalane, an ingredient that locks in moisture on dry skin to seal in all the hydration you need. Moisturizing jojoba seed oil, anti-aging goji berry, and carrot root extracts in the serum are all cherries on top to nourish and smooth out your skin. Reviewers said that the serum is truly non-irritating and absorbs really well into the skin—even that they've seen plumper, softer, and smoother skin on faces with fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness as a result. Many wrote that it's "far easier" on sensitive skin than traditional retinol, and that it eliminated the "terrible burning and redness" they'd get from the vitamin A ingredient. "No burning, no stinging, and I have sensitive skin," said a reviewer of their reaction to the serum. This $6 Skincare Trick Leaves Your Face Glowing, Smooth, and Ready for Makeup, According to Shoppers Others see differences in their skin after just weeks of using the serum and say that it "truly delivers" on its mission to make dehydrated, wrinkled, and redness-prone sensitive skin glow. Even if you don't have sensitive skin, Tula's Wrinkle Treatment Drops serum might just become your next go-to skincare essential. Shop it now at Tula, and use code CHECKYOURGLOW15 to get the serum for 15 percent off. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Dhaliwal S, Rybak I, Ellis SR, et al. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. Br J Dermatol. 2019;180(2):289-296. doi:10.1111/bjd.16918