Although I am a beauty blogger who tries lots of products, truth be told, I have really sensitive skin. So when I heard about Topix Replenix Retinol Plus Smoothing Serum 3x ($64.00, Amazon.com), with all the benefits of retinol plus skin-soothing green tea polyphenols and hydrating hyaluronic acid, I was delighted.
Ingredients – Really Spectacular
The ingredients in Topix Replenix Retinol Plus Smoothing Serum 3x are top-notch: retinoids are considered by many dermatologists to be the gold-standard of anti-aging, and while retinol is less potent than prescription tretinoin, it is still capable of producing profound results.
What makes this serum truly unique is its inclusion of a high concentration of green tea polyphenols, the active compounds of green tea (the most popular of which is epigallocatechin gallate). The polyphenols in green tea have been found in a 2003 study in Molecular Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention to prevent UVB-induced oxidation of lipids and proteins in mice. In addition, according to Dr. Gary Goldfaden, M.D., “In a recent dermatological comparison study, the use of a lotion containing a tea extract produced a 70% improvement in rosacea compared to use of a lotion containing the base ingredients alone.” Verifying this is a 2003 study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, which reports that green tea reduces UVB-induced inflammation.
Rounding out the ingredients in Topix Replenix Retinol Plus Smoothing Serum 3x is hyaluronic acid, which has been found to bind up to 1000 times its volume in water. The hyaluronic acid hydrates the skin to the extent that it can make it temporarily look more hydrated, fresher, and younger.
Personal Use and Opinions
I was not sent Topix Replenix Retinol Plus Smoothing Serum 3x – I went out and bought it, and I must say, I find it to be a wonderful retinol serum for my sensitive skin. It leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth – not dried out! 🙂 Other ways I have been able to get the benefits of retinol with sensitive skin include Green Cream Level 3 (and later 6, when my skin tolerated it) under hydrating moisturizers, or to a lesser extent with the Kinerase line, which has efficacy somewhere between 0.02% and 0.04% tretinoin.
Overall, I’m a huge fan! Great product!