I slathered this on my crusty December face fully expecting to peel like a lizard. Didn’t happen.
Most retinoids dry me out so bad my foundation flakes off by noon. This one somehow made my skin feel bouncier the morning after. That’s weird. And good.
It’s $58 for 30ml. A retinaldehyde oil — so stronger than retinol, gentler than prescription tret. The claim that got me: “hydrates while resurfacing.” Bullshit alarm went off. But here we are.
0.1% Retinaldehyde
Actually strong enough to smooth texture, but suspended in oil so it doesn’t nuke your barrier.
Milk Thistle + Squalane
Sounds like a salad dressing. Works like a drink of water for dry patches.
Ceramide Complex
The unsung hero — kept my jawline from turning into sandpaper.
Photo: El S / Unsplash
No fragrance, no essential oils — thank god. It’s a short, smart list. The retinal is stabilized so it doesn’t oxidize in three weeks (looking at you, every other retinal oil).
- Retinaldehyde: the active that actually works without peeling your face off
- Squalane: mimics your skin’s own oil, absorbs instantly
- Milk Thistle: antioxidant that calms redness, not just marketing fluff
- Ceramide NP: patches up your barrier while you sleep
Photo: Evangeline Sarney / Unsplash
Texture is thin — think runny honey, not a grease slick. Absorbs in about 20 seconds. First night I was paranoid I’d wake up red. Woke up… fine. Even a little plump.
Week 2 I got one tiny dry patch near my nose. Backed off to every other night. By week 3, the little crinkly lines around my mouth looked less… crinkly. Unexpected: my forehead stopped being an oil slick during the day. Balancing act.
Photo: Vedansh Agrawal / Unsplash
Fine lines softened. Pores looked smaller — not vanished, just less shouty. Texture evened out. Zero purging. The dry patches that usually show up around my chin? Stayed gone.
If you’ve been scared of retinal because your skin is dry and reactive — this is the one. It actually hydrates while it works. No flaking, no drama.