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The ingredient, explained

Retinol

A vitamin A ingredient studied in topical creams for the appearance of photoaged skin.

RetinoidSkin conditioning
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Ingredient guide

What it is and what it does

Retinol; vitamin A

About this ingredient: EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗

Retinoid
Vitamin A or a vitamin A-like compound. This is a compound category; individual retinoids have different research and uses.
Skin conditioning
A broad cosmetic role for maintaining skin condition. It does not identify a particular clinical benefit.

Function definitions: National Cancer Institute: Retinoid definition ↗ · European Commission ingredient function definitions (SCCNFP/0299/00, pages 16 to 20) ↗

Registry functions describe possible formulation roles, not results for a finished product. A dictionary entry is not an approval or a safety assessment.

A closer look

What the research shows

Human topical research

In 57 Japanese women, a 0.075% retinol cream improved fine and deep wrinkling more often than its vehicle after 26 weeks. In a separate 44-person, 12-week trial, 0.5% retinol and 0.5% bakuchiol both reduced wrinkle surface area and pigmentation, with no significant difference between groups.

What this does not tell us

Three participants in the first trial withdrew because of irritation. Retinol caused more scaling and stinging in the second trial, which used different application frequencies and no vehicle-only group. These results cannot be transferred to retinal or other retinoids.

Sources for this summary. PubMed 20078381 ↗PubMed 29947134 ↗

Research review checked Sep 30, 2026

Selected primary sources were reviewed for the existing research brief on 30 September 2026, with exact ingredient, route and combination limitations recorded. This was a bounded editorial review, not a systematic search.

Ingredient research is not proof that a product containing this ingredient works.

Read the 2 selected studies

Follow the formula

Products containing this ingredient

All 72 products ↗

From the Serenfold edit. Linked by the ingredient list, without an efficacy ranking.

Names and identifiers

Registry identity

Retinol; vitamin A

INCI name on ingredient lists
RETINOL
CAS registry number
68-26-8, 11103-57-4
EC number
200-683-7 / 234-328-2
Other recorded names (1)
  • vitaminum a

Sources for this ingredient record