Ingredient decoder
INCI name: Retinal
Fast-acting vitamin A one step from retinoic acid.
Retinal, or retinaldehyde, is a form of vitamin A that is just one conversion step away from retinoic acid, so it tends to work faster than retinol. It helps skin shed dead cells more evenly, which can reduce clogged pores, and it has some direct antibacterial activity against acne bacteria. Like other retinoids it can cause dryness and peeling, and sunscreen is a must.
No. Retinal is on the helpful side for acne-prone skin and is not known to clog pores. Our checker groups it with the cell-communicating ingredients. Like most acne actives, it can cause dryness or irritation at first, so start slowly.
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There is no published comedogenic rating for retinal, and it is not known to clog pores. It is used in products made for acne-prone skin.
In short: fast-acting vitamin A one step from retinoic acid. In formulas it is used for skin conditioning.
On ingredient lists, retinal can also appear as Retinaldehyde, Retinene or Vitamin a aldehyde.
