Founded in 1989, Murad quickly became known as a science-based skincare company. Murad products are designed to treat the most common skincare issues, but they are also formulated with hydrating ingredients to protect the skin barrier.
I first encountered Murad at Sephora in my teenage years. I was desperate to heal my acne, so I purchased an acne treatment trial kit from the brand.
The one thing that I noticed was that the products in the kit were very hydrating. Until this point, I had only tried acne treatments that dried out my skin. This caused my skin to get even more irritated, and I ended up with more acne.
I did love the acne treatment kit from Murad, but as a teenager, I was not able to afford the high price tag. If the brand was more affordable, I may have saved myself from years of acne.
Now that I'm older (and I have a job), I am spending a lot more money on skincare. I am fortunate enough to have a closet full of skincare products, but none of the products are from Murad. Until now...
Murad was kind enough to send over their latest skincare release, the Retinol Youth Renewal line*. I honestly haven't thought of Murad in many years, but I do remember my positive experience with their acne treatments.
The new retinol line is even more expensive than their acne products!
So, is the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal line worth the money?
Let's find out together!
If you are over 25, you probably know that the best anti-aging skincare ingredient is retinol.
It seems like every US brand is jumping on the retinol train, but not all retinol products will give you the results you want.
So, what is retinol?
Unlike many other anti-aging ingredients on the market, retinol (Vitamin A) has been scientifically proven to help reduce wrinkles and uneven skin texture.
Retinol can be used at varying concentrations, depending on your skin condition.
At very low percentages, beginners can use the products daily. You will see improvements with fine line and skin texture, but you may not notice any difference in wrinkles.
At medium concentrations, your skin needs to adjust to the retinol. This means that you should start by applying the products only 2-3 times a week. If you don't notice any skin irritation or dryness, you can increase the frequency of application. If you have shallow wrinkles, a medium-strength retinol should give you fantastic results.
At high percentages, retinol can improve even deep-set wrinkles and extreme texture issues.
You can read more about retinol here.
If you haven't started using retinol yet, what are you waiting for?
Ok, back to the review...
>> Retinol Youth Renewal Line <<
To begin, let's take a look at the Retinol Youth Renewal line.
At the moment, there are only three products in the line:
- Retinol Youth Renewal Serum ($89)
- Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum ($85)
- Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream ($82)
According to Murad, these three products contain a unique retinol blend (Retinol Tri-Active Technology) that isn't available in other retinol-based products. Murad uses Retinol Tri-Active Technology to deliver the fastest results while avoiding skin irritation.
What makes the Retinol Tri-Active Technology so special?
This retinol is actually a blend of three different types of retinol. The first is a fast-acting retinoid. The second is a time-released retinol. The third is a retinol booster. Murad claims that by using this combination, you will see fast results and the formula will be gentle on the skin.
Most importantly, Murad claims that you will begin to see results from this line in as little as two weeks! That's a little too quick in my opinion, but we will see...
>> Retinol Youth Renewal Serum <<
The Retinol Youth Renewal Serum is apparently a repackaged Murad serum. I can't figure out which product they repackaged, but Murad claims this serum is the #1 Retinol product in the US (whatever that means). If you know which product this used to be, please let me know!
Even though this serum isn't technically a new product, it is new for me. The brand claims that this serum will improve the appearance of any lines or wrinkles in two weeks. Well, "in as little as two weeks", so it will probably take a lot longer.
I have been using this serum for over a month now, and I have some thoughts.
The serum itself comes out looking like a thick cream, but it really is very lightweight and kind of watery. A little goes a long way, so I only need one pump to cover my entire face and neck. The serum absorbed pretty quickly, and it feels nice on the skin. There is fragrance added to this serum, but it's not overwhelming.
Unfortunately, it's really hard to tell how much is left in the bottle. The packaging is pretty bulky and opaque, so I can't even guess if it's almost empty. I guess I'll find out when nothing comes out anymore. That will be a pretty sad day.
The serum is formulated with the Retinol Tri-Active Technology, Swertia Flower Extract, and Hyaluronic Acid to help give the skin a more youthful appearance. Of all the ingredients in this serum, I'm most interested in the retinols, so read until the end to find out if it works!
Skincarisma Ingredients Analysis:
- Wound Healing
- Anti-Aging
- Anti-Acne
- Brightening
- Paraben-, Sulfate-, and Alcohol-Free
- Contains Silicone
- Contains Fragrance
- Not safe for Fungal Acne
- Safe for dry skin
- Not safe for oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin
- 81% Low EWG rating
Full Ingredients List:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isopropyl Palmitate, C14-22 Alcohols, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Retinol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract, Swertia Chirata Extract, Squalane, Punica Granatum Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Extract, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Silica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Cetyl Palmitate, Laureth-23, Polysorbate 20, Trideceth-6 Phosphate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Tris (Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) Citrate, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 4 (CI 14700), Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Fragrance (Parfum)
The Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum is a new product for Murad. The brand claims that this eye serum will improve the entire eye area and help diminish the look of lines and wrinkles. What is unique about this eye serum is that you are supposed to apply it on the lid! Most eye products are supposed to be applied around the orbital bone, but this serum needs to go over the entire eye area.
I actually like that I can use it on my lids because I feel like my lids get a little droopy. This serum is a little thinner than the face serum, but it's formulated without a lot of the potential allergens that are included in the serum. That's probably why you can apply the eye serum on your lids.
