If you are in your early thirties, it’s the right time to introduce your skin to those anti-aging products. In my previous posts I had featured a lot of awesome products from Instytutum. In today’s post I am featuring a retinoid facial oil from them. If you have larger pores or if your skin look dull with lines starting to appear or if you notice any other first signs of aging, This is a right product that you can incorporate in your routine.

Instytutum POWERFUL RETINOIL – $ 110.00

A MUST-HAVE TO ADDRESS ALL YOUR NEEDS AT ONCE ESPECIALLY FOR THE WINTER TIME.

This can be used in your PM routine. Take 3-5 drops to cleansed face, neck and décolleté and massage into the skin. You’d also use it in pair with your favorite moisturizer or foundation. It suits every skin type. Leave your skin smooth, dewy, plumped and luminous-looking everytime you use it.

Let’s see some of its features :

• Helps reduce pore size & dark spots
• Improves fine lines & wrinkles
• Increases skin elasticity & skin firmness
• Improve Skin texture, imperfections, dryness & dullness
• Moisturizing, nourishing & regenerating
• Boosting skin renewal & resurface dead skin cells
• Fights premature ageing & photoageing

This powerful golden oil, infused with a highly potent form of Vitamin A (Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate) instantly smoothes the skin, leaving it dewy, plumped and luminous-looking. A cocktail of 15 precious oils deeply nourish, soften and hydrate the skin while added bakuchiol boosts the Vitamin A for superior results without irritating side-effects. Stimulates the cell renewal process and diminishes the depth and appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, spots, pores, blemishes, and dull, rough looking skin. Boosts density, volume, and firmness by building collagen synthesis and enhanced elasticity while correcting signs of damage caused by the sun. Additionally contains algae extract and raspberry stem cells to target all signs of premature ageing and photo-ageing.

• Powerful facial oil for all skin types.
• Contains Vitamin A and bakuchiol.
• Corrects signs of ageing and sun damage.

Tip
Add a few drops to your favorite moisturiser or foundation to increase moisture and boost the effect.

Ingredients – Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Bakuchiol, Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Bisabolol, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Oil, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Jasminum Grandiflorum (Jasmine) Flower Extract, Linalool, Algae Extract, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Seed Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Farnesol, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate, Eugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Isoeugenol, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Cell Culture, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol.

Packaging look absolutely awesome with the glass dropper bottle which reveal the golden oil. Now, as it’s a see through glass bottle and it contains retinol. Its important that you store it in a dark place. It is extremely sensitive to UV exposure, and that’s the reason it can only be used at night during your PM routine.

The Instyutum Retin Oil does not contain retinol, but granactive retinoid and bakuchiol. Being a luxury skincare product. it’s expensive too. $110 for 30 ml. But, as you just need few drops during every application. It’s going to last you for about 6 months.

The consistency is oily. It’s expected as it’s ingredient list has a lot of oils. But, the texture is quite different to other brand variants. The fragrance of it reminds me of oil too. Not too pleasing. Neither it’s bad.

Brand claim that Instytutum Retin Oil could be used both AM and PM. The oily texture of it make me feel it’s more appropriate for PM use. Can be applied on a clean skin post cleanse routine.

If you take a closer look at the ingredient list – You might notice that this face oil does not contain retinol. It contains Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, which is an ester of retinoic acid (also known as Granactive Retinoid), but not retinol. It could be similar to retinol. AS far as ingredients are concerned, I feel it’s more suited for sensitive skin, and the formula contains quite a few more soothing ingredients, one might be able to use it without any skin irritation.

Now, the million dollar question – Does it really work ? I’d be honest here. I didn’t apply it for a longer time period as I got pregnant by the time I started using it and I had stopped using it. Now, one year post partum I have slowly started to reintroduce this to my routine and I’d wait for few more months before I’d tell you whether it really helped my skin or not.

I noticed one thing about it. This Retinoil version from Instytutum is very much similar to Sunday Riley Luna. Both the formulas are very gentle, and both contain Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate as their active. The Instytutum Retin Oil contains Bakuchiol too. I think Instytutum is a more luxury version than Luna. But, is it really necessary to spend on this – My answer would be — It depends on your skin concern or skin sensitivity. If you got a really sensitive skin. I think you’d go for this one. If you are a active retinol user. Then I think more stronger version of retinoids would suit your skin more.

Bakuchiol is a great retinol alternative for everyone that is sensitive to retinol side effects. And if you are going by the strength of retinol used, you won’t find the same effects in Bakuchiol products. If you use retinol regularly and experience no adverse effects, you don’t necessarily need to switch to bakuchiol. For vegans and skin that can’t tolerate retinoid products or sensitive to them, Bakuchiol might be a great alternative indeed. if interested you’d read this article by Elle to know more on Bakuchiol

Have you tried any Retinol Face products ?

** Product sent by the brand for review purpose. However, my review is honest and unbiased as always