Ingredient glossary
Retinal
On your shelf ✓What Retinal does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Retinaldehyde
In short: Retinal delivers anti-aging support and texture, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is strong. One thing to know: not for pregnancy or breastfeeding; introduce it gently.
- What it does
- Anti aging, texture
- Best for
- Most skin types
- Watch out
- Not for pregnancy or breastfeeding; introduce it gently
- Evidence
- Strong
The molecule
The Glow take
One of the ingredients I trust most.
When your goal is softening fine lines and keeping skin firm, Retinal delivers, and the research properly backs it up. Skip it while you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and the rest of the time bring it in slowly.
— Maya
What it does
- anti aging
- texture
- brightening
strong evidenceClinical data at 0.05–0.1% shows significant improvements in photoaging, texture, TEWL and hydration with good tolerability compared to vehicle, with 0.1% offering additional pigment benefits.
On a label: works best above 0.05%.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- normal
- oily
- combo
Approach with care
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding
- very sensitive
- compromised barrier
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskModerate
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveTake care
Take extra care if any of these apply to you: pregnancy, breastfeeding, compromised barrier.
Where it fits in your routine
Plays well with
- ceramides
- niacinamide
- panthenol
Retinal, answered
Is Retinal safe during pregnancy?
No. Retinal is best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you are pregnant or trying, leave this one out and ask your doctor about a safe alternative.
Who should avoid Retinal?
Approach Retinal with care if any of these apply to you: pregnancy, breastfeeding, very sensitive, and compromised barrier. Its irritation risk is moderate, so introduce it slowly and patch test first.
What concentration of Retinal actually works?
Research tends to show Retinal starts pulling its weight above 0.05%. If a brand prints the percentage, that is the number to look for.
During pregnancy
Leave Retinal out while you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It sits on the list of ingredients usually held back during this time.
When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.
Commonly confused with
- RetinolRetinal sits one conversion step closer to the active form than retinol, so it tends to work a little faster.
Compare Retinal with
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