Strong wrinkle-busting retinol creams will soon be banned by Europe. Here’s the ones for your whole body to get your hands on now…

Ask most skincare aficionados to pick an ingredient that actually works and many will give you the same answer.

Retinol, or vitamin A, is one of the few cosmetic ingredients that, even dermatologists agree, can reduce signs of aging, such as wrinkles and age spots. Its effectiveness is backed by solid clinical studies.

That’s why it’s no surprise that many women religiously apply it to their faces before going to bed.

But now, a host of new products claim to offer the same whole-body benefits. Could retinol body cream really give you smooth, even, glowing skin all over? And if so, why haven’t we all been doing it for years?

There is a growing trend towards super-powered body care, using expensive ingredients that were previously reserved for facial products. Serums and lotions containing a variety of anti-aging heroes, from peptides to acids and ceramides, were launched last year.

The latest creams feature retinol percentages that are lower than most face creams, but they should really make a difference. Any concentration of the ingredient starting at 0.1 percent will work against signs of aging, while face creams currently come in a variety of concentrations up to 1 percent.

Retinol works by making skin cells more efficient in producing collagen, the protein that keeps skin plump. At the same time, it accelerates the “cell renewal” of the skin, the regeneration cycle that slows down as we age.

As a result, your skin functions better, meaning it is better at repairing damage in the form of discolored spots and wrinkled, wrinkled areas. Over time, skin treated with retinol tends to look smoother and more even. Oil production is also regulated, which means fewer locations.

On the other hand, retinol is known to cause irritation, so it should be used carefully. At least initially, all the extra stimulation can lead to swollen areas and peeling, dry skin.

This will subside for most users, but for some, the irritation will continue. All of which helps explain why retinol body creams haven’t been widely available until now.

Cost is another factor; Putting enough of a premium ingredient in a body formula will never be cheap. But consumers are now more prepared to invest in lush skin all around.

However, good results take time. A product with retinol can smooth rough texture in weeks, but volumizing wrinkled skin and combating discoloration would require at least three months of use.

Can the long-term benefits of retinol make my dry winter skin less needy? For three months, I put the top five retinol body creams to the test…

THE SUPER EXFOLIATING

Nécessaire The Body Retinol, £56 (150ml, spacenk.com)

Unscented (although it smells a little strange) and silky, this cream contains 0.1 percent retinol. It also contains 10 percent exfoliating acids, a lot by any standards. That includes the most powerful one, glycolic acid. Within days, this made my skin so slippery I felt like a seal.

I loved it, but three weeks later I got a burning rash on the inside of my elbows that took weeks to go away. Given the relative percentages, this is more likely to have been caused by the strong exfoliating acids than the retinol.

I suspect the same can be said for its undoubted skin softening properties.

VERDICT: Best for super soft skin, if you can stand glycolic acid. 3/5

SOFT BUT COST

Paula’s Choice Skin Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment, £33 (118ml, paulaschoice.co.uk)

With another 0.1 percent retinol concentration (plus skin-protecting antioxidants), vitamin A virgins are recommended to use it only every other day at first. But it didn’t cause any irritation even when I applied it daily.

There are also rich butters and oils in the formula. It is very light with a pleasant smell that is absorbed immediately and keeps the skin soft. Unfortunately, like most body retinols, it is expensive.

VERDICT: Light and easy to use, but expensive. 4/5

OVERCOME STAINS

Beauty Pie YouthBomb Body Concentrate, £125 (£38 for members, 200ml, beautypie.com)

Billed as a retinol body lotion, it actually contains 0.2 percent hydroxypinacolone retinoate, an alternative form of vitamin A that is less irritating but somewhat less effective.

On the other hand, it has nearly 7 percent powerfully exfoliating glycolic acid and a high dose of brightening and calming niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3.

Again, the glycolic acid in this left my skin very soft (great if you have keratosis pilaris or “chicken skin”) but it also irritated me (the lingering perfume might have something to do with that).

With niacinamide also in the formulation, this fast-absorbing lotion should be very good at combating pigmentation, but use a body SPF because it will make the skin sensitive to the sun.

VERDICT: Brightens the skin but a little aggressive. 3/5

EXTRA POWERFUL

Skinsense Retinol Body Cream, £26 (100ml, skinsense.co.uk)

This 0.3 percent retinol lotion is the highest percentage available to the body. It also contains the gentle “plant retinol”, bakuchiol.

Despite the higher concentration of retinol and the fact that this light and comfortable cream has a rather intense aroma, it did not cause irritation and kept my elegant “seal skin”.

Again, the tube is frustratingly small (100ml) for the price, but on QVC you can get two for just over the price of one.

VERDICT: More retinol for your money, but with a strong scent. 4/5

PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS

Naturium Retinol Body Lotion, £27 (234ml, spacenk.com)

It has a base-level concentration of 0.05 percent retinol that is “encapsulated” and releases slowly after application, further preventing irritation. There are also plenty of anti-inflammatory ingredients like allantoin, as well as butters and skin barrier protectors. You don’t need much, which makes the price of this 8 ounce tube seem even more reasonable.

The softening and softening benefits should eventually be compounded by others that fill in lines and fade pigmentation.

VERDICT: Great benefits at affordable prices. 5/5