If you’re anything like me, you only learnt recently that retinol was a magic wrinkle erasing skincare must. AND then you learnt that all retinols are not alike, and that there’s actually several forms of vitamin A that are good for your skin, all with different pros and cons. Retinols, retinoids and retinals oh my!
But what does each one do? Which should you add to your routine? And which brands have we tried and tested (and wholeheartedly approved)?
First of all, what are retinoids?
Retinoids are a catch-all name for a group of vitamin A derivatives, including Retin-A (tretinoin), retinoic acid, retinol, and retinal, among others. So retinol and retinal are TYPES of retinoids.
These powerhouse ingredients are fantastic for treating acne by unclogging pores. But their magic doesn’t stop there—they’re also proven to boost collagen production and speed up cell turnover, making them incredible for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
With so many incredible anti-aging benefits, you might be curious about which retinoid is best for you. The key difference between Retin-A, retinal, and retinol lies in their potency.
What is Retin-A?
Retin-A is prescription only and for good reason—it’s strong stuff! Because it’s so full on, doctors and skincare professionals like to be able to make sure they are recommending the right formula, strength and molecule size for the individual’s skin type. If you don’t ease in, ignore doctors’ orders or go too far too fast, Retin-A can be super irritating, cause skin insensitivity and potentially even cause open skin rashes. It’s so important to have medical guidance on this type of retinoid.
What is retinal?
Retinal (short for retinaldehyde) is the strongest form of retinoid you can get over the counter without a prescription. More potent than retinol but less potent than Retin-A, retinals are a powerhouse when it comes to results. While retinal is known to be faster acting than retinol, it’s also usually more irritating. There aren’t a lot of retinals on the market because of how difficult it is to formulate in a shelf-stable manner.
Who is it good for?
Those who want results fast but aren’t ready for prescription-grade products yet. More mature, stronger skin.
Pros: No prescription needed, 10 times more potent than retinol.
Cons: Not as shelf-stable as retinol, can be too strong/irritating if your skin isn’t used to it.
Our fave and why: Go To Skincare Very Amazing Retinal
Like the name says, this product is indeed very amazing. The marketing copy doesn’t lie: “Very Amazing Retinal is a powerful but gentle Vitamin A serum, with niacinamide and peptides for smooth and rejuvenated skin. This serum is what people are talking about when they say it’s time to “get serious about skincare”, clinically proven to visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and increase elasticity and skin smoothness.”
Our Beauty Editor Elizabeth Best tried this for six weeks after it was released. “I was initially a bit scared because I’ve only used retinols not retinals before. Would it be too strong? Would I get the dreaded flakeys?” The answer is no. She says the serum had lots of skin loving ingredients to put the moisture back in that the retinal was taking out. “I was super surprised with how smoothly it went onto my skin,” she says. “A little goes a very long way!” She continues: “After my trial, people were telling me how great my skin looked—even on days I was too lazy to put makeup on!” Liz says she started off every third night, graduating to every second night with the Very Amazing Retinal.
What is retinol?
Strength isn’t everything when it comes to skincare. Retinol is another over-the-counter retinoid option that is less potent but still packed with benefits. It’s known to be much gentler than the above products and while it may take longer to see results, you’ll likely have a much easier time adapting to it.
If you’re just starting out, look for a retinol serum that includes soothing ingredients such as peptides, ceramides and hyaluronic acid to reduce irritation.
Who is it good for?
Younger skin, or those with skin sensitivities. Beginners to the retinol world. Those who want to use it consistently for longer for similar results to retinals.
The main difference between retinal and retinol is the speed in which each ingredient works on the skin. Retinal can work up to 11 times faster than traditional retinol, which makes it a good pick for mature skin types who want to see a significant improvement in fines lines and wrinkles as quickly as possible. Of course, taking a more aggressive approach to skin rejuvenation isn’t suitable for everyone, so those with younger skin or more sensitized skin may want to stick with retinol for now.
Pros: More gentle than retinal or Retin-A. Great results over a longer period of time. Less potential for skin irritation.
Cons: Less potent than retinal. Takes slightly longer to see results.
Our fave and why: Sunday Riley A+ High Dose Retinoid Serum, Sunday Riley Luna Oil (a tie!)
Of all the retinol products, Sunday Riley is one of the highest potency with the lowest amount of irritation. They have two retinol products, the A+ High Dose Retinoid Serum and the Sunday Riley Luna Oil, depending on if you prefer a serum or oil texture in your routine. The High Dose Serum is made up of a retinoid ester, encapsulated retinol and retinol-alternative extracts derived from blue-green algae, all of which can impart the texture-improving wonders that retinol is known for without overwhelming the skin and causing irritation.
Sunday’s Luna Oil uses soothing ingredients like blue tansy oil and a milder retinol to try to battle the flaky, dry skin that sometimes accompanies retinol use.
You can use one or the other, depending on the texture you like—or pop them together in a skincare cocktail once you’ve worked up to it, like our Beauty Editor does! “I used both these products for a period of six weeks,” says Beauty Ed Liz. “In that time, I noticed my pigmentation lightened a little, I am having fewer breakouts and a couple of pesky fine lines on my forehead have begun to fade away like a bad memory. I worked up from two times a week with one product, to mixing both Sunday Riley products together and using every second night. The formula is so gentle I managed to dodge the dreaded skin flakiness I’ve heard tell of with retinol use.”
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
