Retinol Anti-Aging Facial Serum

Instaskincare

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Instaskincare Retinol Anti-Aging Facial Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 15 ingredients (9 low-risk) rates it Excellent (97/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Serums, Essence, Ampoules
Ingredients
15
Low-risk
9
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
United States

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe Minimal Ingredients

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 2/2
Good for dry skin
Sodium Hyaluronate Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Caution for dry skin
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 2/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Sensitive Skin 3/4
Good for sensitive skin
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Caution for sensitive skin
Cellulose Gum Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Phenoxyethanol

Ingredients list

15 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (4)
All15 Skin Conditioning11 Fragrance5 Masking2 Emulsion Stabilising2 Film Forming2 Antioxidant2 Humectant2 Perfuming2
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
1
Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
Retinyl Palmitate
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Miscellaneous)
3
B
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
(Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Perfuming)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
(Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
1
A
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
(Antioxidant)
B
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
(Skin Conditioning)
Good for Sensitive Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA FLOWER EXTRACT
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
1
B
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
(Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic, Uv Absorber)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
olea europaea leaf extract
(Perfuming, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Cellulose Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Fragrance, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
1
A
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning)

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

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Key ingredients

Antioxidants
Shields skin from free radical damage.
Retinoid
Visibly reduces the signs of aging.
Vitamin C
Brightens, evens tone, and supports collagen.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrates by attracting and holding water.
Peptides
Supports skin hydration and improves firmness.

Benefits

Redness ReducingSoothes visible redness and calms irritation.
HydratingBoosts hydration and relieves dry, tight skin.
Anti-AgingSoftens lines and helps skin look youthful.
BrighteningRestores radiance to dull, tired skin.
Reduces IrritationEases discomfort and supports skin resilience.
Barrier RepairStrengthen and restore your skin's natural barrier.
Reduces Large PoresMinimizes the look of enlarged pores.
Scar HealingImproves the look of marks and scars.

Concerns

Contains paraben
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
May not suit sensitive skin

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Propanediol
Solvent, Viscosity decreasing agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 SolventViscosity decreasing agentViscosity controlling
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin conditioning, Skin conditioning miscellaneous
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioningSkin conditioning miscellaneous
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Antioxidant
CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA FLOWER EXTRACT
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A FragranceSkin conditioning
olea europaea leaf extract
Perfuming, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A PerfumingSkin conditioning
Cellulose Gum
Binding agent, Emulsion stabilising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Binding agentEmulsion stabilisingFilm formingFragranceViscosity increasing agentBindingMaskingViscosity controlling
citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A FragranceSkin conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Deodorant, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A DeodorantSkin conditioning
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Fragrance, Emulsifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B FragranceEmulsifyingSurfactantPerfuming Fungal-acne trigger
Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin conditioning, Humectant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningHumectant Good for Dry Skin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A CIR B Skin conditioning Good for Sensitive Skin
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B AntimicrobialAntioxidantAstringentEmollientHumectantMaskingOral care agentSkin conditioningSkin protectingTonicUv absorber Good for Oily Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Apply after toner and before moisturiser — thinnest to thickest.
  • 2 Morning only: Apply as the last step of your AM routine, after moisturiser, and reapply every ~2 hours of sun exposure.
  • 3 Wear SPF the next day: Acids and retinoids increase sun sensitivity — daily sunscreen is a must while using this.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.

Often avoided
Retinoids (Vitamin A) (Retinyl Palmitate)

Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.

This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Retinoids (Vitamin A) 0.01–1%

Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.

Retinyl Palmitate

Vitamin C (ascorbic) 5–20%

L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

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