In the game of skin-care ingredient soup, itβs not always so easy to remember what the gold-standard, anti-aging powerhouse of retinal (and its close friends) really doesβbut one tiny letter swap can make a world of difference.
What Is Retinal?
Simply put, retinal (retinaldehyde) and retinoic acid (tretinoin) are all types of retinoid, explains Dallas dermatologist Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, MD, offering this succinct cheat sheet: βRetinol is the most common over-the-counter form and, as the alcohol form of vitamin A, requires two conversion steps in the skin to become the active form (retinoic acid). Retinal isΒ one step away from conversion to retinoic acid, making it more potent and faster-acting than retinol.β
On the other hand, this makes retinal more potent and potentially more irritating for some, she warns, which is why she suggests βstarting with a lower concentration and building up is key.β Some studies have even shown retinaldehyde to be just as effective as tretinoin for treatment of wrinkles, says Phoenix, AZ dermatologist Dr. Karan Lal.
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Dr. Houshmand says this lightweight cream is her best suggestion for the sensitive-skin types. βItβs formulated with retinaldehyde, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to visibly reduce wrinkles and fine lines,β she adds. Dr. Lal also lists this as his all-time holy grail: βIt has antioxidants and is three times stronger than retinol!β
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Categorizing this treatment as a bit βmore advanced,β Dr. Houshmand points to the formulaβs mix of retinal and botanicals to βimprove signs of aging, such as sagging skin, deep wrinkles and skin elasticity.β
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βThis is a serum-like product that is very strong!β says Dr. Lal of the under-$15 fan favorite. βThis is great for crowβs-feet and perioral lines.β Happy Sephora shoppers seem to agree: βIβve been using this product for over a year and I must say I canβt go without it now,β shares one reviewer on the site. βI have acne-free skin. I got this at first just to help with the scars and hyperpigmentations. But to my surprise, it also helped with preventing acne on my face. Nowadays, except for the occasional hormonal acne I get during my period, my skin remains acne-free as long as I use this.β
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βThis face cream combines glycolic acid, retinaldehyde and squalane to even tone, remove dead skin cells and boost elasticity for brighter, smoother skin,β says Dr. Houshmand. βIt really is a great multitasker.β
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Billed as a βnext-generation retinal not for beginners,β this just-launched serum was formulated in collaboration with New Orleans dermatologist Mamina Turegano, MD, as it promises to deliver a βskin-care tripleβ of Granactive retinoid, encapsulated L-Retinal and Bio-Bakuchiol.
