Retinoids have been the gold standard in skin care for anti-aging and acne for ages. But did you know that not all retinoids are the same? There are prescription strength retinoids and over the counter retinoids with one of the more popular over the counter retinoids: retinol. The beauty industry is constantly changing and evolving and you know what that means? Fun, new and innovative products for us beauty lovers fawn over! Now we are all familiar with retinol. But have you heard of retinol’s more potent cousin retinaldehyde aka retinal? This little cousin is making its debut into the beauty world through Maelove’s Moonlight Retinal Super Serum.

What is the Moonlight Retinal Super Serum?

The Moonlight Retinal Super Serum retails for $37 and contains a 11% concentration of retinal that will help smooth out uneven texture, treat uneven skin tone, fight signs of aging and treat acne breakouts and scarring. The Super Serum is also formulated with an extra nourishing base of niacinamide, bisabolol, aloe leaf juice, ceramides, green tea extract, hyaluronic acid and squalene. The lightweight milky texture comes in a dropper bottle, is vegan and cruelty free and great for all skin types. Even for beginner retinal users! Maelove’s goal in creating this product was to deliver prescription strength results without the harsh irritation normally associated with retinoid use.

What is Retinaldehyde?

So what is retinaldehyde? Retinaldehyde or retinal is a form of vitamin A that is almost 20 times more effective than retinol. Wait, 20 times more potent? Yep, retinoids may all do the same thing, but they definitely don’t all have the same active strength. Retinoids essentially help speed up the skin cell turnover by getting rid of old and dead skin cells to reveal newer, younger and brighter looking skin. Retinal is a more concentrated form of retinoid because it only requires one conversion step into retinoic acid which is used by the skin to give us all those amazing skin benefits that we love. Retinal is essentially the most potent and concentrated form of retinoid without going into prescription medication territory.

Advantages of Retinal and How to use it

This superpower ingredient is great for fighting the signs of aging by targeting fine lines and wrinkles. But this multi-beneficial active also works wonders on acne, blemishes and hyperpigmentation caused by acne scarring. The retinal can help unclog pores congested with bacteria causing acne, blackheads and other closed comedones. As an added bonus, retinal also helps treat other forms of acne such as cystic acne and hormonal acne. It helps balance oil production for my oily skin beauties and helps brighten up the skin complexion, a feature all skin care lovers want. Because retinal is a stronger concentration of vitamin A, first time users should beware of possible irritation, dryness and flakiness that can be a side effect of using a strong active. It's suggested that beauties follow the recommended application process by using the product at night and a few times a week to build up tolerance on the skin. And of course, don’t forget the sunscreen for added extra skin protection when you are using a retinal or any type of retinoid product.

Now I would consider myself a veteran when it comes to using retinol in my skin care. However, retinal is something that I haven’t seen much of in popular skin care brands and products. Could this be the new “it” ingredient? If you’re just as curious as me, make sure to grab yourself a bottle of the Moonlight Retinal Super Serum because I think I just might!