Essential Ingredient Spotlight: Retinol

There are a handful of ingredients that receive more than their fair share of attention in personal care products.

These are ingredients you should have in your product line up so that your brand is seen as effective, dependable, and comprehensive.  

In August, I wrote about vitamin C, which has become an essential ingredient in recent years due to its exceptional antioxidant and skin-brightening benefits.

Another must-have in your ingredient arsenal is retinol, one of the major forms of vitamin A.  

Retinol is a complex ingredient, and it brings to mind an interesting phrase: all thumbs are fingers, but not all fingers are thumbs.

In other words, the OTC retinol products consumers buy are indeed retinol, but not all retinol is available OTC.

One reason I recommend you have a retinol product is that, at this stage, you don’t have to educate consumers about it.

They know what it is, they want to use it, and they are looking for it. In fact, based on some criteria, retinol is the fastest-growing skincare ingredient.

A search for “retinol” on Amazon will return hundreds of products — from familiar names like Neutrogena, RoC, and Oil of Olay to brands you’ve never heard of, and from a few dollars per container to a few hundred dollars.  

Retinol enjoys this popularity because of its proven benefits for skin. Retinol speeds up cell turnover and is added to creams and serums to help support the production of collagen.

It also helps to plump the skin, which helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Retinol also improves skin tone and color and reduces mottled patches. 

Dermatologists see retinol as the “gold standard” for antiaging uses as well as treating acne. But, retinol does have drawbacks. Using too much or using it improperly can lead to skin flaking, dryness, increased sensitivity to the sun, and “retinol burn,” a side effect no one wants.

Retinol changes the way skin cells behave, both the epidermis and dermis. Because of the faster cell turnover, immature skin cells can come to the surface too soon. That means the new skin is exposed before it’s ready, resulting in irritation and sensitivity.

The HatBerg Collective can help ensure your retinol product is consumer friendly through “buffering,” or combining retinol with a moisturizer. This helps dilute the retinol.

Another option is to develop a retinol serum, which we can manufacture in various strengths; the most common are 1%, 0.5%, 0.3% and 0.25%.

Serums are lighter and easier for the skin to absorb, making them a better option for those with oily or acne-prone skin. Because of their moisturizing benefits, creams can be more effective for those with dry skin.

Savvy consumers will have an idea of the strength they want; what strength(s) should you offer?  

I strongly recommend that you avoid two specific versions of retinol in cosmetics and personal care products, retinoic acid and retinyl palmitate.

Also, retinol itself should not be used at high doses. Because retinol is sensitive to air and sunlight, you will need to ensure your packaging can maintain the efficacy of the product, such as airtight and opaque or tinted bottles or tubes.

When you carefully address the problem areas of retinol, there’s no reason to not include it in your product lineup.

Our next essential ingredient that I’ll soon cover is one I’m very excited about: Niacinamide. Once I tell you more about it, you’ll share my excitement for it!   

Yvonne von Berg

Co-founder

The HatBerg Collective