Most likely, you are already on the Retinal bandwagon, but just in case, here are my thoughts on this ingredient that works for me as part of my nighttime skincare routine. After cleansing my skin, I apply a Retinal serum on the majority of nights before my moisturizer.
Even if you haven’t tried Retinal yet, you probably are well-acquainted with Retinol. What’s the difference?
RetinAL and RetinOL are both retinoids, OTC forms of vitamin A used in skincare, but they differ in potency and how quickly they work. Retinal, also known as Retinaldehyde, is considered more potent and faster-acting than Retinol. In fact, it has been reported that Retinal can work 11 times faster than traditional Retinol. The reason is that RetinOL needs to go through two transformations to become Retinoic Acid (tretinoin), while RetinAL only needs to transform itself once.
Nevertheless, the increased potency of Retinal may come at a price for those with sensitive skin. If you have skin sensitivity in general or if you’re new to vitamin A ingredients, you should probably start with Retinol since it is considered less irritating. However, for those with mature skin who may have been using Retinol for a while, you may want to move on to Retinal skincare products.
Retinal is less stable than retinol, so it is important to use skincare products that employ stabilized forms of retinal.
Retinoids in general are recommended for anti-aging benefits such as helping lines and wrinkles, firmness and elasticity, lightening dark spots, and for acne.
Over the past few years, I have been using three Retinal treatment products, though there are now scores of them on the market:
- Peach & Lily Retinal for All Renewing Serum
- Murad Resurgence Retinal ReSculpt Overnight Treatment
- Paula’s Choice PRO Retinaldehyde Gentle Release
and I thought I would take a moment to tell you about the ones I have experienced.
Peach & Lily Retinal for All Renewing Serum
Here’s Peach & Lily’s description of their Retinal for All Renewing Serum:
20x more powerful than retinol, this 3-in-1 serum visibly smooths texture, reduces wrinkles, and minimizes dark spots with zero irritation. Powered by 0.1% retinal, the most potent without a prescription, ectoin, heartleaf extract, and ceramides it fights signs of aging 11x faster for a bouncy, bright look. Safe for even the most sensitive skin.
Peach & Lily Retinal for All Renewing Serum uses 0.1% retinal in their formula, the maximum percentage of retinal allowed in OTC products. They combine stabilized retinal with ectoin, an ingredient that stops retinoid-induced inflammation before it starts.
Ingredients: Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclodextrin, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Daucus CarotaSativa (Carrot) Root Water, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Rubus Camaemorus (Cloudberry) Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Ectoin, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Behenic Acid, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Bisabolol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Rhynchosia Nulubilis Seed Extract, Retinal, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Dextrin, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ceramide EOP, Polyacrylate-13, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Seasamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Methylpropanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sucrose Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triethyl Citrate, Tocopherol, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Propanediol
Peach & Lily Retinal for All Renewing Serum is bright yellow due to the Vitamin A and has a lightweight skinfeel. The yellow serum does leave a yellow cast on my fair/light skintone. Unfortunately, the yellow tone seems to come off on my pillowcase so I use an old pillowcase that I don’t care too much about. Some brands suggest applying Retinal Serum at least a half hour before bed so it can absorb fully and be less likely to stain. I haven’t found that to be the case, sadly.
Peach & Lily Retinal for All Renewing Serum comes in a pump bottle containing 1.01 fl. oz./30 ml and is priced at $55. It’s sold on the Peach & Lily website, Ulta Beauty, Ulta at Target (where it’s currently $10 off of a $40 spend), and Amazon.
Murad Retinal ReSculpt Overnight Treatment
Murad’s Retinal ReSculpt Overnight Treatment contains “encapsulated Retinal in an exclusive delivery system for enhanced stability and targeted delivery deep within skin’s surface, allowing for 2.5x more effectiveness (vs. free retinal)—while still being gentle on skin”. Like Peach & Lily and other brands, it contains additional ingredients to help provide skin benefits, such a Kangaroo paw flower, olive leaf extract, oat lipids and alpha glucan that help stimulate ceramides.
