What's The Difference Between Retinol, Retinal, & Retinoid?

There are roughly a gazillion skincare products on the market right now, and that’s a conservative estimate. Even when you’re trying to solve a specific skin issue and know precisely what active ingredient you want to try, there are so many options to choose from that it can be overwhelming. When it comes to retinol — a vitamin A derivative proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and dark spots — things can feel especially confusing. There are retinols, retinals, retin-As, retinoids, tretinoin... you need a cosmetic chemist degree just to shop this product category, it seems.

So, what’s the difference between retinol, retinal, retinoids, all the retins? We asked a dermatologist and a skincare brand owner who knows all about product formulation.

What’s the difference between retinol, retinal, retinoids, and all the other retin-related products?

“Retinoid is the umbrella term for the vitamin A family,” says Anastacia Schwenk, founder of Anastacia Aesthetics. “Retinyl esters, retinol, retinaldehyde, and tretinoin are all different forms of vitamin A, but they vary in how efficiently the skin can use them. The analogy I often use is a currency exchange: think of retinoic acid as the local currency your skin ultimately needs. Some forms of vitamin A require multiple exchanges before they can be used, while others are much closer to the final form.”

Retinoic acid, which is the active ingredient in prescription products like tretinoin, is already in a usable form. Then there’s retinaldehyde (or retinal), which requires one conversion step. Retinol requires two, and retinyl esters, which are retinols plus a fatty acid, require three, Schwenk explains. The more “conversions” your skin has to do to use the retinoic acid in the product, the gentler it should be on skin.

The confusion about which form is best is understandable, says Dr. Danny Guo, double board-certified dermatologist and medical director of Rejuvenation Dermatology.

“The farther away an ingredient is from retinoic acid on that pathway, the milder and gentler it is because it needs multiple steps of conversion to become active. Then there are other retinoids outside of this pathway that can also activate retinoid receptors on your skin. These include prescription retinoids like adapalene and proprietary non-prescription retinoids like the well-known ethyl lactyl retinoate from SkinBetter Sciences.”

How do you know which type is right for you?

Strongest doesn’t always mean best or most effective, these experts say.

“Retinoids all belong to the same family, but each one offers a different experience, strength, and level of tolerance. The best retinoid is not necessarily the strongest one. It’s the one your skin can use consistently,” says Schwenk.

“When unsure, a consumer can speak with a skincare expert, whether that is a dermatologist well versed in skincare, a skincare consultant, or another individual well educated in this field. If that is not possible, then I would always recommend starting with an active ingredient in the known conversion pathway,” Guo says. “I generally recommend starting with retinol unless they have very sensitive skin, in which case starting with retinyl palmitate might be better. Once their skin becomes accustomed to that product, they can move up in that pathway.”

When patients ask him for recommendations, Guo points them to a handful of products that are tried and true. Schwenk formulated her own retinaldehyde product for clients because she considers it “the sweet spot between traditional retinol and prescription-strength tretinoin.”

“I wanted a vitamin A product that people could use consistently. After years of treating skin professionally, I’ve learned that the products clients stay committed to are often the ones that balance performance with comfort.”

There are also proprietary retinoids, like ethyl lactyl retinoate, which Guo says have clinical studies showing that they are less irritating than standard tretinoin. You could also look for products that say their retinol is “encapsulated,” which can make it gentler on skin.

Retinol is known for causing dryness, flaking, and sensitivity, so you may have to try a few products to find the one you can use consistently without upsetting your skin. But doing so is the key to really seeing results.

How should you apply retinol to minimize dryness and flaking?

From layering it in between moisturizers or dotting it around the face with a heavy night cream, I’ve heard all kinds of tricks on social media. Which ones can actually help you reduce the side effects of using a retinol while your skin adjusts?

Guo recommends the “sandwich technique,” a cuter name for applying a layer of moisturizer, then your retinol, and then another layer of moisturizer over top.

“This effectively slows the rate of the retinoid coming into contact with skin and thus makes it gentler,” he says.

Using the correct amount (a pea-sized dollop for your entire face), using it on dry skin rather than wet, and starting by using it two or three times a week at first can all help reduce your skin’s reaction, Guo says. Also, make sure you don’t use it on the same day as another exfoliant, he says. It’s just a little too much at once.