Rei Gentle Retinol Cream

Monastery

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

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.

Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Moisturizers
Ingredients
27
Low-risk
16
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

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 6/5
Good for dry skin
Algae Extract Equisetum Arvense Extract Sodium Hyaluronate Glycerin Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Caution for dry skin
Centella Asiatica Extract Equisetum Arvense Extract Glycerin Alcohol Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 4/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Equisetum Arvense Extract Alcohol Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Retinol
Sensitive Skin 5/8
Good for sensitive skin
Centella Asiatica Extract Equisetum Arvense Extract Glycerin Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Caution for sensitive skin
Algae Extract Rosa Damascena Flower Oil Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil Juniperus Virginiana Oil Glycerin Alcohol Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Retinol

Ingredients list

27 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (9)
All27 Skin Conditioning17 Humectant6 Fragrance5 Masking5 Astringent5 Emollient4 Oral Care Agent4 Tonic4
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
3
B
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
(Emollient, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning)
Good for Sensitive Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
oenothera biennis oil
(Skin Conditioning Emollient)
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
(Anti Sebum, Astringent, Skin Conditioning)
1
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
(Antidandruff Agent, Antimicrobial)
SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OIL
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient)
1
Water
(Solvent)
TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
Cera Alba
(Film Forming, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning Emollient, Surfactant Emulsifying)
2
Alcohol
(Antifoaming Agent, Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling)
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Artemisia Pallens Flower Oil
(Fragrance, Perfuming)
1
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
(Masking, Skin Conditioning)
1
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
(Masking)
1
A
Hydroxyethylcellulose
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling)
Oryza Sativa Leaf Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
1
B
Centella Asiatica Extract
(Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing, Soothing, Tonic)
9
A
Retinol
(Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Taraxacum Officinale Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
1
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
(Masking, Tonic)
1
Algae Extract
(Fragrance, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Emollient)
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
1
A
Beta-Glucan
(Bulking Agent, Skin Conditioning)
Lonicera Japonica Callus Extract
(Skin Protecting)
Lonicera Caprifolium Extract
(Astringent, Fragrance)
1
Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
(Antiseborrhoeic, Skin Conditioning)
1
Equisetum Arvense Extract
(Astringent, Emollient, Soothing, Tonic)

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

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient, Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant, Skin Protecting
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Astringent, Skin Conditioning
SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OIL
Skin Conditioning
TOCOPHEROL
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Astringent

Benefits

Good for dry skin
Good for oily/acne-prone skin

Concerns

Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
Retinol — higher EWG
May not suit sensitive skin

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 →

Ingredients explained

oenothera biennis oil
Skin conditioning emollient
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning emollient
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Anti sebum, Astringent
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Anti sebumAstringentSkin conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antidandruff agent, Antimicrobial
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Antidandruff agentAntimicrobial
SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OIL
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningSkin conditioning emollient
Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
TOCOPHEROL
Antioxidant, Fragrance
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A AntioxidantFragranceSkin conditioning
Cera Alba
Film forming, Perfuming
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Film formingPerfumingSkin conditioning emollientSurfactant emulsifying
Artemisia Pallens Flower Oil
Fragrance, Perfuming
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A FragrancePerfuming
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 MaskingSkin conditioning
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Binding agent, Emulsion stabilising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Binding agentEmulsion stabilisingFilm formingViscosity increasing agentBindingStabilisingViscosity controlling
Oryza Sativa Leaf Extract
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B CleansingSkin conditioningSmoothingSoothingTonic
Taraxacum Officinale Extract
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking, Tonic
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 MaskingTonic
+ 6 more — see the full ingredients list above
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient, Humectant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 1–3 CIR B EmollientHumectantOral care agentSkin conditioning Good for Sensitive Skin
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Alcohol
Antifoaming agent, Antimicrobial
Causes moisture evaporation - prone to dry out skinRead moreShow less
EWG 2 Antifoaming agentAntimicrobialAstringentMaskingSolventViscosity controlling Bad for Dry SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin conditioning, Humectant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningHumectant Good for Dry Skin
Retinol
Skin conditioning
Potentially a skin irritantRead moreShow less
EWG 9 CIR A Skin conditioning Bad 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

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Apply near the end of your routine, after thinner serums.
  • 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) (Retinol)

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.

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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