Unfortunately, Murad does not disclose the amount/percentage of the Retinal active ingredient. Murad has this policy for all of their products.
Ingredients: Water, Diisostearyl Malate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Zea Mays (Corn) Kernel Extract, Squalane, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Retinal, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract, Phosphatidylcholine, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Mannitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cetyl Alcohol, Hectorite, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Fragrance (Parfum)
Murad Retinal Overnight Treatment is a white, lightweight gel-cream. I don’t know how the Murad Retinal Serum came to be white, but I’m glad that it is. No yellow cast to my skin and no yellow on my pillowcase. However, the Murad Retinal does contain fragrance. I don’t smell it on my skin, but if I do sniff a small blob of the serum, it has a light floral scent.
Murad Retinal ReSculpt Overnight Treatment comes in a heavy pump bottle containing 1.00 fl. oz./30 ml and is priced at $105, almost twice the price of Peach & Lily. It is sold on the Murad website, Sephora, Ulta Beauty, DermStreet, JC Penney, Walmart.com, Skin Elite, and Amazon. It is currently on sale for substantially less than the MSRP at JC Penney, Walmart and Skin Elite. Murad Retinal also comes in an environmentally-friendly 1 fl. oz. refill for less money, and their pump bottle that you would use again is the sturdiest and most long-lasting.
Paula’s Choice PRO Retinaldehyde Dual-Retinoid Treatment
I was excited when Paula’s Choice launched their own entrant into the pantheon of Retinal skincare products last year. I bought it almost immediately.
Paula’s Choice PRO Retinaldehyde Dual-Retinoid Treatment contains 0.1% Retinal in a calcium-encapsulated form. The “Dual-Retinoid” aspect of their ingredient list is 0.16% Adapinoid® (oleyl adapalenate) an oil-soluble retinoid that promotes clear skin. Thus, the formula may be especially appealing to those with acne.
Ingredients: Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Retinal, Oleyl Adapalenate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Albatrellus Confluens (Mushroom) Extract, Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyapatite, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Glyceryl Ether, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Isopropyl Myristate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Hydroxystearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Oleate, Naringin, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
Like Peach & Lily Retinal, Paula’s Choice PRO Retinaldehyde Dual-Retinoid Treatment is fragrance-free and also bright yellow. It too is a lightweight serum that comes in a pump bottle containing 1 fl. oz./30 ml. Paula’s Choice Retinaldehyde is sold on the Paula’s Choice website, Sephora, DermStore (where you can get $13.60 cash back via Rakuten right now), and Amazon. It is priced at $68.
My Preference May Not Be Your Preference!
All three of these Retinal serums are good products. If you are looking for a fragrance-free Retinal serum, consider either Peach & Lily or Paula’s Choice. If your skincare concern includes blemish-free skin, consider Paula’s Choice. If you believe that you should be reassured that the serum contains the highest percentage of Retinal allowed in a non-prescription skincare product, consider either Peach & Lily or Paula’s Choice. Same if you prefer to go with somewhat more affordable options.
Although I do like all three Retinal serums, the yellow cast is more or less a deal-breaker for me. My skin looks decidedly yellow when I use either Peach & Lily or Paula’s Choice. And my pillowcase suffers as well even when I apply the serum a half hour before bed. Because I can wear a serum that does contain a small amount of fragrance, I prefer Murad Retinal ReSculpt Overnight Treatment primarily because of the white gel-cream, despite the decidedly higher price point. In fact, I am on my third bottle. While I wish that Murad provided reassurance with regard to the percent Retinal in the product, I have had good luck with all of the Murad products I’ve used so I will trust the brand in this case. Plus, I have not experienced any differences in the results nor have I experienced any irritation in using any of the three products. Fortunately, I have managed to score a couple of bottles of the Murad Retinal during Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty and on Ipsy as they routinely clear out their stock.
Finally, if none of these Retinal options appeal to you, there are many more Retinal options from other brands on the market these days.
I’d probably go with the Murad as well.
Do you use retinal these days? If so, which one(s)?