Rei Gentle Retinol Cream
The Monastery Rei Gentle Retinol Cream is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 27 ingredients (16 low-risk) rates it Excellent (96/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.
The Monastery Rei Gentle Retinol Cream is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 27 ingredients (16 low-risk) rates it Excellent (96/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
(Emollient, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Sensitive Skin
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Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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oenothera biennis oil
(Skin Conditioning Emollient) |
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Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
(Anti Sebum, Astringent, Skin Conditioning) |
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Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
(Antidandruff Agent, Antimicrobial) |
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SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OIL
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient) |
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Water
(Solvent) |
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TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
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Cera Alba
(Film Forming, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning Emollient, Surfactant Emulsifying) |
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Alcohol
(Antifoaming Agent, Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling) |
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
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Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Artemisia Pallens Flower Oil
(Fragrance, Perfuming) |
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Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
(Masking, Skin Conditioning) |
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Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
(Masking) |
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Hydroxyethylcellulose
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Oryza Sativa Leaf Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Centella Asiatica Extract
(Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing, Soothing, Tonic) |
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Retinol
(Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
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Taraxacum Officinale Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Juniperus Virginiana Oil
(Masking, Tonic) |
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Algae Extract
(Fragrance, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Emollient) |
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Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
(Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic, Uv Absorber) |
Good for Oily Skin
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Beta-Glucan
(Bulking Agent, Skin Conditioning) |
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Lonicera Japonica Callus Extract
(Skin Protecting) |
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Lonicera Caprifolium Extract
(Astringent, Fragrance) |
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Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
(Antiseborrhoeic, Skin Conditioning) |
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Equisetum Arvense Extract
(Astringent, Emollient, Soothing, Tonic) |
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
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.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
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.
Retinol
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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