Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Review: The Retinol Serum I Can’t Live Without

Last Updated on September 7, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

If you’ve been using retinol for a while and your skin can already tolerate it well, you may be wondering whether it’s time to move up to something stronger. Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum contains 1.5% microencapsulated retinol, designed to release retinol gradually rather than all at once.

But does that actually make it effective without leaving your skin red, dry and flaky? In this Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Serum review, I’m looking at the science behind its 1.5% microencapsulated retinol, what the rest of the formula does, what happened when I used it, who it’s best for, and whether it’s really worth the money.

Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Ingredients: What Does The Science Say?

Retinol: What It Is, What It Does, And Side Effects

Retinol is a form of vitamin A. The only thing OTC that can really reduce those pesky wrinkles you have. Plus, it prevents new ones from forming and fades your dark spots away, too. Here’s how:

1. It has antioxidant properties that destroy the free radicals that cause premature wrinkles and dark spots.
2. It accelerates cellular turnover (i.e. the skin’s natural exfoliating process), reducing the appearance of dark spots and wrinkles.
3. It boosts the production of collagen, the protein that keeps skin firm.

Retinol is a powerful weapon. And like all powerful weapons, it’s not without side effects:

• It can make skin more prone to sun damage (that’s why it’s PM).
• It degrades (i.e. loses a bit of its effectiveness) when exposed to light and air.
• It can cause dryness, flaking and mild irritation.

Related: 7 Retinol Myths Debunked

Does Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Really Contain 1.5% Retinol?

Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM contains 1.5% microencapsulated retinol. And yes, 1.5% sounds HUGE. Most retinol serums don’t go anywhere near that high. But is that 1.5% pure retinol or the whole encapsulated retinol complex? Annoyingly, we don’t know.

If it’s a blend, there’s usually way less retinol than advertised, with the remaining percentage being made up of fats and preservatives to enhance penetration and shelf life. Said that, this serum does work better than 90% of the retinol serums I’ve tried, so I’m inclined to believe the retinol percentage itself is very high.

Keep in mind, the higher the retinol dose, the faster you see results… and side effects. Higher isn’t necessity better. If 1.5% retinol irritates your skin, keep using it won’t make the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles smaller. It’d just cause more damage than you need to fix before you can continue using retinol. The best concentration is the highest you can tolerate WITHOUT side effects.

Related: Which Retinol Strength Do You Really Need?

Does Microencapsulation Make 1.5% Retinol Gentle?

Gentler? Possibly. Gentle? I wouldn’t assume that. Microencapsulation fixes some of the issues with retinol. It’s a technology used to put retinol into a tiny capsule or sphere. This does two things. It keeps the retinol safe from light and air (that’s why the dropper bottle isn’t a problem this time). AND it releases retinol into your skin over a period of several hours instead than all at once. In another words, it’s way gentler on the skin.

Related: Retinol Side Effects And How To Deal With Them

Does The Formula Contain Enough Vitamin C To Do Anything?

Why, what? Don’t vitamin C and retinol make each other useless? Nope. That’s one of those skincare myths that refuses to die. Here’s where the confusion comes from: Ascorbic acid (the pure form of vitamin C) needs an acidic pH below about 3.5 to penetrate skin well. Retinol doesn’t need the same low pH. But that doesn’t mean using them together makes either one useless.

Plus, this serum doesn’t even use pure Vitamin C. It uses Ascorbyl Palmitate, a fat-soluble Vitamin C derivative. It’s more stable than the real deal, but there’s much less research showing it can brighten skin or boost collagen. FYI, Vitamin C is listed after retinol in the ingredient list, so there probably isn’t a huge amount here anyway. Could it add some antioxidant benefits? Maybe. But I wouldn’t buy this serum for the Vitamin C. The retinol is doing most of the heavy lifting.

Related: Can You Use Retinol And Vitamin C Together?

Texture

It’s kinda oily and super runny – like, it just flows right out of the dropper. Which is good for spreading it around your face without yanking at your skin, but heads up: this stuff does NOT absorb fast. You’re gonna be sitting there for a couple minutes waiting for it to sink in. It just hangs out on your face for a bit before it finally disappears. I usually put it on and then go do literally anything else (scroll TikTok, brush my teeth, whatever) because otherwise I’m just staring at myself in the mirror waiting. It’s not gross or anything, just slow.

