Enhanced Wrinkle Repair Cream

10 Reviews

1. 

   brainyAbalone2

   Reply

   Apart from a prescription Retin A, this is a very effective retinol. Alpha has another retinol product as well, Enhanced Wrinkle Repair Cream, which I used for years. Reduces breakouts and keeps my skin smooth.

2. 

   excludedCurlew0

   Reply

   Tldr: OTC Retinol with vitamin C that’s affordable and gentle, but without dramatic results.

   It’s an unscented cream in a tube (easy dispensing) that applies smoothly and finishes almost matte. I use it after the AHA glycolic souffle in a thin layer or sometimes mix the two, but always follow with a moisturizer. I do not use either acid during the day. I started 3x a week but had no purging and only slight stinging sensitivity reactions which now I don’t get (no burning at all) and I use this daily (pm). I follow it with a sensitive skin serum once it’s dry and matte, then whatever moisturizer I’m using based on seasons.

   I’ve been using this for about 1 year on and I’ve been putting off this review hoping for a really great result to declare. The truth is I’ve seen a very small improvement in my under eye wrinkles and little to no change on my forehead “micro wrinkles” (that’s what my esthetician calls my forehead wrinkles since they are not very pronounced but are there for sure). What’s most noticeable is after adding both these acids and now that I’m up to daily use, I rarely feel the need for physical exfoliation/additional exfoliation and my milia are almost completely gone. The lack of irritation for my rosacea skin is also a huge plus since a lot of products of this type is incredibly painful for me. Also my skin hasn’t gotten worse so I feel this falls into a cheap preventative category. I’m thinking of changing my routine but I would still recommend trying it.

   EDIT: After trying several other retinoid and retinol creams, I consistently come back to this product as it’s a known 0.15% retinol cream that is not irritating to me. I was going to give it 5 lippies, but I keep wishing it was formulated without the wax so that’s the only reason it’s a 4 lippie product. I prefer lighter formulations for my targeted products.

3. 

   adoringBittern9

   Reply

   I’m on my second or third tube of this. I go through stages of using it religiously, forgetting about it in favor of another night product, and then coming back to it. It has no scent and goes on very easily. It is smooth and absorbs fast into the skin. A little goes a long way and the tube lasts a long time. I am not sure if it is decreasing wrinkles but I do think my skin just looks overall more healthy and glowy when I use this product. I like the Alpha Hydrox line in general and have used it for years with fair regularity.

4. 

   debonairToucan5

   Reply

   I have purchased this but haven’t tried it, review pending.

   —–
   NOTE:
   This product has gone through some name changes in the past few years. In the past it was named “Retinol Night ResQ”, then they changed to just “Retinol ResQ”. Someone at Neoteric Cosmetics assured me a month ago that it was the same product. Comparing the ingredients from my package of “Retinol Resq” to the ingredients listed on MUA, the only change I see is the exclusion of Propyl Gallate in the newer products.

   Neoteric Cosmetics has just rebranded and repackaged all of their lines (product name changes can be found at This line has been renamed “Alpha Skin Care” instead of Alpha Hydrox. This particular product has been renamed “Enhanced Wrinkle Repair Cream” and now lists the retinol percentage (.015%) on the package. The ingredient list remains the same as the Retinol ResQ product:

   Ingredients (from manufacturer Neoteric Cosmetics website): Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Emulsifying Wax, Glycerin, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Benzyl Alcohol, Cyclomethicone, Retinol, Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Acrylates Copolymer, Bisabolol, PEG-10 Soya Sterol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Stearic Acid, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Triethanolamine

5. 

   pridefulBagels9

   Reply

   I treat my skin well and often follow different procedures during the changing seasons here in the NE. Summer I need products for oil, winter dryness, etc.

   This is an EXCELLENT retinol for the cost. The application is smooth and creamy and the percentage of retinol is pretty decent for an OTC. I apply this in the evening, and do an AHA/Lactic/Glycolic type of wash in the morning.

   I had fine lines starting to show on my forehead, and within 1 week of using they are starting to look plumper, combined with the other things I am doing (hydrating skin, getting sleep, chemical peels, etc.). I know that it is the retinol because this is something new that I added to my routine, which I have been doing for many years.

