Without taking you back to chemistry class, retinal comes under the retinoid umbrella — essentially, skincare ingredients which are derived from vitamin A. Unless you’re a serious skincare enthusiast, you might find the world of retinoids confusing, and I don’t blame you. To make things easier, I imagine the retinoid family as a three-tiered pyramid: At the bottom, you’ll find retinyl palmitate or retinyl esters, which are the weakest form of retinoid found in skincare products. In the middle you have retinol, which is stronger and arguably the most popular version on the market. Retinal, also referred to as retinaldehyde, sits above that, making it a more potent ingredient than the rest. As such, it’s a lot more efficient than traditional forms of retinol; experts say that it works at least 11 times faster. It’s no wonder, then, that The Ordinary is tapping into its value.
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