I Swapped My Retinol For A Melatonin Serum — Here's What Happened

You simply can't discuss skin longevity without name dropping retinol. In fact, many derms consider it the No. 1 skin care ingredient (honorable mentions to vitamin C and SPF, of course). It promotes collagen production, enhances cell turnover, improves sun-damaged skin, treats acne—I could go on. 

But if you've read the headline above, you know this article is not merely a love letter to retinol. Yes, I adore the vitamin A derivative, but I'm also curious about the innovative, plant-based alternatives coming for its crown. Think bakuchiol, reneseed, and, yep, melatonin. 

You may know melatonin as the famous sleepy-time hormone that signals to your brain it's time to wind down—but are you aware it also has powerful antioxidant properties? 

As board-certified dermatologist Cynthia Bailey, M.D., founder of DrBaileySkinCare.com, once told mbg about the ingredient, it protects the skin in a series of events called the melatoninergic antioxidative system (MAS)1.

Meaning, not only does melatonin itself stave off free radicals in the skin, but it also forms two other free radical fighters when it breaks down, making it an even more potent and long-lasting antioxidant. Melatonin may even stimulate antioxidant enzymes at the gene level and enhance DNA repair—although researchers are still trying to figure out the exact reason this happens. 

On the topical front, melatonin-infused creams have been shown to defend against skin aging2, thanks to the ingredient's antioxidant and DNA-repairing capabilities. And according to Bailey, topical melatonin can penetrate deeply into the skin.

"[It] even penetrates3 into cellular nuclei (where DNA resides), mitochondria (the cells' power generator and regulator of many important cellular functions)," she says. "It also penetrates deeply into the dermis where collagen is lost, [which leads] to wrinkles." 

Now, some topical formulas use synthetic, biotech-derived versions of the antioxidant to closely mimic the melatonin in your own body, but research shows4 melatonin sourced from plants (called phytomelatonin) can have similar effects. 

Honestly, my skin and I were in a very good place before starting this experiment. I had a skin cycling routine down pat: One night of exfoliation (usually with a mandelic acid-infused solution), two nights of retinol, followed by two nights of recovery (i.e., simply nourishing, hydrating products). 

And, wow, am I sure glad I did! My skin has a noticeable glow, thanks to phytomelatonin's impressive antioxidant power. The serum is oil-based (yet nongreasy—promise!), so it also has the ability to immediately lock in moisture post-cleanse. I noticed my skin looking so plump and bouncy in the morning, which tells me that the formula worked its magic all night long. 

Other people noticed something special too: I had coffee with a friend who told me my skin is so smooth, it looks like I had Botox (I don't). Nothing had changed in my routine except for the melatonin serum swap, for what it's worth. 

So, would I recommend using phytomelatonin over retinol? The truth is I only have good things to say about both ingredients. If you have a retinol you adore, feel free to keep using it! But if you've never been able to tolerate the notoriously finicky ingredient, you're in luck—phytomelatonin provides similar skin-supporting benefits with no common side effects. 

Personally, I will 100% continue to use the melatonin serum, but I'll probably go back to retinol after a few more days. It's one of the most well-documented ingredients for restoring and promoting collagen, and my skin tolerates it—I'd like to keep it on rotation for the time being! 

That said, phytomelatonin actually complements retinol quite well, Irene Forte (founder of the namesake brand) tells me, so I don't necessarily have to pick and choose. 

My skin cycling routine now proceeds as follows: one night of exfoliation, two nights of retinol, two nights with phytomelatonin, and one night of "recovery." Technically, the melatonin does count as recovery, as it's not promoting cell turnover or "wounding" the skin in the hopes of stimulating collagen production; still, I do like to have at least one night of the week to cut potent actives entirely and focus solely on hydration.