6. 

   jumpySausage0

   Reply

   I am three months in with this product. I am seeing really nice results. I apply it at bedtime, blended with jojoba oil or moisturizer. My skin is breaking out a lot less, and the tone is pretty, glowy, and even. I would prefer this product if it came in a bottle with a pump.

7. 

   curiousHoopoe8

   Reply

   I purchased this about 9-10 months ago after seeing what long-term retinol use could do on /r/skincareaddiction, where another user also recommended this product. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try as its inexpensive and I was beginning to notice a few lines on my forehead in addition to acne all along my cheeks, large pores on my cheekbones, and dry skin anywhere that wasn’t my T-zone. I needed some HELP!

   I didn’t really notice any changes until maybe 7 months into using this product every other night after my cleanser and before my moisturizer, when I noticed my acne was mostly cleared and my pores were less crater-like. I kept up with this and now I have zero spots and the old hyperpigmentation from previous breakouts is also fading. My skin has never looked this great. Some nights I go out without any foundation or cover-up, just a little eyeshadow and lippy! I never thought I would be able to do that!

   I don’t know what did it either, but I don’t remember a purging stage. I definitely had some flare-ups but those could be attributed to other things too, like my affinity for skin-picking or a head cold (I break out when I’m sick).

   I’m definitely a life-long fan, and I loooveeee looking at my skin in the morning now. I did subtract one lippy because one noticeable forehead line hasn’t gone away (so its not a miracle product!) but I do notice a few other light feathery ones disappear when I use this religiously (meaning every night rather than every other)

8. 

   excludedOwl8

   Reply

   For the price, this is a good product. I couldn’t find this in a store around me but it was easily available online (got it on drugstore.com). There’s no scent, which I like. This has a light, creamy texture but never makes me greasy and doesn’t cause acne. I’ve used several retinol products in the past, so I’ve never experienced irritation or dryness with this stuff. I only use it about 2 or 3 times a week, though.
   I haven’t noticed much of a change in fine lines or wrinkles, so I took off one lippy for that. However, this helps keep my face clearer, evens out skin tone, and makes my skin smoother. I am still searching for an HG retinol product so I’ll probably try other products, but I would buy this again.

9. 

   truthfulLard1

   Reply

   I bought this over a year ago and still haven’t finished the original tube. I am one who never got past the flaky skin from prescription retinol products so I thought an over-the-counter version would be a more appropriate alternative. This Alpha Hydrox Retionol Night ResQ cream doesn’t cause flaking or redness but it does dry out my skin every time I use it, even as little as 3-4 times per a week (in spite of 2x daily use of moisturizers). Ironically, the drying effect made wrinkles more pronounced. As a result, I stopped using it the past six months. Two years after I really began in earnest to go the anti-aging route with my skincare routine, I find I need something to boost my usual “Deep Facial Lines” wrinkle cream, a Freeman product sold under the Vita-K Professional name, which contains a high concentration of peptides but not nearly as much retinol. I’m going to give this Alpha Hydrox product a try again, with the hope that if I stick with it the drying stage will be temporary. I will update the review if I see any improvement over my original experience. If I don’t get past the drying, however, I intend to try Nuetrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream, which also contains a higher-than-average amount of retinol for an OTC product.

   8/31/14 Update: I continue to work my way through this tube on a nightly basis — although I suspect it may not be as potent as it used to be. So far, I’m not seeing the drying effect I described before. (I also use my regular moisturizer and anti-aging peptide formula alongside this.) I have two age spots that seem to be fading but other than that I do not see any positive changes. To the contrary, I am going through a major purging episode, probably THE worst breakout I have had in years. I hope it’s temporary. If I see any benefits, I’ll update this review.

10. 

    affectedMeerkat4

    Reply

    Nothing like it for skin firming and the price is amazingly reasonable. Buy it at the Neoteric site for the best deals. Neoteric is the company name; Alpha Hydroxy is the product line name. I stocked up on a buy two get one free deal they run every so often.
    I dab some under my eyes too. Used a very tiny amount to test and wow, nothing has ever, ever, ever firmed up that area so fast. I do give the skin there a rest about every 3rd night and apply a regular eye cream. I use it on the rest of my face too. It’s my regular night cream.