I have the same issue with the packaging, and I can't tell how much product is left in the bottle. I only need half a pump to cover my eyes, and I love that the product doesn't sting my eyes. I cannot tell you how often my eyes water from eye creams, it's really annoying. This serum absorbs almost instantly, and it is completely non-irritating (at least for me).
The eye serum is formulated with the Retinol Tri-Active Technology, Cotton Wool Grass Extract, and Marine Kelp Extract to help lift and hydrate the skin around the eyes. The hydration is seriously lacking for me, and I'm not sure why. If you look at the ingredients list down below, you will see that the first two ingredients are water and glycerin. Those two ingredients alone should help hydrate the skin, but it's just not enough for me.
Let's see if the retinols actually do anything...
Skincarisma Ingredients Analysis:
- Anti-Acne
- Brightening
- Anti-Aging
- Paraben-, Sulfate-, Alcohol-, Silicone-, and EU Allergen-Free
- Not safe for Fungal Acne
- Contains Fragrance
- Good for dry skin
- Bad for oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin
- 87% Low EWG rating
Full Ingredients List:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Meadowfoam Delta-Lactone, Retinyl Propionate, Retinol, Swertia Chirata Leaf Extract, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera (Kelp) Extract, Isopropyl Palmitate, Lecithin, PVP, Hexylene Glycol, Capryl Glycol, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PVM/MA Decadiene Crosspolymer, PEG-8, Carbomer, Sodium Bisulfite, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Red 4 (CI 14700), Yellow 5 (CI 19140)
The Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream is also a new product. The brand claims that this cream will firm the skin, reduce the appearance of even deep wrinkles, and give your skin intense hydration. All these claims sound amazing, and I am expecting a lot of hydration from a product labeled as a night cream.
I have some mixed feelings about the packaging. I like that the cream is in an airtight container. Nothing annoys me more than having to stick my fingers in my skincare products. I also really enjoy the pump on the top of the jar. Each pump gives you the perfect amount of moisturizer to cover your entire face and neck. However, the packaging makes it very hard to tell how much product has been used like the other two bottles.
I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record, but I am very picky with my packaging... Don't judge me!
The night cream is a lot more lightweight than a traditional night cream. I was expecting a very thick cream moisturizer, but it feels a lot more like my regular daytime moisturizers. Unfortunately, I need a lot more hydrating overnight, so I end up having to layer a thicker moisturizer on top of this "night cream".
I would think that a night cream marketed towards aging skin would be a lot thicker, but maybe my skin is just extra dry. Either way, I cannot use this cream alone as my night moisturizer. At the minimum, I think you need a layer of a sleep mask or oil on top. Ok, I'll stop ranting about this now!
Since the cream is not hydrating enough for me, I am basically using it for the retinols. For $82, I should be waking up with baby skin every morning!
Skincarisma Ingredients Analysis:
- Skin Brightening
- Anti-Aging
- Wound Healing
- Paraben-, Sulfate-, and Alcohol-Free
- Contains Silicone
- Contains Fragrance
- Not safe for Fungal Acne
- Good for dry skin
- Bad for oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin
- 86% Low EWG rating
Full Ingredients List:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Isostearyl Hydroxystearate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C14-22 Alcohols, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Isopropyl Palmitate, Retinol, Retinyl Propionate, Oleyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Hexyldecanol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Glycerin, Polyglucuronic Acid, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Dioscorea Villosa (Wild Yam) Room Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Swertia Chirata Extract, Lecithin, Pullulan, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate, PEG-75 Stearate, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Cetyl Hydroxethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Picolinamide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 4 (CI 14700), Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Fragrance (Parfum)
Ok, here it is!
As much as I wanted to hate this skincare line, I have to say that it did help smooth out my fine lines and make my skin feel a lot firmer.
It took about a month before I noticed any difference in my skin, but it definitely worked!
Two negative things about these products:
- I experienced a purge for about 1.5 weeks when I first started using the products.
- I absolutely hate the packaging. I am not a fan of the colors, the shapes, the bulkiness... I think the reason why I haven't purchased any Murad products in so many years is their terrible aesthetic. It just turns me off completely.
That being said, this line is very expensive.
If you have very deep wrinkles, I would definitely recommend all of these products. I think that the retinol is strong enough to help smooth out your skin.
If you have wrinkles that aren't too deep, I would recommend the eye serum and the serum. I just don't think that you need so many layers of retinol if your wrinkles are shallow.
If you only have fine lines, I would recommend just getting the eye serum. You can apply it around the eyes and then add another half a pump to the lines on the rest of your face. That's really all you need for fine lines in my opinion.
>> Before You Go <<
I hope you enjoyed this review! If you are interested in reading more content like this, check out the Skincare Reviews Series tab at the top of this page.
If you have any questions or concerns, please leave them in the comments section. I would also love to hear from you if you have tried any of these products!
Don't miss any of my posts, enter your email here to receive my weekly newsletter. You can also find this form by clicking the Subscribe option from the drop-down list at the top of this page. By signing up, you will opt-in to receive a maximum of one email a week with links to my latest blog posts.
You can also follow me on Instagram and Twitter for daily content.
Check out my latest Instagram post here:
XO
No comments:
Post a Comment