When you get down to the brass tacks of anti-aging skin care, there are a handful of proven ingredients that will deliver every time. One of those is retinoids, an all-encompassing term for vitamin A derivatives like retinol and retinal. It recently came to our attention that this K-beauty $19 tube, on sale for 21% off, contains a potent dose of the latter and has reviewers aged 60 and over claiming results that impressed even the most skeptical among us. We reached out to Beverly Hills-based cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Jessica Wu, who told us there could be a couple of reasons why.
This tightening serum features 0.1% retinal to work its magic.
Just a brief primer on retinoids: According to Wu, they increase cell turnover and stimulate collagen production, leading to improved skin quality and fewer fine lines over time. They can also smooth the skin around pores so they look less noticeable, but they don’t physically shrink pores, because in truth, nothing can.
As we mentioned earlier, retinol and retinal are both forms of vitamin A, but Wu tells us that retinal is one metabolic step closer to retinoic acid, which is the form skin cells actually use.
“Therefore, retinal works faster and is more potent,” she said. “The 0.1% retinal in Celimax is roughly as potent as 0.5–1% retinol, so on the high end of what you can get without a prescription.”
Wu said, though, that retinal is a little less stable and highly sensitive to things like light and air, and because the Vita A is packaged in a twist-top tube, it might lose its potency faster.
Wu, who has no association with the Celimax product, also noted the inclusion of another well-studied ingredient in the world of anti-aging: peptides.
“Matrixyl 3000 is a peptide combination designed to produce more collagen. Some studies show that these peptides can modestly improve skin texture and wrinkles,” she said.
Another key element of Vita A has to do with the way the product is delivered and absorbed into the skin, otherwise referred to as the “Shot” component of its title.
The brand claims to use nanoparticles that are 16 times thinner than pores and are uniformly sized. Wu said that, in theory, this could help distribute ingredients more evenly, but what mainly determines a product’s potency and efficacy are still the molecule’s concentration, stability and packaging.
“I do like that the formula has niacinamide to fight inflammation, and panthenol to support the skin barrier, to help skin tolerate the retinal,” she said.
While Wu says it’s important to manage expectations with products like the Celimax Vita A Retinal Shot Tightening Booster, real users of this lightweight serum insist that it’s worked and worked fast on their fine lines, irregular skin texture and large-appearing pores.
“After a few weeks, I began to see real changes: my skin looked firmer, smoother, and more refined overall,” one Amazon shopper reported, while another said the Celimax made a visible difference on her “11s,” or the heavy frown lines formed between the brows.
We should also mention that the Vita A Retinal Shot is typically priced at $24, according to our price trackers, but right now, it’s discounted to $20 for an indeterminate amount of time, so grab this while you can.
″I like this. I have a night routine I now use this in. Everyone thinks I’m younger. I’m 61. Skin care in the pm is my thing. This works. Step 1) gentle cleansing wipes w hyaluronic acid first make off. 2) Platinum gold. Expensive but amazing. Let it absorb 5 mins. 3) dampen face then tap on a layer of hyalouronic acid ) pat on snail mucin (believe the hype on this one; stuff does make glassy skin). Let dry. 4) spot this retinol shot on the problem areas all over. Massage in. 5) my skin barrier finale in retinol CREAM. Super smooth and lightweight. No oily hair.
This works. I look pretty good. Your face is your forehead to your neck to your décolleté. My skin stays refreshed, hydrated, my lines are minor and texture is smooth.
