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Retinal

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Retinal

Retinal smooths texture and clears pores while lifting dullness to reveal a steady, healthy glow. It suits dry skin and oily skin best, arriving in gentle serums that usually feature a 0.2 percent concentration. To keep this ingredient working well, use it in a routine apart from glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and vitamin C.

This page shows retinal products with a Lovi page. For every product, and a routine built for your skin, use the Lovi app.

Retinal serums

What reviewers say about popular retinal products

The highlight reviewers mention most for each popular retinal product on Lovi.

Other retinal products

Retinal for dry skin

Retinal for oily skin

Retinal for combination skin

Retinal for sensitive skin

Retinal for acne-prone skin

What to combine retinal with

IngredientTogetherHow to use them
Niacinamide Depends Use them at different times of day with niacinamide in the morning and retinal at night because combining them causes irritation. Retinal and niacinamide
Glycolic acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because they are both strong and can irritate your skin when mixed. Retinal and glycolic acid
Benzoyl peroxide Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying benzoyl peroxide in the morning and retinal at night, because they cancel each other out. Retinal and benzoyl peroxide
Vitamin C Keep apart Use them at different times of day with vitamin C in the morning and retinal at night because combining them causes skin irritation. Retinal and vitamin C
AHA blend glycolic and citric acids Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because they both speed up skin renewal and can clash. Retinal and aha blend glycolic and citric acids
Salicylic acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because they are both too strong to use at the same time. Retinal and salicylic acid
Bio-placenta peptides Keep apart Use them at different times of day by applying retinal at night and bio-placenta peptides in the morning to prevent irritation. Retinal and bio-placenta peptides
Hexapeptide Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying retinal at night and hexapeptide in the morning, to prevent skin irritation. Retinal and hexapeptide
Lactic acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights to avoid skin irritation. Retinal and lactic acid
Acetyl hexapeptide-3 Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying retinal at night and acetyl hexapeptide-3 in the morning to avoid skin irritation. Retinal and acetyl hexapeptide-3
Mandelic acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because they are both strong and can irritate your skin when mixed together. Retinal and mandelic acid
Collagen peptide Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying collagen peptide in the morning and retinal at night to avoid skin irritation. Retinal and collagen peptide
Copper peptide Keep apart Use them at different times of day by applying your copper peptide in the morning and your retinal at night to avoid skin irritation. Retinal and copper peptide
Citric acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because combining them can cause severe skin irritation. Retinal and citric acid
Hexapeptide-9 Keep apart Use them at different times of day by applying your hexapeptide-9 in the morning and your retinal at night. Retinal and hexapeptide-9
Peptide-rich plasma Keep apart Use them at different times of day by applying peptides in the morning and retinal at night to avoid irritation. Retinal and peptide-rich plasma
Triple peptide blend Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying the peptide blend in the morning and retinal at night, to avoid extra skin irritation. Retinal and triple peptide blend
Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 Keep apart Use them at different times of day by applying retinal at night and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in the morning. Retinal and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying the peptide product in the morning and the retinal at night, to prevent skin irritation. Retinal and palmitoyl tripeptide-1

From the ingredient rules behind the "Works well with" and "Don't mix with" notes on every product in the Lovi app.

Questions and answers

What does retinal do for the skin?

Retinal helps speed up skin renewal and smooth out fine lines. It may also improve overall skin texture and tone over time.

How do you use retinal?

You use retinal at night because it helps improve your skin over time. Always apply it on clean, dry skin.

Should you use retinal in the morning or at night?

You should use retinal at night.

Can you use retinal every day?

Yes, you can use retinal every day at night.

Does retinal cause purging or irritation?

Yes, retinal may cause irritation. You can help prevent this by using it at night and keeping it apart from strong ingredients.

Which skin types is retinal best for?

Retinal is best for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, mature, and dark spot skin types, with top products like Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum, Paula's Choice PRO Retinaldehyde Dual-Retinoid Treatment, and Murad Retinal ReSculpt Overnight Treatment earning high or superior fits.

Can you use retinal with glycolic acid?

You should keep retinal and glycolic acid apart by using them on alternate nights because they are both strong and may irritate your skin when mixed.

Behind this ingredient guide

Lovi checks every ingredient with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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