VITALIFT-A Forte, Retinal 0.1%, 0.7 oz

I love it! My skin feels amazing the nights I use it. Start slow and work your way up but omg my skin has changed since using it. I will definitely repurchase once I am done with the one I have. Great texture and leaves a glow in the skin. It absorbs almost instantly and it’s definitely worth the money. This product is a hidden gem.

This is my second purchase. I bought it once just to try and liked it so much I reordered right away. Absorbs quickly with no sticky feeling and my skin feels softer the next morning.

To clarify, this is retinal, with an A, not retinol, in all four treatments offered by Dr. Different (as of this writing). The two vitamin-A derivatives are similar but have a key important difference in terms of conversion. One of the primary distinctions between retinal vs. retinol is the amount of time it takes for each to make an impact. When retinol absorbs into the skin, it undergoes two processes to convert into active retinoic acid: retinol to retinal and retinal to retinoic acid. Retinal gets there faster, with fewer conversion steps. Retinal only needs one. Making retinal, with an A, more efficient and effective in a shorter amount of time. Though with some drawbacks. More on that in a second. Since this is a single-conversion derivative, I am not shocked at the price point of any of the following retinal-focused treatments (ranging from ~$40-$52 as of this writing). Retinoic acid (RA, vitamin-A) has been shown to help boost turnover and collagen production and is commonly used to lessen fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, and discoloration. There are some disadvantages to having something that transitions from retinal to retinoic acid quickly. While highly effective, retinal can be slightly harsher and increase inflammation on sensitive or reactive skin. In contrast, retinol converts slowly and is milder (though it can also cause sensitivity or retinization). I highly recommend you ease into using any retinal, retinol, or whatever derivatives once or twice a week to start. Do not initially mix with other actives or physical (mud masks, scrubs) or chemical (AHA, BHA, PHA) exfoliants. Wash, moisturize, treat on the nights you use vitamin-A derivatives/retinoids, etc. Keep it basic and be consistent. And regardless of your skin type, tone, gender, and age, you will want to use an SPF30 or higher every single day. I say this irrespective of whether you use exfoliants or treatments, as no one is immune to the damaging effects of UV, but these kinds of treatments will further sensitize your skin to the sun. It is far cheaper and easier to protect your skin with regular applications of SPF than treating it later with expensive creams, lasers, and surgeries. Find one you like and use it often, daily, year-round. Not just in summer. And don't forget your ears, lips, eyes, neck, hairline, etc. Anyway. Users are instructed to apply the treatment in their PM routine a few times a week as the last step or second to the final step in their skincare. Please read the directions (per box) and adjust the use to your personal needs. Some may be able to use the gel more often, others less, depending on tolerance. I tend to use them a couple of nights in a row, take a couple of nights off, and back on. I'm over 40 and have used several vitamin-A derivatives for acne management and antiaging, and I also have highly reactive Rosacea-prone sensitive, combination skin. Burning, rashes, redness, flares, excessive dryness are not signs you should continue. Take a couple of nights off to give your compromised skin a break and ease back into use. If this level of sensitivity persists, cease use. I received and sampled all four Dr. Different Retinal (highlighted ingredient) treatments available as of this writing. I did not use them all simultaneously, nor would I encourage anyone to overlap or overuse their retinol, retinal, derivatives, or exfoliants. Please use your actives responsibly for your skin's needs and follow the instructions. But I will encourage people to patch test first and gradually increase use, as needed. With the Dr. Different Retinal treatments, I gradually utilized the least to the most retinal per product. I used all of the Dr. Different treatments the same way (overtop of my moisturizer, not under it, and as the last step in my routine at night). This is the same regime I've used to lessen irritation while using products like Differin on my reactive, sensitive skin. You still glean the effects, assuming you've not slathered on anything occlusive like an ointment or facial oils. These will inhibit absorption and hinder the efficacy of your retinal or retinol or whatever respective derivative you use. Similarities to the other Dr. Different Retinal Treatments All come in a similar polyplastic tube which I find suitable packaging for the thick gel base. Protects from excessive air and light exposure. All are 0.7oz. All are Korean-made. All have a near similar off-white to bright yellow-toned gel-cream texture. No fragrance. Excellent spreadability; absorbs almost immediately without feeling greasy or sticky; also no shine or pilling. Interestingly, on three of the four treatments, adenosine (an amino acid) is highlighted as the active ingredient at 0.4%, and retinal is found further down in the general ingredient list. All claim to have some amount of retinal in their product. Dr. Different Vitalist-A Forte ($52 for 0.7oz tube) This treatment has the highest level of "retinal" of the four Dr. Different gels available as of this writing. The 0.1% retinal in this was far too strong for my needs. That is not to say it is ineffective. It is just too strong for me personally. However, if you are someone who has used high concentrations of retinoids, this may be suitable for you. Again, has good spreadability and I like the quality of all of the gel treatments. I will continue to use the other three versions (with less retinal). Ingredient list as of this writing from sale's post: Purified Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Squalane, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Cholesterol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglutamic Acid, Ceramide NP, Stearic Acid, Retinal (0.1%), Oleic Acid, Tocopherol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA

This retinal is amazing! My skin always looks so good the next day when I wake up after putting this on at night.

Este retinol lo compre para dar el siguiente paso a mi cuidado de la piel. Cuando comencé hace un año lo hice con el de good molecules muy bueno y lo recomiendo 100% pero cuando llevas ya un tiempo debes pasar a uno más fuerte y buscando me encontré con este y lo compré y a buena hora porque también es divino . En estos momentos estoy con el Seúl 1988 al 2% y espectacular. Si van a comenzar con el retinol les aconsejó de esta manera. Gracias

I have a large pores but this product helps so much! My pores are still visible but definitely looks better after I use this product!!

Retinaldehyde is so hard to find. I bought this as a replacement for the discontinued Avene Ystheal Intense after trying some other replacements that didn't work out. This is very good. It's almost ointment-like and I haven't needed a separate moisturizer over it. My skin looks great. This is keeping my adult acne at bay, fading some pigmentation, and overall making my skin very smooth and even. My only complaint is that I wish it was in a pump instead of the squeeze tube.

Very very oily …..