Medik8 Crystal Retinal review *Unsponsored*
What is Retinal, is it better than Retinol and should you try Medik8 Crystal Retinal? Here’s everything you need to know about Retinal and my honest review of Medik8 Crystal Retinal.
About Medik8: “Beautiful Skin for Life”
Founded by British cosmetic scientist Elliot Isaacs in 2009, Medik8 is a cosmeceutical skincare brand aiming to help you achieve “Beautiful Skin for Life”.
What really sets the brand apart is that they offer progressive strengths within the core ingredient areas of vitamin C and A so your skincare routine evolves at the same pace as your skin needs.
Medik8 bridges the gap between professional skincare and accessible beauty, offering a luxurious and effective range of products for everyone.
Is Medik8 cruelty-free and vegan?
According to their website, Medik8 do not test their products on animals and take their supplier compliance seriously. However as of October 2023 the brand is not certified by Leaping Bunny or PETA.
Medik8 became 100% vegan in 2019.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal
Medik8 Crystal Retinal is powered by Retinaldehyde, a cutting-edge retinoid that is 11 times more potent and fast-acting than traditional Retinol.
The serum is available in a range of five progressive strengths, guiding you on your path to achieving “Beautiful Skin For Life”.
What is Crystal Retinal?
This pioneering serum harnesses the often-underestimated potential of Retinaldehyde, offering unmatched stability thanks to Medik8's proprietary Crystal encapsulation and patented formula complex.
This dual-layered stability system safeguards the Retinal molecule, ensuring optimal potency and long-lasting effectiveness.
Clinical studies have even demonstrated a remarkable reduction of fine lines by up to 20%, showcasing the powers of Crystal Retinal.
What is the difference between Retinol and Retinal?
Retinol and Retinal are both derivatives of vitamin A. The main difference between the two lies in their level of potency and how they interact with the skin:
Retinol is a less potent form of vitamin A and needs to undergo two conversion steps in the skin before it becomes active Retinoic acid, the compound that affects skin cells.
On the other hand, Retinal (Retinaldehyde) is a more direct precursor to Retinoic acid, requiring only one conversion step in the skin.
It is typically considered more potent and has been shown to improve all of the visible signs of ageing 11 times faster than Retinol.
Boasting antibacterial properties, Retinal is the most suitable form of Vitamin A for blemish-prone skin.
Which Crystal Retinal strength should you choose?
There are 5 different options from strength 1 (lowest dose) to 20 (highest dose):
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 contains only 0.01% Retinal and is best for extremely sensitive skin. RRP: £45 - Find it on Medik8, Sephora or Lookfantastic
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 is suitable for sensitive skin that doesn’t usually tolerate Retinol-based skincare. RRP: £49 - Find it on Medik8, Sephora or Lookfantastic
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 is the ideal strength to start with for most people without any skin sensitivities. RRP: £66 - Find it on Medik8, Sephora or Space NK
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 is for those who have been using Retinol skincare without any issues. RRP: £89 - Find it on Medik8, Sephora or Lookfantastic
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 20 is the highest strength (0.2%), for seasoned Retinol skincare users who are ready to move up a level. RRP: £99 - Find it on Medik8 or Face The Future
What are the other ingredients?
The serum also contains Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin to keep the skin hydrated as well as Vitamin E which helps stabilise Retinaldehyde for optimal efficiency.
How and when to use Medik8 Crystal Retinal?
Incorporate it into your evening skincare routine. Once your skin is cleansed, apply 2 pumps over your face and neck, gently massaging onto the skin. Once fully absorbed, apply your overnight moisturiser.
If you’re new to Retinol or have taken a break, start or re-start gradually by using this serum every 3 nights for 2 weeks then every other night for a couple more weeks.
Always use SPF during the day!
Unsponsored Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 review
I had previously used Retinol products but had experienced minor skin reactions on some occasions, so I didn’t want to start off too strong and ordered Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6. I bought it myself, this product was not gifted.
At the time of writing this review, I’ve been using it for 3 months, every other night for 10 days then every single night.
I didn’t experience any skin reaction at all. No breakouts or redness! I was therefore able to start using this serum every night pretty quickly.
It has a lovely, silky texture that is really enjoyable to apply and gets easily absorbed, leaving my skin feeling soft and smooth.
It’s my first time using Retinal and whilst I didn’t really notice any results with Retinol skincare I used in the past, I can objectively see a difference in my skin texture after 3 months.
Obviously, it’s not like Botox and it didn’t make my fine lines go away, but when I look at my skin closely, I see that it’s getting smoother (pores are less visible) and firmer. It may not reverse signs of ageing but I really believe that this serums helps slow the process down!
I didn’t expect to notice any results after 3 months, so I’m really incentivised to continue using Medik8 Crystal Retinal every night and I’m going to move up to Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10.
My only regret about this product is that I didn’t start using it earlier! If you’ve tried Retinol-based skincare and were disappointed, I’d highly recommend trying Retinal. Medik8 Crystal Retinal might be exactly what your skin needs!
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