Active ingredient retinoids
IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO IMagine the Cosmetics Market Without It
The active ingredient vitamin A is probably better known through its various forms such as retinol, retinal or retinyl palmitate. This group of different stages of vitamin A is often summarized under the general term retinoids. In whatever form it is used, vitamin A actually has many great properties for your skin.
As a well-aging ingredient, it has a double effect on wrinkles and lines and ensures firmer skin. Even with blemishes, the skin benefits from its sebum-regulating effect. If you read on, you will find out exactly why vitamin A ingredients are so good and so effective and what you should definitely pay attention to when using them.
ALL RETINOIDS AT A GLANCE
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
Retinal and retinol are both forms of vitamin A. At first glance, you might have wondered whether we made a typo with the 'a' in retinal. Retinal is actually an active ingredient in its own right. In our diagram, you can see individual forms and their conversion steps. The rule here is: the closer a substance is to retinoic acid, the more effective it is.
RETINYL ESTER
Retinyl esters (retinyl palmitate, retinyl linoleate, etc.) are retinol precursors that are only converted into retinol in the skin through a chemical reaction. They are the most well-tolerated retinoids, but have a comparatively low effectiveness, as they have three conversion steps to retinoic acid before their effect reaches the skin. In each of these conversion steps, part of the effectiveness potential is lost.
RETINOL
The most well-known retinoid is significantly more effective because it only requires two steps to take effect: first to retinal, then to retinoic acid, the bioavailable form of vitamin A. This also requires stronger concentrations to maintain the potential effect. However, this also creates a higher risk of irritation. It is therefore recommended that the skin be gradually accustomed to the active ingredient retinol in order to avoid a skin reaction (skin purging).
RETINAL
Retinal only requires one conversion step. This makes it more effective and reaches the skin more quickly, making it more tolerable. The lower concentration used prevents it from accumulating in the skin and causing irritation. The conversion of retinal to retinoic acid occurs exclusively by keratinocytes in a specific differentiation stage, which leads to a controlled absorption of retinoic acid and fewer side effects, such as skin irritation or redness, compared to retinol.
RETINOIC ACID
The strongest retinoid is retinoic acid, also known as vitamin A acid or tretinoin. However, this form of vitamin A is prescription-only and is therefore not permitted on the cosmetics market. The reason for this is that although retinoic acid is extremely effective against acne and sun-damaged skin, it also has a very high potential for skin irritation and can therefore only be prescribed under medical supervision.
BAKUCHIOL – A RETINOL ALTERNATIVE?
Bakuchiol is a plant-based retinol alternative and has little to do with real retinoids such as retinoic acid, retinal, retinol and retinyl esters. It is extracted from the seeds of the Babchi plant, a medicinal plant from the legume family that is used in classical Ayurvedic medicine. The chemical structure of Bakuchiol is very different from that of retinol. However, it acts on some of the same cell pathways in the skin. Some studies suggest that Bakuchiol also has anti-aging properties, but is less irritating than retinol. This is why Bakuchiol is being touted as THE retinol alternative, especially in the cosmetics world. Independent research into the anti-aging effect of Bakuchiol is rather poor compared to the 30 years of research into real retinoids. The effect of Bakuchiol on pimples and blemishes, on the other hand, is better documented.
HOW DO RETINOIDS OR VITAMIN A WORK?
The difference between retinol and retinal lies in their effectiveness and tolerability. Retinal is more effective as a separate active ingredient because retinol is first converted to retinal in the skin before it becomes the pure form of vitamin A. Retinal only requires a single conversion step. This means it works faster and is also considered to be better tolerated because less retinal than retinol is needed to achieve the same effect. This prevents the active ingredient from accumulating in the skin and causing irritation.
The increased moisture retention reduces wrinkles and lines. In addition, the rapid cell renewal reduces pimple marks and pigment spots. An antibacterial effect has even been found for acne. Vitamin A therefore ensures a finer skin texture on the surface of the skin and a stable foundation in the depths. As antioxidants, retinol and retinal inhibit the damaging effects of free radicals and counteract premature skin aging. This is why vitamin A plays such an important role in well-aging care, because it inhibits the breakdown of collagen and at the same time promotes new formation.
