I Replaced My Tretinoin With This $30 Retinal Cream
Back in March, I met with the team from Celimax, a K-beauty brand that’s been bringing skin-care innovations at reasonable prices, and left with their new Vita-A Retinal Shot Tightening Cream, a formula that promises tighter, smoother skin with a more tolerable experience. I started testing that night.
I’m no stranger to retinal. I’ve been using it for a few years, mostly via pricey serums available only at professional offices, but in that time, more and more retinal products have been launching (even at drugstores). The ingredient may even be gaining popularity over retinol, which has been the over-the-counter gold-standard retinoid for aging skin.
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Short for retinaldehyde, retinal is an over-the-counter retinoid, meaning it’s part of the vitamin-A family used to improve skin tone, texture, and signs of aging. Brands including Prequel, Avène, and Medik8 have caught on to the demand for effective ingredients without the dryness and irritation that often come with retinoids. I made the switch to retinal because tretinoin, a prescription retinoid, always left my skin dry and flaky. Over time, I’ve found retinal gives me the same smoothing and skin-brightening benefits, but without the constant flakes I experienced on tretinoin.
My results make sense when you look at how retinoids work in the skin. Unlike tretinoin, which is already in the active form of retinoic acid, OTC retinoids have to be converted in the skin into retinoic acid before they can work. Retinal is just one step away from that active form, while retinol requires two steps. In general, the closer a retinoid is to retinoic acid, the more efficiently it can work in the skin, which is why retinal is more potent than retinol while still being better tolerated than prescription tretinoin.
The Celimax Vita-A Retinal Shot Tightening Dual Cream has 0.05 percent retinal, plus matrixyl (a peptide known for stimulating collagen and elastin), panthenol for hydration, and guaiazulene, a calming botanical ingredient with anti-inflammatory properties. To keep the retinal stable, the formula separates the active ingredients from the hydrating and soothing components until application. When you dispense it, you get a cool, blue-and-yellow mix.
I’ve been applying it nightly to my skin for the past two-and-half months. My skin was a little dry at first, so I layered a basic moisturizer on top to offset the initial dryness. Over time, I’ve noticed that the enlarged pores on my T-zone are looking tighter and my skin is clear and even. I’ve even been skipping the Paris filter, my favorite on Instagram — perhaps the most telling sign that it’s doing something good to my skin.
The Retinal Shot Cream impressed me enough to keep it in my regular routine. And I love that it’s only $30 — a fraction of what I’ve spent on retinal products in the past.
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