Summer has my skin in a mood. The heavier creams I lean on the rest of the year suddenly feel like overkill, and I’ve been cutting anything that doesn’t pull its weight off the nightstand. That’s when the Goldfaden MD Wake Up Call Overnight Regenerative Facial Treatment showed up in one of my Ipsy boxes — and it’s still there. It’s earned its spot.
Here’s my edit up front: if you want a one-step overnight cream that actually does the job of a separate retinol serum, this is the one — done.
The formula does the work of a multi-step routine
Goldfaden MD makes serious, medically-oriented skincare with effective ingredients and no added fragrance. I’m a fan of how the packaging labels a “problem” and a “solution” right up front. For Wake Up Call, the problem is “Dry & Aging Skin” — and the solution is CoQ10, retinol and avocado oil in a single formula.
It’s an overnight creamy yellow moisturizer that folds in a retinol I’d normally apply as a separate serum, alongside hyaluronic acid, squalane, natural oils and botanical extracts. One cream does it all. On a hectic summer evening, that’s the point.
Out of the tube, the texture reads like a fluffy mousse. A small amount spreads easily over face and neck, sinks in quickly, and leaves skin feeling instantly moisturized. My dry patches look plumper and fuller by morning — no tight, flaky feeling when I wake up.
What the ingredient list tells me
The full ingredient list is worth a second read: hyaluronic acid for hydration, squalane and avocado oil for barrier support, vitamin E, thioctic acid and CoQ10 for antioxidant support, plus retinyl palmitate as the retinol. It’s gender-neutral, fragrance-free, and the kind of formula that respects your skin instead of drowning it.
One note for anyone who’s been burned by short-lived jars: this one leans on a well-rounded preservative system — naturally derived sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, plus phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin, globally accepted anti-fungal preservatives that keep bacteria at bay. For a cream that’s been sitting in my bathroom through a full summer, that’s exactly what I want.
The honest part: the price
Wake Up Call comes in three sizes on the Goldfaden MD website: a 0.5 fl. oz./15 ml sample for $30, a 1.7 fl. oz./50 ml airless pump for $88, and a 2 fl. oz./60 ml travel-size tube for $105. The airless pump is also carried by other retailers, including Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s in the US.
I own the 2 oz. tube, and I love it — at $105, I do ration it a little. If you’re in the US, it’s also available at eCosmetics, an authorized online reseller, where it’s currently 15% off. That’s the smartest way in.
Worth It or Skip It
Worth it. One cream replacing your separate retinol step, with texture that absorbs fast and plumps dry skin overnight. Skip it only if your budget can’t stretch to a splurge — the formula earns its price, but it is a price.
The Edit
If your summer skin is too fussy for a heavy night cream and too dry for a light gel, the Goldfaden MD Wake Up Call is the edit I’m making this season. One tube, no added fragrance, and a routine that’s actually shorter. Less on the shelf, more glow in the morning.
FAQ
Is the retinol strong enough to replace my serum? It’s retinyl palmitate, a gentler retinol ester, paired with CoQ10 and avocado oil. For most people it covers the overnight retinol step without the flaky, irritating experience of a standalone high-strength serum — but if you’re used to prescription-strength retinol, it’s not a 1:1 swap.
Will it work for dry skin in summer? Yes — that’s exactly who it’s for. The hyaluronic acid, squalane and oils handle the hydration side, and the formula stays light enough for hot, humid weather. It’s the lighter-when-better summer option.
Where can I buy it? The Goldfaden MD website sells all three sizes (0.5 fl. oz. for $30, 1.7 fl. oz. for $88, 2 fl. oz. for $105), and the 1.7 fl. oz. size is also available at Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s in the US, and at eCosmetics, where it’s currently 15% off.
a note from the editor: I’ve been a subscriber to Ipsy long enough to know most box samples don’t survive past week two. This one made it to the top of my shelf and stayed. Sometimes the best products arrive by accident.
More overnight essentials: my full skincare edit and the latest from Amelie Rose Beauty Edit.
Less shelf, more glow.