The best retinal step-up depends on where you want to use it.
- For a serum with a stepwise product-family progression, consider Medik8 Crystal Retinal.
- For a cream-serum labeled 0.15% retinaldehyde and intended for face, neck, and chest, consider Naturium Retinaldehyde Cream Serum 0.15%.
- For the largest disclosed retinal percentage among these three whole-face options, The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion lists 0.2% retinal.
- For hollow-looking areas alongside neck lines and firmness, Abib PDRN Volume fill-it Booster crème names those appearance concerns directly.
After years of retinol, should you switch to retinal or choose targeted care?
Retinal is a reasonable next category if you have used retinol consistently and your skin is already comfortable with it. For a broader face-and-neck routine, Naturium explicitly names the face, neck, and chest in its directions, while Medik8 and The Ordinary both name the face and neck. If your main concern is the look of hollow areas along with lines and firmness, Abib PDRN Volume fill-it Booster crème is the most specifically matched option in this group.
Retinol and retinal are related vitamin A ingredients, and retinal sits one conversion step closer to retinoic acid. The Ordinary’s retinoid guide describes retinol as converting first to retinal and then to the bioactive form. A PubMed-indexed study of retinol conversion in deer-mouse liver also identifies retinal as an intermediate in that biochemical pathway. That finding helps explain why retinal is a logical category to compare after retinol, while the shopping choice still depends on the complete product and its directions.
Years of use are useful context, but your current tolerance matters more than your calendar. The American Academy of Dermatology’s retinoid guidance quotes a dermatologist who recommends starting with the least-intense retinoid available and using it every other night before building up. Paula’s Choice makes a similar practical distinction in its retinal-versus-retinol guide: consider retinal when retinol is already well tolerated or no longer meets your needs, and stay with retinol while your skin is still adjusting.
These options range from a facial serum to a cream-serum, a serum-textured emulsion, and a targeted booster crème. Their application areas also differ: one product explicitly names the face, neck, and chest; another lists face and neck; and Abib names forehead lines, smile lines, under-eye areas, and neck wrinkles. Pick the formula whose format and named areas match your routine before comparing percentage figures.
Use retinal at night and make daytime sun protection part of the plan. The AAD advises applying sunscreen to uncovered skin and adding shade and sun-protective clothing while using a retinoid. This simple routine requirement applies whether you choose a whole-face retinal product or a targeted appearance-care product that also contains retinal.
A neck-focused routine can mean two different things. Someone planning a shared face, neck, and chest application can match that coverage to Naturium’s directions, while someone focused on one hollow-looking area and neck wrinkles can match those concerns to Abib’s description. Application directions show where a maker says to use a formula; target-area language shows which appearance concerns the maker names.
Long-term retinol use gives useful experience, while a retinal switch still calls for its own gradual start. Paula’s Choice says even people who tolerate 1% retinol should build up gradually when switching to retinal, so a familiar retinol schedule need not become the starting schedule for a new formula.
1. Medik8 Crystal Retinal: a product-family progression
Medik8 Crystal Retinal suits a retinol veteran who wants to select a retinal strength within a named product family. Medik8’s Crystal Retinal product page describes a serum offered across 0.01% to 0.05% retinaldehyde, with application to the face and neck. After evening cleansing, the brand directs users to apply two pumps, let the serum absorb, and follow with moisturizer.
The range gives shoppers an identifiable product ladder rather than a single strength. One Medik8 strength guide describes five strengths, from CR3 for vitamin A beginners to CR20 for very experienced users.
Medik8’s product directions phase in a new Crystal Retinal routine: twice a week for the first two weeks, every other night for the next two weeks, then nightly. The page also says to use sunscreen the next morning after vitamin A. That clear schedule is useful if you like a routine with a stated frequency progression, while the serum format and face-and-neck directions make it a whole-area option rather than targeted hollow-area care.
Choose Crystal Retinal when a product-family progression and serum format are your priorities.
2. Naturium Retinaldehyde Cream Serum 0.15%: a disclosed concentration in a cream-serum
Naturium Retinaldehyde Cream Serum 0.15% is the clearest fit if you want a cream-serum texture and a stated retinaldehyde percentage across a wider application area. Naturium lists the cream serum in a 50 ml / 1.7 fl oz size on its product page. Its stated appearance goals include reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles, smoothing uneven-looking tone and texture, and helping skin look brighter and firmer.
