Josie Maran

Josie Maran Pink Algae Pro-Retinol Body Butter.

Body & Tan

About this product

A body butter with pink algae and retinol, designed to moisturize and provide anti-aging benefits to the skin.

Full ingredients

Water/Aqua/Eau**, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride**, Glycerin**, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil*, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate**, Stearic Acid**, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Cetearyl Olivate**, Sorbitan Olivate**, Dunaliella Salina (Pink Algae) Extract**, Quercetin**, Squalane**, Octyldodecyl PCA**, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice**, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil**, Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Extract**, Camellia Sinensis (Green & White Tea) Leaf Extract**, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil**, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes**, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil**, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil**, Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract**, Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Fruit Extract, Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) Leaf Extract**, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Beta-Carotene, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin**, Gluconolactone**, Caprylhydroxamic Acid**, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sorbitan Isostearate**, Potassium Sorbate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate**, Sclerotium Gum

Guru Score

69%

Mixed

4 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

The scent divides reviewers; one found it strong enough to need cologne over it, while another noted a funky smell but stayed curious about results. Both praised the moisturizing formula itself. Those already using retinol on the face may want to patch-test this on hands or less sensitive areas first, since retinol can irritate depending on concentration and skin tolerance.

Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take March 2025

What they liked

Moisturizing formula
Good for retinol-sensitive areas like hands

What they flagged

Funky, off-putting scent

Best for

Dry skin Mature skin

Type

Body & TanCream

Key actives

Vitamin ESqualane

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Amazon → Google →

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Scan it in the shopFree iPhone app. Scores in the aisle.

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Sincerely Miss Ash

195k subs

~Nay

"I hated the smell so I had to spray my entire body with Sauvage because I didn't want to have to hop back in the shower and restart the process again. So besides the scent of this, I think the formula is really nice and moisturizing, but yeah, I just can't with the scent."

Alexandra Anele

1.45M subs

~Mixed

"I got this from Josie Maran, this is the Pink Algae Pro-Retinol Body Butter. [...] I do use retinol on my face so this is the kind of thing I'll use on my hands whenever a brand sends me like a retinol serum. [...] I just ran out of all of my retinol body cream so I was like oh this is perfect. It does have kind of a funky smell, it's a little bit of a pinkish color. I'm going to be trying this, I'm interested, I'll keep you posted."

Darnell Cox | 50+ Healthy Aging Expert

55k subs

~Yay

"This is Pro-Retinol Body Butter. I'm going to show you guys a cheaper way to do this."

All 2 takes from Darnell Cox | 50+ Healthy Aging Expert

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"This is um Josie Moran Pro retinol body butter but again I would you know you can take a prescriptions trink thre troan much cheaper and squirt it into your favorite lotion"

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

~Yay

"Here's a product that's expensive that I actually love, it's the Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol with body butter. I hate the whole pro-retinol thing because there's really nothing in here that is evidence based for having retinol activity, but it is a really nice moisturizer, I love it, I love it, I love it."

All 2 takes from Dr Dray

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"This product as a body moisturizer blew me out of the water. It has of course argan oil in it and it also has safflower seed oil, shea butter, and avocado oil, which is another wonderful emollient. This gave my skin a really nice, healthy, radiant glow. [...] This product was originally sent to me in PR and then I recently repurchased it. [...] I highly recommend this. I think it would make a great gift."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is Josie Maran Pink Algae Pro-Retinol Body Butter?

A body butter with pink algae and retinol, designed to moisturize and provide anti-aging benefits to the skin.

Is Josie Maran Pink Algae Pro-Retinol Body Butter worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 69%.

What is Josie Maran Pink Algae Pro-Retinol Body Butter's Guru Score?

Josie Maran Pink Algae Pro-Retinol Body Butter holds a Guru Score of 69%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 expert reviewers we have collected.