The Anti-Retinol Movement Is Upon Us — But Does It Hold Up?

Alongside the star ingredient of clinically-tested cannabinoid, peptides (including the gold-standard Matrixyl 3000) feature prominently in Dieux’s first-ever (and currently sold-out) serum, Deliverance — not as an alternative, but as a kind of companion to retinol, a soothing, barrier-strengthening foil that supports skin no matter what you choose to do with it. “Retinoids are probably my favorite skin-care ingredient because they’re well-researched, they’re safe, and they work,” says Charlotte Palermino, the brand’s co-founder and CEO. “However, not everybody can use them, and a lot of people get sensitivity and irritation — not everyone, and not because it’s toxic or something, but because it’s resurfacing.”