So this shot was the missing piece on my nightly routine. I don’t turn yellow as I have read some do. P.S. Include your lips and upper eyelids in skin routine.” — Sue
“I rarely EVER write a product review. But, this viral Vita A Retinal Shot Tightening Booster deserves a review! I’m a 56 year old and to say I had overnight results beginning night one is the TRUTH! I woke up with tighter and more radiant skin. This product WORKS! Yes, you’ll still need your Botox and fillers for deep wrinkles if you use them, but you’ll still need this for fine lines, shallow wrinkles, general skin tightening and to help fade spots. This will be a nightly part of my routine now! The absorbency is IMPRESSIVE! Retinal not Retinol is my new thing aka this product Retinal is better! I have placed this product on my nightstand and it’s a permanent keeper! I’ll cleanse, use my pore pads, then this product and then my moisturizer. I’m truly IMPRESSED by the QUALITY and the price is EXTREMELY FAIR! If you are in doubt try it. See the results for yourself! Truly a viral phenomenon for a real reason! I’m an EXTREMELY pleased customer! ❤️❤️❤️” — jmg77584
“I was not familiar with Celimax Vita A Retinal Shot, but I’m glad I came across it here on Amazon. Because my skin has been accustomed to Retinol for many years, I was not as cautious with frequency of use as some may need to be. I used it for 3 consecutive days (at night). On morning 4, I noticed a difference in my skin. The dullness had improved as I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror. I looked closer and my skin texture looked better. At 63, I struggle with premature aging from sun damage. Honestly, I avoid looking in the mirror unless I have to. Unfortunately, Retinol products have made no noticeable difference. I continued using them with hope that acceleration of my aging skin would at least slow down. This retinal shot is different, better, much to my surprise. It’s different because it’s working! Retinal is 11 times stronger than Retinol, according to my research. Hence, faster results. This may not be suitable for sensitive skin, but for others desiring faster results, I highly recommend this Retinal Shot. The cream is fragrance free. The consistency is something between a cream and lotion (not heavy). The spread ability is not easy without stretching the skin. I recommend applying to problem areas and mostly patting the product in, versus rubbing. As described, it does apply with a yellow tint. I actually appreciated this since I could clearly identify areas that I had missed. It does wash off upon facial cleansing. I applied a moisturizer 20 minutes after application as instructed. On day 3, I did not because my skin felt oily. My skin did not feel dry at all upon waking. In fact, it felt as though I had used moisturizer, but there was no oily feel. I don’t yet have any flaking or blemishes. I’m quite encouraged by this product and will purchase the two pack next time. I am encouraged that over time my fine lines and wrinkles will smooth out some. This product is well worth the price.” — Jin
If you want to shop for more high-powered retinoids that you don’t need a dermatologist’s prescription for, take a look at some of these options from previous HuffPost coverage:
A313 cream (0.12% retinol)
Amazon reviewer Jessica said she "ordered this after hearing about it from an aesthetician. It has a vaseline-type texture when it goes on. So a little goes a long way. You can definitely feel it tingling after you put it on. It works, but I personally cannot use it more than 2-3 times per week or my skin gets irritated. When I use it regularly, my hyperpigmentation is much better and so are my fine lines and wrinkles. It is definitely worth a try, but if you have sensitive skin, I recommend you start with a small amount and only once or twice a week at most!"
Differin adapalene gel 0.1% acne treatment (0.1% adapalene)
Differin is probably the best known adapalene-based product. It claims that the more toned-down nature of this active ingredient compared to other retinoids which makes it a good all-over face treatment that is suitable for everyday use, even for sensitive skin types.
In previous reporting, Dr. Ariel Ostad, a cosmetic surgeon based in New York City, explained that like other forms of retinoids, adapalene, which until 2018 was only available by prescription, works by increasing the skin’s cellular turnover rate — a process that slows down naturally as we age. So even though adapalene-based products are marketed as acne treatments, Ostad said that they can also be used to help promote collagen production — and more collagen can mean plumper, more youthful skin with fewer fine lines.
SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 maximum strength refining night cream (1.0% retinol)
If you've ever invested in SkinCeuticals products, you know that they are made with potent, high-quality ingredients that will give you the most bang for your buck. This cream has such a high concentration of retinol that the brand recommends priming your skin with its .5% strength cream for a few months beforehand to see if it can tolerate such a high concentration of retinol. In the more potent version featured here, the strong 1.0% retinol is balanced out with a soothing complex of calming ingredients derived from chamomile and other botanicals to comfort skin and negate potential irritation.
In previous HuffPost reporting, Dr. Deanne Mraz, a board-certified dermatologist at Modern Dermatology in Connecticut and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, said the varying retinol strengths available make this cream a great option for "anyone who needs to downshift to a gentler strength in the cold, dry winter months and turn up the volume [spring through fall]."
The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.
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