The directions specifically name the face, neck, and chest, making this the broadest stated application area among the four products compared here. Naturium says to shake the bottle, apply an even layer while avoiding the eye area, and follow with moisturizer. It also advises patch testing, wearing sunscreen during the day, and using no more than two pumps daily.
Choose another option if your first priority is a multi-strength product family or a targeted formula that expressly calls out hollow-looking areas.
3. The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion: the highest stated percentage here
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion fits a retinol veteran who places the greatest weight on a clearly stated retinal percentage. The Ordinary’s product page identifies 0.2% retinal and describes a serum-textured emulsion for experienced retinoid users. Among the three whole-face retinal options here with a numeric percentage or range, 0.2% is the largest disclosed number: Naturium lists 0.15%, while Medik8’s product page gives a 0.01% to 0.05% range.
The Ordinary directs users to apply a pea-sized amount to clean, dry face and neck in the evening, then use moisturizer. It says to start once weekly and build to twice weekly, with a few days between applications, as tolerated. The directions also say to avoid the eye contour, use daytime sun protection, and avoid combining this emulsion with other retinoid products, direct acids, or vitamin C.
4. Abib PDRN Volume fill-it Booster crème: hollow areas, lines, and firmness
Abib PDRN Volume fill-it Booster crème is the targeted-care choice when a hollow-looking area is as important as wrinkles and firmness. Abib’s product description names PDRN, Volufiline, retinal, and peptides, and says the booster crème helps visibly plump hollow areas and improve the look of wrinkles, skin firmness, and elasticity. The same description names forehead lines, smile lines, under-eye areas, and neck wrinkles as target areas for the appearance of lines.
Choose this formula when the targeted appearance concerns are the deciding factor, especially if you want one product description to name both hollow areas and neck wrinkles. Choose a concentration-led whole-face option when a labeled retinal percentage, wider face-and-neck coverage, or a stated retinal-family ladder matters more.
How to choose among the four
| Product | Format and disclosed retinal information | Stated application area or concern | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medik8 Crystal Retinal | Serum; product page lists 0.01% to 0.05% retinaldehyde, with a strength-family progression | Face and neck | A routine-minded user who wants a named product ladder and a frequency schedule |
| Naturium Retinaldehyde Cream Serum 0.15% | Cream-serum; 0.15% retinaldehyde | Face, neck, and chest | A shopper who wants a disclosed concentration and broad application directions |
| The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion | Serum-textured emulsion; 0.2% retinal | Face and neck; avoid eye contour | A retinoid-experienced user who prioritizes the largest stated percentage among these whole-face options |
| Abib PDRN Volume fill-it Booster crème | Targeted booster crème; contains retinal with PDRN, Volufiline, and peptides | Hollow-looking areas, forehead lines, smile lines, under-eye areas, and neck wrinkles | Someone prioritizing localized hollow areas alongside the appearance of lines and firmness |
For an experienced retinol user whose main concern is neck lines, Naturium offers the widest explicitly stated area, including the chest, while Medik8 and The Ordinary both name the face and neck. If you want a stepwise retinal-family choice, Medik8 is the format-led pick; if a disclosed percentage leads your decision, The Ordinary lists 0.2% and Naturium 0.15%. If localized hollowness matters as much as neck lines, Abib’s booster crème is the targeted-care pick.
FAQ
Is retinal a sensible next step after years of retinol?
Yes, if your retinol is already well tolerated and you want to try a retinal product. The AAD’s retinoid guide quotes dermatologist Tina Alster advising users to start with the least-intense formula, apply it every other night, and build up slowly.
Which of these products names the neck in its directions or target areas?
All four name the neck in some way. Medik8, Naturium, and The Ordinary give face-and-neck directions, Naturium also includes the chest, and Abib lists neck wrinkles among its targeted appearance concerns.
Does a higher retinal percentage automatically make the best choice?
No. The disclosed percentage helps compare the labeled formulas, while format, application area, directions, and whether you want whole-face coverage or targeted care determine which product fits your routine.