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More than willing to shed my prejudices against cheaper retinol products, I decided to give the LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream for Face a try. After all, since this cream currently has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon, with a whopping 28,136 reviews to boot, I figured it was definitely a must-see for this budget retinol skeptic.

LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream for Face (2-Pack)

Down from $50

Buy At Amazon$35

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Yes, my luxury retinol serum does leave my skin velvety-smooth, but it also manages to transfer a sticky texture onto my skin. This can be annoying at times, especially when I apply it right before bedtime, and have a bad case of ‘sticky pillow’ as a result. Instead, when using the LilyAna retinol cream, my skin felt plump and hydrated (thanks to added hyaluronic acid) immediately, without the frustrating, greasy feeling I normally experience when using a serum.

Second, so far, the spot-busting action from this budget retinol is next level. Don’t get me wrong, my pricier serum does a pretty good job of keeping spots from completely taking over my face. However, this cream seems to work almost instantly, as a small and stubborn red spot on my upper right cheek I’ve been trying to get with my pricier serum for a while now seemed to vanish after using it twice.

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