Geologie Gentle 0.05% Retinol Night Cream
Works for
3 of 3 advertised claims delivered
Moisturizing11 ingredients credited for this claimStrong support
“05% Retinol Night Cream”
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
glycerin, sodium hyaluronate.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: butyrospermum parkii butter, cocos nucifera oil.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: niacinamide
Anti-blemish2 ingredients credited for this claimStrong support
“the single most powerful, proven, and effective ingredient in the battle against aging and breakouts Also contains hylauronic acid .”
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: retinol. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
In addition, this product contains niacinamide. It can help in reducing blemishes, even though it is less effective.
Anti-aging3 ingredients credited for this claimStrong support
“the single most powerful, proven, and effective ingredient in the battle against aging and breakouts Also contains hylauronic acid .”
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains retinol, niacinamide.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
ExfoliationNot advertised by the brand · 1 ingredient credited for this claimStrong support
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: retinol.
Anti-oxidationNot advertised by the brand · 3 ingredients credited for this claimStrong support
This product contains antioxidants (retinol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
Evens skin toneNot advertised by the brand · 2 ingredients credited for this claimStrong support
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: retinol.
In addition, this product contains niacinamide. This ingredient (ingredients) might help reduce hyperpigmentation, but the effect, if any, is likely to be small.
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy1 strong irritant: RetinolMedium risk
Comedogenic3 ingredients rated 2 or more on the 0–5 pore-clogging scale3 flagged
User reviews
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~40–60%
Butyrospermum parkii butter~6–9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 3/5
A great moisturising ingredient that softens the skin and reduces water loss from its upper layer. It also can be helpful in protecting skin from free radicals
More about Butyrospermum parkii butterGlycerin~3.8–5.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinDimethicone~3–4.4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
More about DimethiconeCocos nucifera oil~2.2–3.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 3/5
An emollient. Found to be as effective as a moisturizer for dry skin as mineral oil. Could be comedogenic
More about Cocos nucifera oilGlyceryl stearate~1.8–2.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together
More about Glyceryl stearateNiacinamide~1.3–1.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
More about NiacinamideCetearyl alcohol~1.2–1.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
More about Cetearyl alcoholVitis vinifera seed oil~0.85–1.3%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A great emollient that can also have anti-oxidant properties
More about Vitis vinifera seed oilXanthan gum~0.5–1.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to create a thicker product consistency
More about Xanthan gumRetinol~0.4–0.9%
- Irritation risk
- High
Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating
More about RetinolSodium benzoate~0.25–0.5%
Caprylic/capric triglyceride~0.2–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
More about Caprylic/capric triglycerideSodium hydroxide~0.1–0.4%
Sodium hyaluronate~0.05–0.25%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin
More about Sodium hyaluronateAloe barbadensis leaf extract~0.1–0.4%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
More about Aloe barbadensis leaf extractIngredient list view
Water, Butyrospermum parkii butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cocos nucifera oil, Glyceryl stearate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl alcohol, Vitis vinifera seed oil, Xanthan gum, Retinol, Sodium benzoate, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Sodium hydroxide, Sodium hyaluronate, Aloe barbadensis leaf extract
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| GeologieGentle 0.05% Retinol Night CreamYOUR PRODUCT | BiopelleEmepelle Night Cream | SENTÉIntensive Bio Complete Cream | Garnier Green LabsRetinol-Berry Super Smoothing Night Serum Cream | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 92% | 89% | 88% |
| Price | $39.00 | $195.00+$156.00 | $125.00+$86.00 | $30.37−$8.63 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 4 of 9 | 5 of 9 | 6 of 9 |
| Key difference | — | Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 | Linoleic Acid | Panthenol |
| Irritancy | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
Product summary
Judging from the ingredient list, "Geologie - Gentle 0.05% Retinol Night Cream" works well for improving skin hydration As we expect from a proper moisturizer, the formula includes a combo of effective humectants and emollients. These are the two different types of ingredients that are essential for improving the skin hydration and supporting a healthy skin barrier. Humectants in this product (glycerin and sodium hyaluronate) help to increase the water content in the upper layer of the skin. (These ingredients do so by "capturing" water molecules from the outside air or from within the deeper layers of the skin). Vitis vinifera seed oil, butyrospermum parkii butter, cocos nucifera oil, dimethicone and cetearyl alcohol in this product help decrease the water evoporation from the skin, so that it stays hydrated for longer. These ingredients also soften the skin and take away the feeling of tightness and dryness.
Ingredient callouts
- this moisturizer contains an effective form of retinoids (vitamin A): retinol 0.40% - 0.90%. Retinoids are potent multitasking actives. They work to improve and prevent early signs of aging, reduce hyperpigmentation (age spots and post-acne marks), and prevent inflamed blemishes and clogged pores. The downside of retinoids is that they can be irritating. If you are not already using a retinoid in your routine, it is best to start slowly and apply the retinoid product only a few times per week. If your skin tolerates it well, you can gradually increase the frequency to daily. Because of the irritation risk of retinoids, we recommend to have another, retinoid-free moisturizer in your routine to use on the alternative days or when your skin feels dry.
Irritation risk
This moisturizer contains actives that can be irritating. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
Price
The product retails for 55.00$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 10 studies and safety reviews.
- 1
- 2
- 3Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyoljournals.sagepub.com
- 4
- 5
- 6
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