Retinol can be a pretty frightening ingredient for someone with sensitive skin - you’ve been told it’s an anti ageing powerhouse but any forays into the realm have been met with flare ups, redness, irritation and maybe the odd breakout here and there. So maybe - you’ve decided retinol isn’t for you.

Enter: Retinal.

At low doses, retinal can be gentle enough on a compromised or sensitive skin that it doesn’t cause the same level of irritation, yet strong enough to stimulate cell renewal, ultimately leading to a more youthful, more even toned and textured complexion. Osmosis have nailed this formulation in Osmosis Skincare Calm Gentle Retinal Serum which combines powerful Retinal with calming and nourishing ingredients that help your skin to heal, rather than harm.

What are the key ingredients in Osmosis Skincare Calm Gentle Retinal Serum?

• Retinal (Retinaldehyde) - a derivative of Vitamin A that works with the skin to promote cellular turnover and helps reduce visible signs of aging.
• Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 (Synthe-6) - smoothes the appearance of wrinkles by stimulating collagen and elastin production.
• Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Extract - High content of Omega 7 fatty acids, tocopherols, carotenoids, and phytosterols to enhance cell regeneration. It will also soothe, heal, and promote healthy barrier function.
• Prunus Serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark Extract - used for its highly anti-inflammatory and astringent properties, as it soothes, detoxifies, and stimulates healing.

What’s the difference between Retinal and Retinol?

This could get really complicated - but essentially, Retinal is one step closer to the form of Vitamin A our body can actually utilise than Retinol. In this sense, it offers faster results, but is also less inflammatory and needs to be used at a much lower percentage. Comparing retinol percentages with retinal percentages is like comparing apples (retinol) with apple pie (retinal) - it’s completely transformed (and tastes all the sweeter).

Which Retinal product from Osmosis Skincare will suit my skincare needs?

Calm Gentle Retinal Serum is a great product for those who experience sensitivity.

Correct Preventative Retinal Serum will suit most skin types to correct aging and uneven skin tone and texture.

Renew Advanced Retinal Serum is the step up from Correct, and offers a higher percentage of Retinal. It should not be a first step for users of retinol or retinal, as can cause inflammation in those who have not adapted their skin to regular retinal use.

Clarify Blemish Retinal Serum is a great option for those with excessively oily or blemish prone skin types to balance sebum production. It has a very high concentration of retinal, and can be used as an all over treatment for those with heavily oily skin types, or as a spot treatment for those with hormonal or irregular breakouts.

What makes the delivery system of Osmosis Skincare so effective?

Osmosis surrounds their active ingredients in a liposome called phosphatidylcholine, which has been shown to increase product penetration by 600%. This means your ingredients go further, and the fact that this liposome is constructed from a choline head and essential fatty acid chain means that the ingredients are protected during delivery, and the quality of the skin barrier is increased - preventing water evaporation from skin.