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I remember a time when there was only one brand that offered a Retinaldehyde product, and that brand was Medik8. They weren’t cheap, but if there is no competition, that usually isn’t an issue. With more affordable Retinal products on the market now though, is their Medik8 Crystal Retinal still worth paying for?
Medik8 has six different strengths available, ranging from the Crystal Retinal 1 with a 0,01% concentration all the way up to Crystal Retinal 24 with a 0.24 % concentration – to my knowledge the highest concentration you can get at the moment.
So is it worth the money?
What the Medik8 Crystal Retinal claims
Reveal younger-looking skin with just 1 tube of Crystal Retinal. Our iconic vitamin A night serum is clinically proven to visibly smooth stubborn wrinkles, brighten dark spots, decongest and firm your skin – without irritation.
Crystal Retinal contains retinAL; a next-generation vitamin A which acts 11x faster than standard retinOL.
And, unlike others, our patented retinal stability system ensures unmatched retinal potency and effectiveness until the very last drop.
It’s no wonder Crystal Retinal is the UK’s No.1 dermatological face serum.
Facts about the Medik8 Crystal Retinal
Prize and size
The product comes in a tube with a dispenser, a packaging I quite like but that my husband – my trusted over the counter Retinoid guinea pig – didn’t enjoy. According to him it is difficult to have the product standing upright, it would easily topple over despite the flat surface of the cap. It lying on the side though meant that once it neared its end, you’d have to do a few pumps to get the product out.
The price depends on the concentration used, 30 ml of the lowest strength will cost 56 € while the highest strength is 135 € for the same amount of product. All strengths are available on their homepage here.
Texture and smell
While the color changes depending on the concentration, getting more intensly yellow with increasing strength, the texture stays the same: That of a lightweight lotion. Out of all the Retinoid products I made him try this was by far my husbands favorite as it felt pleasant, absorbed instantly and didn’t leave any tackiness behind.
It has a distinct warm scent. Very pleasant, but definitely noticeable
How to use the Medik8 Crystal Retinal
All retinoid products are supposed to go on clean skin at night, and this one is no exception. If you suspect your skin might react even with a lower concentration, you can either space it out over the course of a week by using it every other or every third night or you could apply it after a layer of cream acting as a buffer. (More info: How to use RetinA with minimal irritation)
I generally recommend not pairing it with other potential irritans like exfoliants in the same setting and not using too much. Two pumps is the appropriate amount according to the brand.
You can follow up with a moisturizer, but don’t have to if your skin feels fine after application – my husband usually skipped using one.
Ingredients of the Medik8 Crystal Retinal
sii|h 0 0, Isododecane emo|solv, Cetearyl Olivate 
emu, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer vc, Cyclodextrin chel, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, Sorbitan Olivate emu, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer vc, Hydroxyacetophenone aox, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid aox|sb, Phenoxyethanol pres, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose surf|vc 0 1, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate aox|sb, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil emo, Retinal cci, Alumina vc|abrasive/scrub, Isostearic Acid surf|emu, Lecithin emo|emu, Sodium Polyaspartate h, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate emu|vc, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract so|amic, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract perf, Polyhydroxystearic Acid emu, Disodium EDTA chel, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Stearic Acid emo|vc 0 2–3, Polysorbate 60 emu|surf, Sorbitan Isostearate emu 0 1–2, BHT aox|pres, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract perf, Coumarin 
perf, Red 4 col, Titanium Dioxide/Ci 77891 col 0 0Hover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
We have talked about the difference between Retinol, Retinal and the other retinoids before, but as a quick recap: Retinal (short for Retinaldehyde) is one coversion step closer to the active form than Retinol. That doesn’t mean that a Retinal is automatically more effective than a Retinol, factors like concentration and formulation play a huge role here, but it is why many people want to try it. So the “acts 11 times faster” I mentioned in the claims is true – less conversion steps means it reaches the active form quicker – but at the same time irrelevant. I don’t need my product to act as quickly as possible, but as effectively as possible, and if due to the formulation only a fraction gets absorbed, it won’t give me better results if that fraction reaches active state quicker. (More info: Your comprehensive guide to retinol and retinoids)
The Retinal in the Medik8 formulas is stabilized, which is a good thing as it is unstable on its own. How exactly they do that isn’t something I can say, but I assume that like several other brands the use a Retinaldehyde-Cyclodextrin complex, a complex that has shown good results in testing for skin concerns associated with premature aging – at least according to the studies done by the formulating company. Now don’t let me sound too negative here: the fact that the studies are done by the formulator suggests a bias, but doesn’t render them worthless. We aren’t likely to get anyone else to do a study on them either, so we will have to work with that.
In addition to the Retinal you get emollients like Squalane, humectants like Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate and antioxidants like Vitamin E plus two Vitamin C derivatives, 3-0-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate. You will also find a few fragrant plant extracts like Honeysuckle as well as preservatives and a lot more used to make the texture and experience a pleasant one. (More info: The benefits of Hyaluronic Acid in skincare explained and The benefits of Vitamin C in skincare explained)
More info: How to read the ingredient list in your skincare products
Does it live up to its claims?
Mostly.
They have the clinical trials to backup their claims in terms of effects on the skin. If it is really 11 times faster (and if it is if that matters) is not something I can deny nor confirm.
How does it compare to…
Geek and Gorgeous A-Game
Geek and Gorgeous were one of the first brands to release a Retinal Serum at a drugstore price point, originally in two strengths: 0,05% and 0,1%. Quite recently they also launched a 0,2% version that I still owe you a review for. Medik8 has more options to pick from.
Similar to Medik8 you’ll find Cyclodextrin in the ingredient list, meaning they use a Retinal-Cyclodextrin complex for stabilization. If that is from the same manufacturer or just a similar modus operandi isn’t something I can tell. In terms of texture Geek and Gorgeous is more noticeable after application and takes longer to sink in, Medik8 has a clear advantage there. The price point of Geek and Gorgeous is much more affordable though, which especially in recent times is an important factor.
You can read my full review of the Geek and Gorgeous A-Game here.
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
Another more recent launch is from The Ordinary, who offer a 0.2% Retinal Emulsion. In texture it feels similar to Geek and Gorgeous, so less elegant than Medik8. While Medik8 is still more expensive when this is factored in, you need to be aware that for The Ordinarys version you get only 15 ml of product as opposed to the 30 ml both in Medik8 and in Geek and Gorgeous.
You can read my full review of The Ordinary 0.2% Retinal Emulsion here.
Would I repurchase and which skin types do I recommend it to?
I am a huge fan of the Medik8 Crystal Retinal formulas based on both their very pleasant texture as well as on their comprehensive and easy approach to the different strengths and how to go up their “strength ladder”. No matter if you are a beginner or seasoned Retinal user, if your skin is quite resilient or more sensitive, they do have a option for you.
They are however quite expensive and I understand that this might be more than you are willing to pay for 30 ml of product, and for that there are more affordable alternatives out there that will have similar results with minor compromises in texure and options to chose from.
Shop Medik8 here
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