Fragrance

No fragrance at all, thank god. Like, literally nothing added – no fake floral nonsense, no “calming lavender,” none of that. There’s maybe a teeny tiny hint of that retinol smell if you really sniff it, but honestly it’s barely noticeable and goes away fast. Your pillowcase isn’t gonna smell like anything, which is a win if you ask me.

How To Use It

Retinol is too strong for nightly use. Use it every other night after washing your face. Pretty straightforward – just make sure your face is actually dry first. A few drops covers your whole face, maybe your neck too if you’re feeling fancy. But here’s the deal: don’t use it the same night you’re using exfoliating stuff. Like, really don’t. Retinol plus acids or scrubs is just asking for your face to freak out. So do retinol one night, skip it the next (or do your exfoliating thing instead), then back to retinol. Give your skin a break between, trust me.

Packaging

Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM comes in a glass bottle with a dropper. Normally, I’m not a huge fan of droppers for retinol because every time you open the bottle, you expose the formula to light and air – two things retinol really doesn’t like.

Here, I’m less worried because the retinol is microencapsulated, which gives it some extra protection from degradation. Still, I’d keep the bottle somewhere cool and dark rather than leaving it sitting on a sunny bathroom shelf. My bigger issue? This serum is ridiculously runny. The dropper gives you control, but one wrong move and half the bottle can disappear down the sink. Ask me how I know.

Performance & Personal Opinion

Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum has an oily squalane base that makes it more suitable for dry skin. But, squalane ISN’T comedogenic, so oily skin can use it too. Although it takes months for retinol to make a dent in your wrinkles, I did notice an improvement in my skin within a few short days.

The serum makes my skin’s texture smoother. It shrink the large pores around my nose area, so they look almost invisible to the naked eye. It makes my complexion glow. Overtime, it also helps to keep my skin firm and reduce wrinkles. But, remember, we’re playing the long game here.

I don’t have any dark spots or uneven skin tone but if you do, this can help with that too. I mean it when I say that Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM is one of the best retinol serums I’ve ever tried. I almost cried when I accidentally poured half its contents in the sink. 😥

What I Like About Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum

• Makes my skin noticeably smoother within just a few days – you don’t have to wait forever to see some results
• Seriously shrinks the look of my pores, especially around my nose where they’re usually the worst
• Gives my skin this nice glow that makes me look more awake
• Works for both dry and oily skin since squalane isn’t comedogenic
• Actually delivers on the wrinkle-fighting promises if you stick with it long term
• Fragrance-free so it doesn’t irritate my skin or stink up my pillowcase
• The dropper makes it easy to control how much you’re using

What I DON’T Like About Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum

• Takes a couple minutes to absorb, so you can’t just slap it on and immediately go to bed
• The runny texture means it’s super easy to accidentally spill (RIP half my bottle down the sink)
• Kinda pricey, so wasting any feels especially tragic
• You still have to wait months to see the real anti-aging benefits – instant gratification this is not

Who Should Use This?

Honestly? All skin types bar sensitive can use it. If you’ve got dry skin, this is gonna be your jam because of that oily base. But don’t let that scare you off if you’re oily – squalane won’t clog your pores, so you’re good. This is for anyone who’s starting to see fine lines, wrinkles, or just wants to keep their skin looking firm and young.

Got big pores or rough texture? Yeah, this’ll help. Dull skin that needs some glow? Yep. Dark spots bugging you? It works for that too. Basically, if you’re ready to actually commit to using retinol and want something that delivers results without destroying your face, grab this. Just don’t expect it to sink in super fast – if you need to be asleep in 30 seconds, maybe skip it for tonight.

Does Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum Live Up To Its Claims?

Price & Availability

$65.00 at Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, Face The Future, Look Fantastic, Peter Thomas Roth,  Sephora, and Ulta

Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Serum Review Verdict: Is It Worth It?

If you’ve reached retinol plateau and are ready to up your dose, this is a serious contender for your money.

Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum

In this Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Serum review find out if it this 1.5% retinol serum can reduce wrinkles without irritation.

Product Brand: Peter Thomas Roth

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: 65

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
5