What does retinaldehyde do for your skin?Updated a year ago
It’d be easier to explain what retinaldehyde doesn’t do. Retinal’s benefits for the skin are pretty broad since it can improve the look of just about any skin concern. That said, here are some of the main reasons why you’d want to start using it:
- Anti-aging: It’s most common as an anti-aging ingredient with a well-documented ability to visibly fade signs of skin aging. Research shows that within months of use, it can dramatically improve the look of both fine lines and coarse wrinkles, helping the skin achieve a much more youthful look.
- Brightening: While we usually think of vitamin C as the skin-brightening go-to, retinoids are also very effective if you’re dealing with discoloration or dark marks in your skin. When it comes to retinal, specifically, one study showed that a 0.1% formula effectively reduced discoloration, leading to more even-toned skin. That means that if you have dark spots or pigmentation, it’s well worth a try.
- Smoothing: Most anti-aging research also found that retinaldehyde significantly improves skin texture, contributing to skin that looks and feels a lot smoother.
- Clarifying: There’s not as much research here, but many of our customers do find that just like with retinoic acid, retinal also seems to help keep their skin looking clear from breakouts. One study found that a combination of retinal and glycolic acid (found in our cleanser) can amplify the benefits of dedicated acne treatments, while a smaller study showed it could even be useful on its own.