Retinoid Blend 1,5% Retinoid Complex

Skin Functional

Retinoid Blend 1,5% Retinoid Complex

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About this product

The Skin Functional Retinoid Blend 1,5% Retinoid Complex is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 38 ingredients (30 low-risk) rates it Excellent (94/100). 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
Moisturizers
Ingredients
38
Low-risk
30
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
South Africa

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 15/9
Good for dry skin
Glyceryl Stearate Dicaprylyl Carbonate Cetearyl Alcohol Cetyl Alcohol Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Squalane Oleyl Oleate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Butylene Glycol Glycerin Palmitic Acid Polyquaternium-51 Dimethicone PEG-20 Lecithin
Caution for dry skin
Dimethicone Crosspolymer Cetyl Alcohol Glycerin Palmitic Acid Acrylates Copolymer Hydrogenated Lecithin PEG-100 Stearate Lecithin Tranexamic Acid
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 3/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Retinol Tranexamic Acid
Sensitive Skin 6/8
Good for sensitive skin
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Alpha-Arbutin Glycerin Dimethicone BHT 4-Butylresorcinol
Caution for sensitive skin
Cetyl Alcohol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Butylene Glycol Glycerin Palmitic Acid Phenoxyethanol BHT Retinol

Ingredients list

38 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (9)
All38 Skin Conditioning31 Emollient10 Solvent7 Fragrance7 Emulsion Stabilising6 Humectant6 Emulsifying5 Viscosity Controlling5
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
1
A
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
1
A
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
(Antioxidant)
1
A
Niacinamide
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing)
1
A
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry 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
1
Dimethyl Isosorbide
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Squalane
(Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Refatting, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Hair Fixing, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant, Viscosity Increasingagent Nonaqueous, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Cetyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Opacifying, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
3
A
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
Silicone
Silicone
1
A
Cetearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasingagent Aqueous, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Viscosity Controlling)
Tranexamic Acid
(Cosmetic Astringent, Skin Conditioning)
1
Alpha-Arbutin
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning)
2
A
Hydrogenated Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant)
1
Hexylresorcinol
(Antimicrobial Agent, Cosmetic Biocide)
1
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Pentylene Glycol
(Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
3
A
PEG-100 Stearate
(Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
4-Butylresorcinol
(Antioxidant)
9
A
Retinol
(Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
(Skin Conditioning)
5
6
Retinal
(Skin Conditioning)
1
B
Oleyl Oleate
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient)
6
A
BHT
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Masking)
1
A
Palmitic Acid
(Fragrance, Opacifying, Sufactant, Surfactant Emulsifying Agentsurfactant Cleansing Agent Is Included As A Function For The Soap Form Of Palmitic Acid., Emollient)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
Octyldodecyl Isostearate
(Skin Conditioning)
1
Polyquaternium-51
(Film Forming, Humectant, Skin Conditioning)
2
A
Tetrasodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent)
1
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient)
1
A
Phospholipids
(Skin Conditioning)
2
3
Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Antistatic Agent, Emollient)
2
B
Acrylates Copolymer
(Adhesive, Artificial Nail Builder, Binding Agent, Film Forming, Hair Fixing, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant, Antistatic Agent, Binding)
3
A
PEG-20
(Humectant, Solvent)
1
A
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning)
ASCORBIC ACID
(Antioxidant, Buffering, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben

My Ingredient Notes

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Key ingredients

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning, Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant, Skin Protecting
Squalane
Emollient, Skin Conditioning

Benefits

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

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains silicone
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

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Masking
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientMaskingPerfumingSkin conditioningSolvent
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningSmoothing
Dimethyl Isosorbide
Solvent, Viscosity decreasing agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 SolventViscosity decreasing agentViscosity controlling
Squalane
Emollient, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientHair conditioningRefattingSkin conditioning
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion stabilising, Hair fixing
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingHair fixingSuspending agent - nonsurfactantViscosity increasingagent - nonaqueousViscosity controlling
Cetyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingFragranceOpacifyingEmulsifyingSurfactantFoam boostingViscosity increasing agentEmollientMaskingViscosity controlling
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Opacifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingOpacifyingFoam boostingViscosity increasingagent - aqueousViscosity increasing agentEmollientEmulsifyingViscosity controlling
Tranexamic Acid
Cosmetic astringent, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Cosmetic astringentSkin conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 AntioxidantSkin conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Skin conditioning, Emulsifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Skin conditioningEmulsifyingSurfactantSuspending agent- nonsurfactant
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial agent, Cosmetic biocide
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Antimicrobial agentCosmetic biocide
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 HumectantSkin conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin conditioning, Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningSolvent
+ 13 more — see the full ingredients list above
Butylene Glycol
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSkin conditioningSolventViscositydecreasing agentHumectantMaskingViscosity controlling Good for Dry 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
Dimethicone
Antifoaming agent, Skin protecting
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin protectingEmollientSkin conditioning Silicone
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient, Emulsifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientEmulsifying Fungal-acne trigger
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Surfactant Fungal-acne trigger
Retinol
Skin conditioning
Potentially a skin irritantRead moreShow less
EWG 9 CIR A Skin conditioning Bad for Sensitive Skin
Retinal
Skin conditioning
Moderate-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 5–6 Skin conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant, Fragrance
Moderate-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 6 CIR A AntioxidantFragranceMasking
Palmitic Acid
Fragrance, Opacifying
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceOpacifyingSufactantSurfactant -emulsifying agentsurfactant-cleansing agent is included as a function for the soap form of palmitic acid.Emollient Bad for Oily SkinFungal-acne trigger
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 near the end of your routine, after thinner serums.
  • 2 Evening: Use at night — start 2–3× a week and build up as your skin tolerates it.
  • 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, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Retinal)

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, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Retinal

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, ASCORBIC ACID

Niacinamide 2–5% (up to 10%)

Most research uses 2–5%; some formulas go to 10%. Very high levels can cause flushing in sensitive skin.

Niacinamide

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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