ELIZABETH ARDEN Retinol Ceramide Capsules Line Erasing Night Serum Review

If you’re a skincare enthusiast like me, you’re probably already pretty in the know about retinol. The bottom line is that retinol is the derivative of vitamin A that stimulates the metabolism of skin cells and encourages collagen production. In short, it’s a powerhouse wrinkle buster, and it can make your skin brighter, plumper and all-around dreamier than ever before.

The umbrella of retinoids all fall within the same category of vitamin A derivatives and can be classified under the four core categories: retinyl esters, retinol, retinaldehyde, and retinoic acid. Some are naturally occurring in the body, while others are pharmaceutical formulations. A few are only available via a doctor’s prescription, while others are sitting on your local beauty supplier’s shelf, waiting for you to buy them. They vary in function and strength, which is great for consumers.

You might have heard that any and all forms of retinoids are harsh on the skin, and while that largely depends on the product’s potency and formulation, there are certain vitamin A derivatives that are stronger than others. The least irritating are retinyl esters, like the widely used retinyl propionate, which are the most stable and most gentle forms of retinol.

This is the form of retinol, which can be found in Elizabeth Arden’s Retinol Ceramide Capsules. It is of a very low strength, gentle form that doesn’t cause irritation and constitutes a great way how to start with retinol and get your skin used to it, before using stronger products and avoiding unnecessary irritation.

Elizabeth Arden’s Retinol Ceramide Capsules come packaged in a small golden shade paper box, which includes an instruction manual. I purchased them for 86.90€.

There are 60 small shiny capsules inside a luxurious plastic container.

While the company doesn’t reveal the product’s actual percentage of retinol, I estimate it to be around 0.1 to 0.2%.

Here is the full list of ingredients, which includes “retinol” as the fourth one from the bottom:

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Bht, C18-36 Acid Triglyceride, Camellia Senensis Leaf Extract, Ceramide Np, Ceamide Ns, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Laurylmethacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Lecithin, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Phytosphingosine, Phytosterols, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Retinol, Sorbitan Laurate, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Phenoxyethanol.

According to the manufacturer’s website:

“A targeted treatment to visibly diminish lines and wrinkles while improving skin texture and tone. Each capsule is single use. Benefits 

• A luxurious, lightweight, semi-translucent serum that combines two of the biggest names in skincare in one, easy-to-use capsule
• Retinol, the clinically proven wrinkle-smoother, and moisture-boosting ceramides
• In one month, see more youthful skin, minimized wrinkles and better texture and tone

Key Ingredients 

• Our secret is in the capsule and manufacturing process – light and air are kept out and potency in. In fact, the retinol in our capsules is 76% more potent than unencapsulated retinol.*
• This means that highly reactive retinol is protected, ensuring the potency of every application
• *Based on testing of unencapsulated retinol equivalent predictive of 10 months of shelf life“

Here is what the capsule looks like when being removed from the container, compared to my hand:

To open the capsule, I gently twisted its tab around twice. Immediately, I could see a thick, transparent gel pour out of the capsule.

The amount was sufficient enough to cover my entire face and neck. I was advised by the saleswoman in a department store that she and other customers normally leave a half of the capsule for a later use. However, I won’t be doing that. This will also prevent damage to the retinol, which is more effective when not being exposed to air or sunlight.

After massaging the entire content of a single capsule all over my skin, I was surprised how quickly it got absorbed, leaving no greasy residue. My oily, acne-prone skin (with traces of acne scars) turned velvety and smooth.

The serum actually helped my skin remain moisturized and smooth for hours, without getting oily.

It is difficult to tell whether it was the effect of retinol or ceramide, which helped my skin, however after using up the entire bottle, I will be purchasing a stronger retinol product from The Ordinary and I also decided to try Retinal.

So, I would definitely recommend the ELIZABETH ARDEN Retinol Ceramide Capsules Line Erasing Night Serum for someone who is starting with retinol. It is also great for moisturizing oily skin and keeping it smooth.