Pharma Développement A313 Vitamin A Retinol Cream for dry skin
Retinyl Palmitate
Peg-4000
Polysorbate 80Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
Works for dry skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate anti-aging benefits for your dry skin due to the presence of retinyl acetate and retinyl propionate, which promote skin renewal to minimize fine lines and wrinkles.
- While beneficial for skin renewal, these retinol forms may cause dryness and irritation for your dry skin, with limited emollient action.
How to apply
- Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this French pharmacy favorite is celebrated for delivering radiant, smooth skin and reducing acne, with users frequently waking up to a glowing complexion. However, its thick, Vaseline-like consistency and initial itching are polarizing aspects. While many praise its hydrating and plumping effects, some find it too mild for significant anti-aging results.
Highlights
Incredible glow Mostly Mentioned
- “Users consistently report waking up with "glass skin," a "dewy complexion," and a "noticeable glow" after overnight use.”
Intense itching Mostly Mentioned
- “the most common complaint is the "unbearable itch" or "tingling sensation" that can last for 20-30 minutes after application.”
Smoother texture Often Mentioned
- “Reviews frequently mention the cream makes skin feel "baby soft," "plumps fine lines," and "refines pores" significantly.”
Greasy texture Often Mentioned
- “Users dislike the "Vaseline-like goo" consistency that "never fully absorbs" and "sticks to pillowcases."”
Acne reduction Sometimes Noted
- “Many users claim it "flattens pimples overnight," "fades acne scars," and helps "unclog pores" effectively.”
Affordable price Sometimes Noted
- “Users appreciate it is a "fraction of the cost" of luxury retinols, often calling it a "budget holy grail."”
Occlusive hydration Sometimes Noted
- “Fans love that it "seals in moisture," acts like a "hydrating mask," and prevents "flaky patches."”
Ineffective for some Sometimes Noted
- “Several users and dermatologists argue it is "too weak" and saw "no anti-aging difference" compared to stronger retinoids.”
Application difficulty Rarely Noted
- “Reviews mention it is "hard to spread" on dry skin and requires "warming up" in hands first.”
Pore clogging Rarely Noted
- “A minority of users with oily skin reported it "caused congestion" or "led to more blackheads" due to the heavy base.”
Sources: lovi.care, frenchpharmacy.com, amazon.com, bustle.com, youtube.com, thingtesting.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does A313 Retinol Cream work for dry skin?
This cream is an average fit for dry skin because its vitamin A ingredients help smooth fine lines, but they may also cause dryness and irritation. A product of this type needs soothing, deeply hydrating ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, or peptides to nourish dry skin and protect its barrier without causing irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry skin?
Retinyl acetate and retinyl propionate make this cream a fit by promoting skin renewal to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles. Because this product may cause dryness and irritation for dry skin, a product for this skin type needs soothing ingredients, deep hydration, and skin barrier support like propolis, niacinamide, ceramides, or peptides.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
What does Retinyl Palmitate do for dry skin?
Retinyl palmitate helps improve dryness by moisturizing the skin and smoothing out rough texture across various body sites. It also helps soften fine lines and wrinkles while keeping the skin feeling smooth.
What does Retinyl Acetate do for dry skin?
Retinyl Acetate helps smooth dry skin over time, but it may cause irritation if your skin barrier is very sensitive. To keep your skin soft, this type of product needs nourishing, hydrating ingredients that lock in moisture and soothe dryness.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, as it helps renew skin and smooth fine lines. Because it may cause dryness and irritation on dry skin with its limited softening action, a product for this skin needs rich hydrating ingredients and soothing moisturizers to keep skin comfortable.
Can I use this cream with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this cream with niacinamide, applying the niacinamide before your moisturizer and using this treatment at night. Niacinamide helps keep your skin calm and moisturized when paired with retinol products.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
How often should I use this cream?
Apply this treatment in the evening as part of your nighttime routine. Because this product has limited soothing and softening action, dry skin needs plenty of rich hydrators and soothing oils to stay comfortable.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cream may cause dryness and irritation for dry skin since it lacks rich, moisturizing ingredients to keep the skin soft and comfortable. Dry skin needs rich, moisturizing ingredients and soothing elements to stay calm and comfortable.
What the research says
A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A combination of retinyl propionate and climbazole (RPC) resulted in significant improvement in aging attributes, including deep wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, with significantly less irritation compared to 0.1% retinol in 45 healthy Caucasian females with moderately photodamaged facial skin.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021Topical retinyl propionate cream produced no statistically significant differences compared to placebo for any clinical, histological, or profilometric parameters of skin photoageing in 80 subjects.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1998A vitamin A palmitate and antioxidant-containing oil-based moisturizer improved fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, tone, texture, dryness, firmness, and clarity across various body sites compared to a no-treatment group over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013Topical application of 20% 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin in a polyethylene glycol formulation resulted in significantly more herpes labialis relapses compared to the vehicle control among 40 patients over 6 months.
Dermatology, 2013Binary systems of trans-resveratrol with polyethylene glycol or beta-cyclodextrin enhanced its antioxidant activity and in vivo skin anti-aging effects compared to trans-resveratrol alone in human keratinocytes and volunteers.
Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2014Topical application of 30% salicylic acid in polyethylene glycol effectively cleared comedones and papules in 436 patients with acne while causing no stinging, burning, edema, bleeding, or crusting.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2008Hempseed or flaxseed oil-based lyotropic liquid crystals with the highest oil content and lecithin/Tween 80 mixture provided a 2-fold reduction in TEWL values and decreased skin erythema levels in healthy adult subjects compared to baseline.
Acta Pharmaceutica, 2024Liquid crystalline emulsions formulated with camellia seed oil and four different surfactant combinations reduced transepidermal water loss and increased skin hydration without causing skin irritation, with the formulation containing Lecinol S-10 and Tween 80 demonstrating the best clinical results.
Scientific Reports, 2023The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.
Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003
Ingredients
Retinyl Acetate, Retinyl Propionate, Retinyl Palmitate, Peg-4000, Peg 400, Polysorbate 80
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list 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.
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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