FREE SHIPPING
+
SALE NOW ON
+
RETINAL 0.1% YOUR SKIN CAN HANDLE
+
FREE SHIPPING
+
SALE NOW ON
+
RETINAL 0.1% YOUR SKIN CAN HANDLE
+
FREE SHIPPING
+
SALE NOW ON
+
RETINAL 0.1% YOUR SKIN CAN HANDLE
+
FREE SHIPPING
+
SALE NOW ON
+
RETINAL 0.1% YOUR SKIN CAN HANDLE
+
FREE SHIPPING
+
SALE NOW ON
+
RETINAL 0.1% YOUR SKIN CAN HANDLE
+
FREE SHIPPING
+
SALE NOW ON
+
RETINAL 0.1% YOUR SKIN CAN HANDLE
+
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, product image
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, key ingredients
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, what to expect
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, lifestyle
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, benefits
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, how to use
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, product image
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, key ingredients
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, what to expect
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, lifestyle
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, benefits
Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, how to use
  • ✨ Retinal 0.1%
  • 👍 Matrixyl 3000
  • 🔄 Sensitive skin

Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, smooths wrinkles and tightens pores

$33.00 $45.00 SAVE $12.00

Wrinkles, enlarged pores and uneven texture shouldn't have to wait months for results. This Korean serum from Korean Essence contains 0.1% nano-encapsulated retinal, the vitamin A derivative that sits one step from retinoic acid and therefore works faster than classic retinol. Matrixyl 3000 supports firmness and density, and 1% panthenol calms and strengthens the skin barrier so the retinal course stays gentle even on sensitive skin. The serum's 20,250 A-shot micro-needles open the way for retinal beneath the surface. Pores respond first, wrinkles follow, and after eight weeks skin is firmer, smoother and more even. Night use only, with sunscreen in the morning.
Afterpay
Zip
PayPal
Apple Pay
Google Pay
Visa
Mastercard
Maestro
60-day satisfaction guarantee — no questions asked
Free shipping on all orders

Is this serum right for my skin?

Wrinkles, pores and sensitivity respond differently to retinoids. Find out whether the serum is right for your concern, in 30 seconds.

Find your skin solution

Choose your skin concern and we'll show you how the serum targets it.

Skin concern

Wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes

Retinal 0.1% sits one step from retinoic acid and works faster than retinol. With Matrixyl 3000, wrinkles soften and skin feels firmer within a few weeks.

THIS SERUM WAS MADE FOR YOU →

Visible pores and uneven texture

Pores respond first. Retinal refines the skin's texture and tightens enlarged pores, and niacinamide evens the tone along the way.

THIS SERUM WAS MADE FOR YOU →

Skin that has lost firmness and density

Matrixyl 3000 supports firmness and density, and retinal stimulates renewal. After eight weeks skin is firmer and smoother.

THIS SERUM WAS MADE FOR YOU →

You've used retinol but want more

Retinal needs only one conversion step in the skin against retinol's two. 0.1% retinal is compared with far stronger retinol, without more irritation.

THIS SERUM WAS MADE FOR YOU →

Sensitive skin that hasn't tolerated retinoids

The retinal is nano-encapsulated and buffered with 1% panthenol and Matrixyl 3000. Start every other night for two weeks for a gentler start than classic retinol.

THIS SERUM WAS MADE FOR YOU →

Uneven tone after years in the sun

In a clinical study, 0.1% retinal was the strength that also improved pigmentation. Always pair it with SPF 30+ in the morning.

THIS SERUM WAS MADE FOR YOU →

What the serum does for your skin:

  • Smooths wrinkles and fine lines with 0.1% nano-encapsulated retinal
  • Tightens enlarged pores and refines uneven texture
  • Supports firmness and density with Matrixyl 3000
  • Calms and strengthens the skin barrier with 1% panthenol
  • 20,250 A-shot micro-needles per tube, for faster results
  • Precise dosing from the tip, one tube lasts eight to ten weeks
Retinal 0.1%
Matrixyl 3000
Panthenol 1%

Full ingredient list

Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Diisostearyl Malate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Panthenol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lecithin, Carbomer, Arginine, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Retinal, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Lactate, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Ascorbic Acid, Glucose, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

RESULTS WEEK BY WEEK

Week 1

Week one: a light tingle for a few minutes is normal, that is the serum's micro-needles. Pores start to look smaller after a few nights.

Week 1

Week 2

Week two: skin can feel drier while it adjusts. Keep up the moisturiser and every other night, then every night.

Week 2

Week 3 to 8

Weeks three to eight: pores look smaller, texture more even and wrinkles softer. Firmer skin after eight weeks of nightly use.

Week 3 to 8

THREE REASONS TO CHOOSE THE SERUM

Retinal 0.1%

0.1% nano-encapsulated retinal, one step from retinoic acid. Softens wrinkles and tightens pores faster than retinol at the same strength.

Retinal 0.1%

Peptides & Panthenol

Buffered with Matrixyl 3000 and 1% panthenol, which support firmness and calm the skin barrier. A gentler start than classic retinol.

Peptides & Panthenol

Precise Dosing

The tip doses precisely. A pea-sized amount covers the whole face, and one tube lasts eight to ten weeks.

Precise Dosing

The ingredients, explained by the research

Retinal 0.1%
Retinal with peptides
Matrixyl 3000
Panthenol 1%
Retinal 0.1%
Retinal with peptides
Matrixyl 3000
Panthenol 1%

"After three months, signs of photoageing improved in 95 percent of participants, and 0.1% was the strength that also improved pigmentation."

