Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Anti-aging
- Evens skin tone
- Anti-oxidation
- Exfoliation
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: medium
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 0
Key actives
Product Summary
"The Potions - Retinol Serum" is effective for: Anti-aging, Exfoliation, Anti-blemish and Evens skin tone
This product could be helpful for: Moisturizing, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- this product contains an effective form of Retinoids (vitamin A): retinol 0.03% (declared). 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.
- Humectants (sodium hyaluronate 0.40% - 0.90%). These ingredients help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve the skin hydration.
Price
The product retails for 27.98$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Anti-aging
What does the product description say?
- This groundbreaking age-defying serum with high-strength retinol addresses the visible signs of aging such as wrinkles, large pores and discoloration.
Source: Coréelle
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains retinol.
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.
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
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin, calm down inflammation and irritation, restore the barrier function and support wound healing. It can be helpful in reducing fine lines and wrinkles
Anti-blemish
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.
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
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin, calm down inflammation and irritation, restore the barrier function and support wound healing. It can be helpful in reducing fine lines and wrinkles
Anti-oxidation
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).
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
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin, calm down inflammation and irritation, restore the barrier function and support wound healing. It can be helpful in reducing fine lines and wrinkles
Evens skin tone
What does the product description say?
- This retinol-powered formulation instantly brightens and targets dark spots, discoloration and pigmentation to awaken a fresher, more younger look.
Source: Coréelle
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: retinol.
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.
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
Exfoliation
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.
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
Moisturizing
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:
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: caprylic/capric triglyceride, pentylene glycol.
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin
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
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin, calm down inflammation and irritation, restore the barrier function and support wound healing. It can be helpful in reducing fine lines and wrinkles
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Anti-aging | |
| Evens skin tone |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 100/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
No comedogenic ingredients detected
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 The Potions Retinol Serum | Current | $24.99 | |
 ilso ER Firming Serum 30ml | 97% | ≈ $24.27 | |
Goodal Black Carrot Vita-A Retinol Firming Ampoule | 95% | - | |
Standard Seoul Firming Bouncy Boost Serum | 94% | $22.21 | |
SKIN&LAB retinol repair serum | 92% | $16.09 | |
 IOPE Retinol Expert 0.3% | 92% | $79.00 |
Key Actives
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin, calm down inflammation and irritation, restore the barrier function and support wound healing. It can be helpful in reducing fine lines and wrinkles
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
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin
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
Potential irritants
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
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture
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
Comedogenic ingredients
We couldn't find any comedogenic ingredients in this product
All ingredients
Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin, calm down inflammation and irritation, restore the barrier function and support wound healing. It can be helpful in reducing fine lines and wrinkles
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
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin
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
Helps to retain moisture by creating a protective barrier on the skin. Rich in fatty acids. Improves product texture and helps with the penetration of other ingredients.
Ingredient list view
Water, Propanediol, Pentylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, Beta-glucan, Retinol, Sodium hyaluronate, Ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/carboxyethyl acrylate crosspolymer, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Hydrogenated lecithin
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- Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety
- Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol)
- A comparative study of the effects of retinol and retinoic acid on histological, molecular, and clinical properties of human skin
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