PRO Retinaldehyde Dual-Retinoid Treatment
Ingredients
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Retinal, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Albatrellus Confluens Extract, Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract, Oleyl Adapalenate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyapatite, Butylene Glycol, cetyl glyceryl ether, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Isopropyl Myristate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Hydroxystearic Acid, 1, 2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Oleate, Naringin, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide
I went into this expecting a great retinoid serum, and indeed a great retinoid serum it is. What I wasn't expecting was how unbothered my skin was by it.
The texture is a light cream rather than a traditional serum. It's not thick or greasy, but it's not cool and liquidy like a gel either. Just a standard light cream. It also has a strong yellow colour, which I happen to appreciate because it makes it much easier to see where you've applied it - and, more importantly, where you haven't.
Despite knowing (and, after two weeks, seeing) that I was using a fairly strong retinoid on my skin, I had zero sensitivity with this. After two weeks I already had collected two compliments on how good my skin looks - plump, luminous, just overall good - and it kept getting better as I continued using it. There are no bad skin days with this. It just looks great.
I started using it daily rather than gradually building up (I tend to do this to test the irritation potential of these strong actives serums), and didn't experience the redness, dryness or flaking that I was expecting. Obviously, tolerance to retinoids is highly individual, and I tend to tolerate them well, but usually when a serum has noticeable results this early, it's accompanied by a burning sensation on top of my cheekbones (my most sensitive area). Not this time - and that is something noteworthy.
The formula contains retinal, alongside the more unusual oleyl adapalenate, an oil-soluble adapalene-derived retinoid. Early clinical data suggest it can improve fine lines and wrinkles, so this serum contains two genuinely interesting retinoid actives (hence the "dual") rather than just relying on retinal.
There are also some nice supporting ingredients, including jojoba oil, squalane-like emollient ingredients, dimethicone and fatty alcohols, which give the formula its light cream texture and help make the whole thing feel more like a moisturising treatment than a stripped-back retinoid serum. There are also antioxidant ingredients, including tocopherol, pomegranate extract, naringin and Albatrellus confluens extract.
What I like most about this is that I managed to see a difference in my skin quite fast, without having to go through an adjustment period to get there. Oleyl adapalenate is definitely an ingredient I'll be paying more attention to from now on.
If you are not used to retinoid-specific serums, I still wouldn't recommend starting this one daily. The brand itself mentions starting with with 3 nights a week then building up frequency. But if you want to up your retinoid ante without such a big sensitivity risk, get this one.