Retinal 0.1%

Kwon et al., Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 2018, 40 women

"A serum with 0.1% retinal and peptides reduced fine lines by 12 percent and the look of pores by 20 percent in eight weeks, with no irritation on patch testing."

Retinal with peptides

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology 2024, 32 women

"Matrixyl 3000 is a complex of two palmitoyl peptides that supports firmness and density and softens fine lines."

Matrixyl 3000

Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7

"Panthenol, provitamin B5, calms, hydrates and strengthens the skin barrier, which makes a retinal course gentler."

Panthenol 1%

Buffers the retinal during the course

YOUR CONCERNS, ANSWERED

Which skin concerns does it address?

The serum is formulated for wrinkles, enlarged pores and uneven texture, buffered for sensitive skin.

HOW WE SOLVE IT

Retinal reaches where wrinkles form.

Nano-encapsulated retinal 0.1% converts in one step to retinoic acid and stimulates renewal. Wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes soften within a few weeks.

THREE WAYS THE SERUM WORKS ON WRINKLES AND PORES

Every vitamin A derivative has to convert to retinoic acid in the skin before it works. Retinol needs two steps, and loses potency along the way.

Retinal needs only one. That is why 0.1% nano-encapsulated retinal gives results compared with far stronger retinol, without more irritation.

0.1%
NANO-ENCAPSULATED RETINAL
1 step
FROM RETINOIC ACID

After three months, signs of photoageing improved in 95 percent of participants using 0.1% retinal.

HOW THE FORMULA WORKS

Enlarged pores and forehead wrinkles are the two signs that show most, and that ordinary serums rarely touch.

In the manufacturer's test, pore volume fell by an average of 13 percent after one use, and forehead wrinkles by an average of 28 percent after two weeks.

13%
LESS PORE VOLUME AFTER ONE USE
28%
FEWER FOREHEAD WRINKLES AFTER TWO WEEKS

The manufacturer's instrumental test, two weeks of use. Results vary from person to person.

HOW THE FORMULA WORKS

Retinoids without barrier support bring dryness and redness. That is why many people give up before the results arrive.

Matrixyl 3000 at 3 percent and panthenol at 1 percent support firmness and calm the barrier, and the every-other-night start over the first two weeks gives the skin time to adjust.

Panthenol, provitamin B5, calms, hydrates and strengthens the skin barrier during the retinal course.

HOW THE FORMULA WORKS

Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum, key ingredients

Every ingredient has a purpose

Formulated around 0.1% nano-encapsulated retinal, Matrixyl 3000 and panthenol, with niacinamide, adenosine and A-shot micro-needles, for wrinkles and pores.

Nano-encapsulated retinaldehyde, one step from retinoic acid. Softens wrinkles and tightens pores, faster than retinol at the same strength.

Benefits

  • Smooths wrinkles and lines
  • Tightens pores
  • Faster than classic retinol

Peptide complex of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 that supports firmness and density.

Benefits

  • Firmer skin
  • Supports skin density
  • Softens fine lines

Provitamin B5 that calms, hydrates and strengthens the skin barrier during your retinal course.

Benefits

  • Calms the skin
  • Strengthens the barrier
  • Less dryness

20,250 microscopic needles of hydrolysed sponge per tube that open the way for retinal beneath the surface. A light tingle for a few minutes.

Benefits

  • Faster uptake
  • Works where lines form
  • Light tingle, normal

Vitamin B3 that evens skin tone, refines pores and supports the skin barrier.

Benefits

  • More even tone
  • Refined pores
  • Supports the barrier

Adenosine softens lines and tocopherol protects the formula and the skin from oxidation.

Benefits

  • Softens lines
  • Antioxidant protection
  • Nourishes the skin
Retinal 0.1%
Matrixyl 3000
Panthenol 1%
Night only

Korean Essence

FAQs

Everything you need to know before you start your retinal course with the Korean Essence Retinal 0.1% Firming Serum.

What is the difference between retinal and retinol? +

Both are forms of vitamin A. Retinol has to convert in two steps to retinoic acid, retinal in only one. That is why retinal works faster at the same strength, and 0.1% retinal is usually compared with far stronger retinol.

How do I start? +

Use the serum every other night for the first two weeks, then every night. Apply small dots of about 2 mm on the areas you want to treat, spread thinly and finish with moisturiser. A pea-sized amount is enough for the whole face.

It tingles a little when I apply it. Is that normal? +

Yes. The serum's A-shot micro-needles give a light tingle for a few minutes. In week two the skin can also feel drier. Keep up the moisturiser and go back to every other night if the skin gets irritated.

Do I have to wear sunscreen? +

Yes. Retinal makes the skin more sensitive to the sun. Wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every morning during the course.

Is it suitable for sensitive skin? +

The serum is buffered with 1% panthenol and Matrixyl 3000 for a gentler start than classic retinol, and many people with sensitive skin tolerate it when they start every other night. Always patch test first and avoid the eyelids.

Can I use it during pregnancy or breastfeeding? +

No. Retinoids are not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Can I combine it with acids or vitamin C? +

Avoid AHAs, BHAs, benzoyl peroxide and strong vitamin C on the same night, as the combination raises the risk of irritation. Use them in the morning or on other nights. Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and moisturiser go well with the serum.

How long does the tube last? +

The tube holds 15 ml, but only a pea-sized amount is needed each time. With nightly use it lasts eight to ten weeks.

Why is the serum yellow? +

The colour comes from the retinal itself, which is naturally yellow. Apply to dry skin and let the serum absorb before your head touches the pillow to avoid marks on fabric.