What does Retinal do in skincare?

Retinal is an active ingredient: it's there to change how skin looks or behaves, not just how the product feels.

Is Retinal good for sensitive skin?

Pori flags it for caution on sensitive skin. Patch test before using it on your face.

Retinal: Benefits, Comedogenic Rating

Retinal at a glance

Function	Active
Active class	Retinoid
Comedogenic rating	0/5
Irritation potential	Moderate
Also listed as	Retinaldehyde
How common	On 7 of 21,918 product labels in Pori's copy of Open Beauty Facts

What does Retinal help with?

In Pori's database it's linked to signs of aging, rough texture, breakouts, dark spots and uneven tone. How much it helps depends on how high it sits on the label: ingredients are listed from most to least, and anything past roughly the tenth spot is usually present at 1% or less.

Is Retinal good for my skin type?

These ratings come from the same fixed rules Pori's ingredient scanner uses, applied to a typical profile for each skin type. Your own result in the app also weighs your scan results and concerns.

Skin type	Rating	Why
Normal	Use with caution	Active
Dry	Use with caution	Active
Oily	Use with caution	Active
Combination	Use with caution	Active
Sensitive	Use with caution	Active

What should I watch for?

Pregnancy: clear this with your doctor if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
Sun sensitivity: wear sunscreen while you use it, as it can make skin more sensitive to the sun.

Is Retinal comedogenic?

It has a comedogenic rating of 0 out of 5 in Pori's ingredient database, so it's unlikely to clog pores. Ratings like this come from older tests on single ingredients, and a finished product with it isn't necessarily pore-clogging. A 2006 study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that finished products made with comedogenic ingredients were not necessarily comedogenic, so treat the number as a hint, not a verdict.

Which products contain Retinal?

Products in Pori's curated catalogue that list it as a key ingredient:

Abib PDRN Volume fill-it Booster Creme (serum)
The INKEY List Starter retinol serum (serum)
Beauty of Joseon Eye Serum (eye cream)

How do I check a product with Retinal?

Scan the barcode or photograph the ingredient list with Pori's ingredient scanner (a Pro feature). It rates every ingredient for your skin type, flags fragrance, pore-clogging and irritating ingredients, and gives the product an overall match score. It's a guide to ingredients, not a diagnosis, so see a dermatologist about any reaction.

Keep reading

Ingredient data from Pori's ingredient database; product counts from Open Beauty Facts (ODbL). General information, not medical advice.