I've always been lowkey afraid of retinol — I'm not quite sure why, but I have had stress dreams about high school me trying one out right before prom and ending up with red, flaky skin. But my friends at Algenist convinced me to try this vegan Retinol Firming & Lifting Serum. My love for the brand's liquid collagen is well documented, but I've started cheating on that product for this retinol. I rarely seen skincare results as fast as I do with this bad boy — within about 10 days, my breakouts have ceased and my overall face texture has seriously improved. I've actually stopped wearing foundation on the weekend. I'm telling all my friends to spend their tax returns on this serum. —Alaina Demopoulos, editorial assistant, beauty