When, and how, should I apply Crystal Retinal - do I need to phase it into my routine? Yes. You should apply Crystal Retinal as part of your evening skincare routine - after cleanser, toner and serums, but before your moisturiser. We always recommend phasing Crystal Retinal into your existing skincare regimen; using it twice a week for two weeks, then every other night for two weeks, then every night after that. You do not have to phase in when moving up a strength within the Crystal Retinal ladder (e.g. when moving from Crystal Retinal 3 to Crystal Retinal 6)

As long as you build your use up gradually and start with the appropriate strength to begin with, you can use Crystal Retinal every night. For new users of Crystal Retinal, we strongly recommend that you phase-in application to enable your skin to build up a tolerance while avoiding any potential irritation. Use twice a week for the first two weeks, every other night for the following two weeks, then every night.

As a cosmetics company, we are unable to provide product advice in relation to medical conditions such as pregnancy or breastfeeding. We strongly recommend discussing the ingredients with your GP or midwife before use. We do, however, generally recommend avoiding vitamin A use while pregnant or breastfeeding, which is why we offer a plant-based vitamin A alternative - Bakuchiol Peptides.

We do recommend applying a moisturiser after vitamin A. Our bestselling night cream, Advanced Night Restore, is specifically designed to be used following vitamin A use. It helps to boost the visible age-defying benefits of vitamin A while maintaining optimal comfort.

We don't recommend using Crystal Retinal directly around the eye area due to its very delicate nature. However, that's exactly why we've created Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye. It boasts all of the renowned age-defying power of our original Crystal Retinal, but is expertly optimised for specific use on the delicate eye area.

We recommend using vitamin C alongside Crystal Retinal (vitamin A) as part of our pioneering CSA Philosophy. This simple yet clinically proven skincare approach champions vitamin C plus Sunscreen by day, vitamin A (retinoids) by night as the secret to youthful, glowing skin. After cleansing in the morning, apply your vitamin C serum (such as C-Tetra Luxe) and follow with your sunscreen (we recommend Advanced Day Ultimate Protect). After cleansing in the evening, apply Crystal Retinal.

The bright peachy tone of Crystal Retinal 20 and Crystal Retinal 24 is a combination of the natural yellow colour of the retinal, and some natural extracts which shift the colour from yellow to a more peachy tone. Crystal Retinal 20 and Crystal Retinal 24 are brighter than the lower strengths of Crystal Retinal due to their higher concentration of retinal.

Crystal Retinal’s peachy tone gets more intense as you go up the ladder and may create a peachy tone on the face or potentially transfer onto bed sheets. Colour left on bedsheets can be mitigated by allowing Crystal Retinal to absorb fully and dry before making contact with light-coloured fabrics (such as pyjamas, bedding, or pillows). We would also recommend applying a moisturiser over the top of Crystal Retinal 20 / Crystal Retinal 24 to seal it in. If sheets are left with colour on them, wash at 30 degrees and leave to dry in the sunlight - retinal degrades in the sun which helps the colour to quickly fade away.

Crystal Retinal is designed for nighttime use, followed by a nighttime moisturiser (such as Advanced Night Restore). The higher strengths may leave skin with a slightly peachy tint. However, when blended under a night cream, this is less visible.

We recommend using at least 1 tube of your current Crystal Retinal strength before moving up the ladder to the next strength.

Crystal Retinal is completely safe to use if you're going to be exposed to sunlight, as long as you are applying a high protection sunscreen daily. Vitamin A is actually great for use during the summer months as it helps to counteract the visible effects of sun damage but, like all vitamin A formulas, it can make your skin more sensitive. It is also not a photostable ingredient which means it can lose its power and degrade when exposed to direct sunlight. This is why we strongly recommend using Crystal Retinal at night, and then applying a liberal amount of high protection sunscreen the following day. If you are in direct sunlight, we always recommend reapplying your sunscreen every 2 hours.

If you are looking for a vitamin A formula that can be used both morning and evening, try r-Retinoate Day & Night. Formulated with retinyl retinoate, it remains stable when exposed to UV light, meaning it can be used in both your daytime and nighttime regimens.

Crystal Retinal 24 contains 0.24% retinaldehyde - our highest concentration to date and the very top of our unique Crystal Retinal ladder. We therefore recommend Crystal Retinal 24 for expert vitamin A users only - those who have used at least 1 tube of Crystal Retinal 20.

Crystal Retinal 20 contains 0.2% retinaldehyde, while Crystal Retinal 24 contains 0.24%. Crystal Retinal 20 is recommended for experienced vitamin A users (those who have used at least 1 tube of Crystal Retinal 10). Crystal Retinal 24 is recommended for expert vitamin A users only (those who have used at least 1 tube of Crystal Retinal 20).

Proven to act 11x faster than standard retinol*, retinaldehyde is a very effective age-defying ingredient. What is a ‘good’ percentage for you depends entirely on your skin type and experience using vitamin A.

Our unique ladder of progressive Crystal Retinal strengths offers 6 different percentages of retinaldehyde. We recommend use of our progressive strengths as follows:

Crystal Retinal 1 (0.01% retinaldehyde): For those with sensitive skin
Crystal Retinal 3 (0.03% retinaldehyde): For new vitamin A users
Crystal Retinal 6 (0.06% retinaldehyde): For regular vitamin A users
Crystal Retinal 10 (0.1% retinaldehyde): For advanced vitamin A users
Crystal Retinal 20 (0.2% retinaldehyde): For experienced vitamin A users
Crystal Retinal 24 (0.24% retinaldehyde): For expert vitamin A users

Crystal Retinal is formulated with retinAL, which is one conversion step closer to the active form of vitamin A (retinoic acid) than retinOL is. It therefore acts 11x faster than standard retinol[2] to deliver visible age-defying results. Crystal Retinal's unique formulation also means that the retinal remains gentle on skin while delivering powerful age-defying benefits.

Crystal Retinal is clinically proven to deliver visible improvement on wrinkles as well as skin smoothness and brightness in as little as 7 days.*

^{*Proven via independent clinical study on the Crystal Retinal ladder tested on 30 participants over 24 weeks.}

Crystal Retinal 10 contains 0.1% retinaldehyde (retinal) which is a very effective strength for delivering visible age-defying results. We recommend Crystal Retinal 10 for advanced vitamin A users, looking to build on their visible results after using Crystal Retinal 6 (0.06% retinaldehyde).

You may notice an update to your Crystal Retinal packaging with text now appearing in black instead of white. This is party of a global packaging update being rolled out gradually across regions. 

The formula has not changed and contains the same age-defying results you already know and love. There have been no changes to the ingredients, performance or visible results. 

As the update rolls out, you may receive either version of the packaging for a short period of time depending on your region. Both contain the same clinically proven formula that you know and love.