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Despite being heralded for their seemingly unbeatable anti-ageing, rejuvenating, smoothing and evening properties, if you’ve had bad experiences with retinoids, you may have decided they’re not for you. I’ve never had sensitive skin but my first mild introduction to the famed family of vitamin A derivatives triggered strong reactions, including perioral dermatitis.

I’d pretty much written off retinoids as part of my skincare routine but, seeing as trialling products is my job, I had to keep dabbling – and I’m so glad I did. That’s because the Drunk Elephant A-gloei maretinol oil has changed the game for me and, even though I’ve built up to near daily use, I’ve still had no adverse reaction.

If you haven’t tried Drunk Elephant products yet, you may well have heard of the brand, thanks to the unexpected cult craze among pre-teens that had everyone debating tween skincare. Let me tell you, while 11-year-olds don’t need luxury skincare, the frenzied adoration was not misplaced. The protini polypeptide cream (£62, Lookfantastic.com) is the ultimate daily base, the sellout D-bronzi drops (£34, Lookfantastic.com) bring my face back from the dead, and the C-firma (£70, Lookfantastic.com) vitamin C is so gentle yet effective. Honestly, the brand cracked through this overwhelmed beauty journo’s skincare fatigue.

If I’ve piqued your interest, keep scrolling for my full honest review and verdict on the Drunk Elephant A-gloei maretinol oil.

How I tested

For nearly a year, I’ve been applying two to three drops of the Drunk Elephant A-gloei maretinol oil once a week, stepping up to twice a week after a few months. To really test the product’s effects on my skin, for the past month, I’ve been using the oil five times a week, and applying more of the product per use. Each morning, I’ve assessed my skin, considering fine lines, pigmentation, radiance and fullness. Here’s what I’ve found…