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Hyperpigmentation is something I get a lot of questions about and I understand that finding the right products to treat it can be a struggle. As the inn beauty project Retinol Remix 1% aims to do exactly that, I wanted to take a closer look at the product, the combination of ingredients and its performance on the skin to answer the question: Is it really effective at treating hyperpigmentation?
And if yes, how is it used best?
What the inn beauty project Retinol Remix 1% claims
1% Retinol treatment that is developed with sensitive skin in mind. Retinol, peptides and tranexamic acid improve the look of wrinkles, dark spots and enlarged pores.
Facts about the inn beauty project Retinol Remix 1%
Prize and size
One tube contains 30 ml and is available for 48$ on the website here. It comes with a pump that worked well for me and is vegan.
Texture and smell
My husband tested this for me and when I asked for his thoughts on texture and performance, the answer was so hilarious I wanted to give you the original wording: “It has the color and texture of these creamy cat treats, the ones with salmon, but doesn’t smell like them. I don’t think it smells of anything.”
Well, if that isn’t selling it to you, I don’t know what will! As I tested it on my chest I know what he means though, it has a salmony color and a light creamy texture, so isn’t as liquid as other serums. I did notice a scent, not really pleasant, but faint enough to ignore.
How to use the inn beauty project Retinol Remix 1%
All retinoids should be used at night and this one is no exception. To get the most out of it, you should apply it to dry skin after cleansing, but if you fancy doing more than a two or maybe three step routine, you could layer it on top of more watery serums as well as follow up with a dedicated mositurizer. My husband used it after cleansing without feeling the need to moisturize afterwards and, again the original wording: “I like that it disappears quickly and that unlike with the others I don’t wake up with yellow stuff in my beard when I used it.” For explanation, he has used both the Geek and Gorgeous A-Game as well as the Retinal Emulsion for The Ordinary in the past and found a new favorite in this one.
To see best results, you should use it regularly and over a longer period of time, none of the ingredients it contains is known for an overnight effect. We both didn’t experience any irritation when using it, but have been using retinoids – prescription in my case, Retinaldehyde in his – for a while already, so if you are completely new to them I would suggest starting with using it only a few times a week and slowly building up to every night. (More info: How to use retinoids without irritation)
Ingredients of the inn beauty project Retinol Remix 1%
sii|h 0 0, Stearic Acid emo|vc 0 2–3, Coco-Caprylate emo, Coconut Alkanes emo|solv, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil 
emo|perf 0 3, Dimethicone emo 0 1, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emo, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, Arachidyl Alcohol emo|vc, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 emo, Propanediol solv|h, Hydrogenated Polydecene emo|perf|solv, Tranexamic Acid sb|so, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate emu|surf, Retinol cci, Retinal cci, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate cci, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract aox|so, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract so|aox|h, Hyaluronic Acid sii|h, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract so|aox|perf, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil so|perf, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emo 0 0–2, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract aox, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract so|aox 0 0, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract so|emo, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract aox|so|amic, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil emo 0 0, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil aox|emo 0 0–2, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum vc, Coco-Glucoside surf, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate aox|sb, Glucose h, Xanthophylls, Lecithin emo|emu, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate emo, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, 1,2-Hexanediol solv, Cellulose Gum vc 0 0, Sorbitan Isostearate emu 0 1–2, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer vc, Behenyl Alcohol emo|vc, Hydroxyacetophenone aox, Arachidyl Glucoside emu|surf, Dimethyl Isosorbide solv|vc, Microcrystalline Cellulose vc, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Sodium Phytate chel, Tocopherol aox 0–3 0–3Hover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
Now let’s talk ingredients. It claims 1% vegan retinol, but actually uses a combination of different retinoids: Retinol, Retinal and Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate or Granactive Retinoid. (More info: Your comprehensive guide to retinoids) As the 1% seems to refer to this complex of three different retinoids, it is hard to judge the strength simply from the ingredients. For reference, The Ordinary use 0.2% Retinal, Geek and Gorgeous 0,1%, most Retinol products use 1% of Retinol, with retinal being the more potent one. Here you have more of a black box than a defined concentration.
Of course the concentration alone won’t give you information about the effectiveness, so let’s look at the rest. You will find Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid as humectants and Tranexamic Acid to help target hyperpigmentation. (More info: The benefits of Hyaluronic Acid in skincare explained) I have talked about Tranexamic Acid before, so just as quick recap: The effect it has on hyperpigmentation seems to be good when applied systemically, so either ingested or injected, and the effect with topical use is less well documented in literature. We also don’t know the concentration it is used in here, so I am a little hesitant with expecting it to have a drastic effect. (More info: The benefits of Tranexamic Acid in skincare explained) There is also a Vitamin C derivative used, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, but pretty low down the ingredient list, that could assist in lightening pigmentation. (More info: The benefits of Vitamin C in skincare explained)
For the peptide mentioned in the description you have N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate or Matrixyl Morphomics claiming to boost collagen and fibronectin production – I guess that is what is supposed to reduce the look of enlarged pores and firm the skin. (More info: The benefits of peptides in skincare explained)
Other than that you will find a ton of plant extracts that might offer additional soothing or antioxidant effects but that I am always hesitant in products allegedly for sensitive skin. Plant extracts contain a bunch of different compounds you could potentially react to. The more commonly known ones are Centella Asiatica and Calendula Extract. (More info: The benefits of Centella Asiatica in skincare explained)
More info: How to read the skincare ingredient list in your products
Does it live up to its claims?
In parts.
The 1% Retinol is a little misleading and I don’t think the effect on hyperpigmentation and pores will be strong, but as it just claims to improve the look I am probably being too strict here.
How does it compare to…
Geek and Gorgeous A-Game 10
Geek and Gorgeous has two different strengths, A-Game 10 and A-Game 5, but from what I experienced even beginners could start with A-Game 10 if they introduced it slowly. It has a great value for money and uses Retinaldehyde at 0,1%, which should be quite effective over time. I like it a lot and recommend it a lot to people coming to me for skincare routine advice. Compared to the one from inn beauty Project my husband told me that the Geek and Gorgeous version can sometimes leave a yellow residue in his stubble.
You can read my full review of the Geek and Gorgeous A-Game here.
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
This is one of the newer releases from The Ordinary and as far as I know the highest concentration of Retinaldehyde available. Despite that higher concentration it caused no irritation for my husband when using it, but could leave the same yellow residue in his stubble as Geek and Gorgeous. Pricewise it is also more on the affordable side, but only contains 15 ml compared to the usual 30 you get in other serums.
You can read my full review of The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion here.
Would I repurchase and which skin types do I recommend the inn beauty project Retinol Remix 1% to?
Circling back to the question if I think the inn beauty project Retinol Remix is especially effective for addressing hyperpigmentation, the answer is no. It might help, same as other retinoid products do, but as I would put it on the lower end of the strength spectrum and don’t think the added Tranexamic Acid will move the needle much, I wouldn’t rely on it if hyperpigmentation was my main concern. It has a lovely texture though and was very pleasant to use, so if you are on the look for a retinol you can use with minimal risk of irritation or the yellow hue stronger Retinal products often have, this is a lovely option. Only those with sensitivities might want to stay clear from it due to the different plant extracts added. For my husband it has quickly become a favorite.
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