REFINING THE SKIN STRUCTURE
Retinol and retinal improve and refine the skin structure by stimulating cell renewal. They stimulate collagen synthesis and prevent collagen degradation.
SMOOTHING THE SKIN
The increased moisture binding reduces wrinkles and lines, increases skin elasticity and ensures rapid removal of loose dead skin cells.
CELL REGENERATION
Retinol and retinal stimulate cell renewal and ensure that old dead skin cells are shed more quickly. This helps the skin to regenerate faster.
INHIBITING INFLAMMATION
Cell renewal and the sebum-regulating, antibacterial effect inhibit inflammation and reduce acne scars and pigment spots.
CHF 55.90
including VAT, plus shipping
CHF 186.33 / 100ml
CHF 55.90
including VAT, plus shipping
CHF 186.33 / 100ml
Our Retinal Sensitive Serum with the first 100% natural and encapsulated retinal effectively reduces lines and wrinkles and ensures a visibly finer and more even complexion. Thanks to the encapsulation technology used, it is particularly gentle on the skin and ideal for starting your well-aging care with vitamin A.
In our Retinal Sensitive Serum we use the first retinal of biotechnological origin. With 0.1% liposomally encapsulated retinal, it is highly effective and very well tolerated. It stimulates the skin's own collagen synthesis and at the same time inhibits the enzyme responsible for collagen degradation. Retinal also visibly refines the skin's appearance in the case of acne scars or rough skin texture. Retinal has another positive side effect, especially for skin prone to blemishes, as it regulates sebum production and counteracts clogged pores and pimples.
CHF 51.90
including VAT, plus shipping
CHF 103.80 / 100ml
CHF 51.90
including VAT, plus shipping
CHF 103.80 / 100ml
Our retinal cream with the first 100% natural retinal is the perfect and gentlest introduction to well-aging care. Whether you are just discovering the first signs of skin aging or are already in the middle of it: the regenerating cream effectively reduces lines and wrinkles and ensures a noticeably finer and softer skin structure without unnecessarily stressing your skin with the active ingredients. Thanks to its medium richness, it is quickly absorbed and leaves a pleasantly light protective film.
With a concentration of 0.05%, the cream is the ideal introduction to effective and well-tolerated care with vitamin A. In addition, resveratrol, as a natural antioxidant, stabilizes the sensitive retinal, prevents light-induced skin aging and also stimulates collagen synthesis. The cold-pressed organic argan oil with valuable lipids provides soothing care and has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect.
WHO IS RETINAL SUITABLE FOR?
Combinability & Interactions
If you have not used vitamin A ingredients in your facial care before, you should be patient with your skin. We recommend that you gradually increase the amount of product used, depending on the dosage.
In any case, start with just one retinal product, preferably the cream. Slowly introduce the new active ingredient so that your skin can get used to it. Give it time, as our skin also has a renewal cycle of 28 days. If you tolerate retinal well, you can also combine the Retinal Sensitive Serum and the Retinal Cream - for maximum results. We advise against combining with other retinol or retinal products, as you should always pay attention to the total concentration that you are applying to your skin.
In the interest of tolerability and to avoid overtaxing your skin, you should not combine higher-dose retinol or retinal products with other powerful ingredients.
This is especially true when combined with chemical peels such as AHA and BHA, as these thin the top layer of skin and allow the retinol to penetrate even more intensively and deeply.
With our products containing retinal, caution should be exercised with the following combinations: AHA peeling, BHA peeling, vitamin C ampoules.
We do not recommend using our retinal products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
The reason is that retinoic acid or tretinoin is also used in medications for acne. Due to possible side effects, these medications should not be used during this time. It is not yet clear whether the findings can be transferred to cosmetics containing retinoids, so we just want to play it safe here.