It contains twice as much retinol as the original Retinol24 formula, plus everything to hydrate parched complexions

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If you’re looking to supercharge your retinol results, we’d like to point you in the direction of Olay’s new Retinol24 Max range, £39.99, launching today. As the name would suggest, it promises to maximise your retinol results for smoother, brighter, firmer skin with a blend of retinol and retinyl propionate, which is a gentler form of retinol.

The Olay Retinol24 Max collection includes the  Olay Retinol24 Max Night Cream , the  Olay Retinol24 Max Night Serum  and the  Olay Retinol24 Max Night Eye Cream , £39.99 each, and is best suited to dry skin which needs extra hydration.

What percentage of retinol is Olay Retinol24 Max?

Olay says it’s for people who are already experienced with using retinol and want to step up the percentage they’re using. We checked in with Olay about what percentage the new retinol is but they said they're stepping away from the number when it comes to retinol percentages as consumers can get fixated on the percentage which isn't helpful – it's more about what's in with the retinol, they told us. They're not alone in this take – Murad also shy away from talking about the percentage of their retinol.

What we do know is that the new Retinol24 Max collection will be familiar to fans of Olay’s first retinol, Retinol24, which launched in early 2020. They have the same scientific research behind them (12 years of it!) and the formulas feel exactly the same to the touch.

Retinol24 was designed for first-time retinol users as an entry point into the world of retinoids, but this new iteration has twice as much retinol in the mix so is better suited to those who have been using retinol for a while. It's well suited to dry skin because it has 40 per cent more hydrating ingredients in the mix. If you've been using the original formulation since it launched, think of this new one as the next step in your retinol journey.

What's in Olay Retinol24 Max?

As well as retinol and retinyl propionate (which Olay call the Batman and Robin of retinoids because they work so well together) the formula gets its hydrating powers from humectant glycerin, which helps the skin to keep moisture in, plus niacinamide to relieve dryness, which is a common side effect of using retinol, thanks to the increased cell turnover it creates.

As with many retinols, the collection should be used at night so it can work alongside the body’s natural night-time rejuvenation process when your skin’s natural ability to repair itself is more active compared to in the day.

Stand by for our verdict on Olay's Retinol24 Max as soon as we try it