Join the WIMJ community to get skincare help and use personalized tools

Cheaper alternatives

COSRX - The Retinol 0.1 Cream
Price: $17.72
Find out more
Oz Naturals - Retinol Anti Wrinkle Moisturizer
Price: $21.09
Find out more

Product summary

"IOPE - Retinol Expert 0.1%" has a good moisturizing formula. 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. Panthenol, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and mannitol in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Glycine soja oil, limnanthes alba seed oil, butyrospermum parkii butter, caprylic/capric triglyceride and dimethicone 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 product also contains Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid). It can be an effective active for anti-aging and evening out the skin tone, but in this moisturizer it is used for stabilizing other ingredients in the formulation. In this concentration (0.25% - 0.45%) it cannot have a noticeable benefit for the skin.
  • This moisturizer contains an effective form of Retinoids (vitamin A): retinol 0.25% - 0.50%. 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 alternate days or when your skin feels dry.
  • This moisturizer also contains Peptides (acetyl tetrapeptide-11 0.25% - 0.45%). Peptides are a very big group of ingredients. They all consist of a different combination of aminoacids. Our skin produces Peptides naturally. Some of them work as natural antibiotics, promote wound-healing and production of collagen. The scientists are still studying how effective the topical application of Peptides is, but it is very likely that they are helpful. Peptides might be able to support skin barrier restoration and even have an anti-aging benefit. At the very least, they certainly help attract water to the skin and support the hydration in this way.
  • Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) at about 1.20% - 1.40% concentration. In this concentration, Panthenol works effectively to improve the skin barrier and reduce inflammation.
This product contains ingredients that could be beneficial, but their concentrations are too low in this formulation: vitamin c, stearic acid and allantoin

Irritation risk

There are some common irritants in this product, including ingredients that do not have benefits for the skin. 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 80.00$ in the United States and for 145.00A$ in Australia.

For a detailed price comparison: click here.