Is Maryna Platinum Retinal Serum Better for AM or PM?

Here’s the thing nobody tells you about retinal: it’s a diva. Put it on before sunscreen and you’re glowing by noon. Put it on before bed and you wake up looking like you actually slept for once.

This Maryna serum is 0.1% retinal — that’s four times faster than retinol. But use it wrong and you’ll wreck your barrier by lunch. Trust me, I did that so you don’t have to.

It’s a lightweight pink-ish serum in a squeeze tube. $68 for 30ml. The claim that got me: “visible results in 7 days.” I rolled my eyes, but here we are.

Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash

Retinal is the real MVP here — it converts to retinoic acid in one step instead of two (retinol takes two). That’s why it works faster. The peptides are nice, but they’re not the star.

Niacinamide is the unsung hero. Without it, this serum would be too aggressive for most people.

• Retinaldehyde (0.1%): Converts to retinoic acid in one step — faster results
• Platinum Peptides: Support collagen production while soothing irritation
• Niacinamide: Strengthens barrier so you don’t get flaky
• Squalane: Lightweight moisture without clogging pores

Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash

Feels like water meets silk — spreads in two drops, absorbs in 10 seconds flat. No sticky residue. No weird smell. It just… disappears.

Week two hit and I got tiny flakes around my nose. Not angry red, just dry. I cut back to every other night and it stopped. That’s the sweet spot.

Photo: Kaeme / Unsplash

After 4 weeks: my pores look smaller (like, visibly), the weird texture on my chin smoothed out, and I get fewer random breakouts. But I still have fine lines around my eyes — retinal didn’t erase those. Yet.

Photo: Greg Rakozy / Unsplash

PM only. Always. Unless you want to look like a peeled tomato by lunch. Use it at night, follow with moisturizer, and thank me when you wake up.