Retinol vs. Retinal: What Are Their Differences?

Retinoids are a group of chemical compounds derived from vitamin A. You can also say that ‘retinoids’ is a broader term covering a whole family of vitamin A. Both retinol and retinal are part of the retinoids family.

Retinol

Retinol is a chemical compound derived from vitamin A and is part of the retinoid family. Boosting collagen production in your skin, retinol is one of the best-known ingredients that helps with its anti-aging formula. Retinol works by going deep into your skin and then activated by becoming retinoic acid which binds your skin cells’ receptors.

Retinal (retinaldehyde)

However, when retinol seeps into your skin cells before being converted to retinoic acid, retinol is converted into retinal first. To simplify it, before retinol is activated in your skin, retinol becomes retinal, and then retinal becomes retinoic acid.

Yes, the main difference between retinol and retinal is that they’re just one conversion away from becoming retinoic acid. We can say that retinol and retinal are sisters rather than twins!

The one-step difference that they undergo has made retinal the faster one to give results on your skin. The potent retinal works up to 11 times faster than retinol, making retinal percentage on skincare products appear to be smaller than retinol. Retinal usually comes in 0.05%-0.1% concentration, whereas retinol has a higher concentration of 0.3%-1%.

But of course, retinal with more potent strength also comes with an increase in the potential side effects that may occur on your skin, especially redness, dryness, and irritation.

“So, does retinol and retinal offer the same benefits?”

Yes! Being sisters, retinol and retinal may give your skin similar benefits. They promote cell turnover and increase collagen production, which helps in reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores, dark spots, and uneven skin tone.

“Which one is better for my skin? Retinol or retinal?”

Both ingredients, retinol and retinal, can be used by everyone who seeks for anti-aging effect on their skin. Retinal is generally stronger than retinol and can be more harsh for some skin.

Retinal itself is also ideal for skins that have tolerated retinol before. However, remember that taking a more aggressive approach by using stronger chemical products does not always equal to better results.

If you want to see results that will appear potentially quicker and have tough skin, you can try retinal, like Geek & Gorgeous’ A-Game serum. But if you have sensitive skin, moreover a newbie in retinoids, you might want to opt for retinol first, such as OLAY Regenerist Retinol 24 serum. Oh, you’re still confused about what type of retinol you should use? Find the answer of which is more effective between retinol cream and retinol serum here.

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