Hyphen 0.1 Retinal Reset Serum Pro Review
Review
0.1% retinal reset pro serum from Hyphen is a good product.
It uses 0.1% retinal, a retinoid. Retinoids are the scientific name for Vitamin A derivatives. They are considered the gold standard for anti-aging ingredients in skin care.
Three forms of retinoids are used in skin care: retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid. Of these three, retinol offers the least benefits to the skin, while retinoic acid offers the most. Retinal is in the middle.
Collagen is a protein found in our skin that keeps it firm. As skin ages (and we start ageing in our twenties!), the amount of collagen reduces, the skin begins to lose its tightness, starts to sag, and fine lines start appearing.
Retinal boosts the production of collagen.
At 0.1% retinal, it is a high-strength Vitamin A product.
Retinoids are effective, but they can irritate our skin. That said, irritation should not be the reason we stop using them. Their benefits far outweigh the irritation they can cause.
It usually only irritates if your skin is not ready for the strength of the retinoid you are using. So, if you have never used retinoids before and have sensitive skin, opt for a 0.05% retinal product.
If you are comfortable with your skin being okay with 0.1% retinal, though you have not used retinoids before, then opt for this one.
The benefits from this product are much higher than the benefits from 0.05% retinal product.
This product contains beneficial ingredients such as Vitamin C, panthenol, almond oil, and oat extract. However, the percentages of these ingredients are too low to provide their full benefits. They can still serve as emollients, which can help temporarily soften and hydrate the skin.
It has a few different humectants that add hydration to the skin and a few emollients that help retain hydration. Hydrated skin is soft and plump.
It has an anti-inflammatory ingredient, niacinamide. It is reasonably high up on the ingredient list, which is good. It will calm the skin. Calm skin reduces dullness.
Centella Asiatica extract is relatively high on the ingredient list, meaning it uses a good quantity of this ingredient. This is a good antioxidant that can slow the skin’s ageing. But not all of Centella Asiatica is powerful. Two ingredients, madecassoside and asiaticoside, are the power ingredients. Some skincare manufacturers extract one or both of these ingredients from Centella Asiatica and use them in their products—and when they do that, they mention these ingredients in their list. This product uses Centella Asiatica as a whole. Though using Centella might sound very beneficial, it is not as effective as extracting the power ingredients and using them.
It brightens, softens, plumps up, and glows the skin. It reduces fine lines. This product will make a more visible impact on your skin than the 0.05% retinal product. However, if your skin is not used to retinoids, opt for 0.05%.
The product’s marketing mentions an 80% improvement rate in their study. We should ignore this 80% rate. We need more details about who the participants were, what else they used, etc. Without all those details, it is safer to ignore the study and not be the reason we purchase this product.
It has chamomilla extract, which is a good ingredient. However, if you are allergic to flowers from the daisy family, stay away from this product.
How to use the product?
Cleanse your face.
Add this serum.
Then, top it off with this moisturiser.
Use this serum in the nighttime. You will get better results by using it at night.
Ingredient 1 – Aqua
Function: Solvent
It helps in dissolving other ingredients in the product.
Dissolved ingredients can spread better on the skin.
Ingredient 2 – Centella Asiatica (Cica) Extract
Function: Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant
Also called gotu kala. Has been used for centuries for its healing properties.
Reduces redness, calms and soothes skin. It also neutralises nasty substances called free radicals. Free radicals inflame the skin, lead to pigmentation & dull looking skin.
Ingredient 3 – Niacinamide
Function: Anti-inflammatory, Anti-pigmentation
It reduces redness and calms the skin.
It reduces the appearance of dark spots and dark patches on the skin.
Ingredient 4 – Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Extract
Function: Humectant, Anti-inflammatory
It holds on to water molecules and prevents them from leaving, thus hydrating the skin.
It calms, soothes and reduces inflammation in the skin
Ingredient 5 – Ester of Ethyl Olivate
Function: Emollient
Derived from olive. It forms a thin layer on the skin’s surface and reduces the loss of hydration from the skin into the atmosphere through evaporation, thus helping to keep the skin hydrated.
It makes skin soft.
Ingredient 6 – Glycerin
Function: Humectant
Glycerin is a powerful humectant.
Humectants are water magnets. They attract water, like sponges. When applied to the skin’s surface, they draw water molecules from the atmosphere into the skin.
Humectants hydrate and plump up the skin.
Ingredient 7 – Butylene Glycol
Function: Solvent, Penetration enhancer, Humectant
Dissolves ingredients that are not water-soluble. Dissolved ingredients can spread and penetrate better.
It helps other ingredients, such as salicylic acid, to be more effective by enhancing their penetration.
It attracts water molecules from the atmosphere and thus hydrates skin.
Ingredient 8 – Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride
Function: Emollient
It forms a thin layer on the skin’s surface and reduces the loss of hydration from the skin into the atmosphere through evaporation, thus helping to keep the skin hydrated.
Ingredient 9 – Olive Oil Methyl Ester
Function: Emollient
Derived from olive. It forms a thin layer on the skin’s surface and reduces the loss of hydration from the skin into the atmosphere through evaporation, thus helping to keep the skin hydrated.
It makes skin soft.
Ingredient 10 – Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract *
Function: Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant
It calms and soothes the skin. It also neutralises nasty substances called free radicals. Free radicals inflame the skin, lead to pigmentation & dull looking skin.
