I am a pretty big fan of retinol. It is one of the few active ingredients that I have found that actually shows visible results on fine lines. It also brightens a bit, which I like since I have areas of melasma. Unfortunately though, it can also be irritating, especially in prescription strength.  DermaDoctor Poetry in Lotion is a great middle ground for me. It has the highest concentration allowed for over the counter (1%), and it is formulated to have less irritation.

I have been using it for a month now with good success. It is pricey, but I like it better than any other over the counter retinol cream that I have used so far, although I also really like Remergent (read previous review). The lotion is on the thicker side and is quite moisturizing, which off-sets any dryness from the retinol. I had no issues with irritation and, although the lotion seemed a bit thick, it did not break me out.

If you are looking for a full strength retinol lotion over the counter, this is a good one to try! customers at DermaDoctor also rave about this one. You can read those reviews through the link above. I will also be giving away a full size bottle of Poetry in Lotion beginning Tuesday of next week. So check back to enter the drawing!