Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum

Summer Fridays

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 38 ingredients (26 low-risk) rates it Excellent (95/100). 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
Serums, Essence, Ampoules
Ingredients
38
Low-risk
26
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 7/7
Good for dry skin
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil Cetearyl Alcohol Squalane Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Sodium Hyaluronate Glycerin Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Caution for dry skin
Glyceryl Stearate SE Maltodextrin Centella Asiatica Extract Sorbitan Stearate Glycerin Hydrogenated Castor Oil Sodium Hydroxide
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 1/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Retinol
Sensitive Skin 3/9
Good for sensitive skin
Centella Asiatica Extract Glycerin Tocopheryl Acetate
Caution for sensitive skin
Levulinic Acid Sorbitan Stearate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Glycerin Citric Acid Sodium Benzoate Potassium Sorbate Retinol Retinyl Linoleate

Ingredients list

38 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (9)
All38 Skin Conditioning30 Fragrance9 Emulsion Stabilising8 Viscosity Controlling6 Solvent5 Hair Conditioning5 Emollient5 Perfuming5
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
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
A
Squalane
(Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Refatting, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
1
A
Cetearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasingagent Aqueous, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Glyceryl Stearate SE
(Emulsifying, Surfactant)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OIL
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient)
1
Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Sorbitan Stearate
(Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Sclerotium Gum
(Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
9
Retinyl Linoleate
(Skin Conditioning)
9
A
Retinol
(Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
(Abrasive)
1
B
Centella Asiatica Extract
(Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing, Soothing, Tonic)
1
A
Niacinamide
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing)
Bisabolol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Soothing)
1
A
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
(Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
PERSEA GRATISSIMA OIL
(Skin Conditioning)
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
(Skin Conditioning)
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
(Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
(Fragrance, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
(Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant, Viscosity Controlling)
Glycine Soja Oil
(Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient)
TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
3
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
1
Phytic Acid
(Chelating Agent, Oral Care Agent)
1
A
Synthetic Beeswax
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Viscosity Controlling)
COPERNICIA CERIFERA CERA
(Film Forming, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient)
1
A
Maltodextrin
(Absorbent, Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant, Binding)
1
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
(Chelating Agent)
1
A
1,2-Hexanediol
(Solvent)
3
A
Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking)
3
A
Potassium Sorbate
(Fragrance, Preservative)
1
Levulinic Acid
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Perfuming)
1
Sodium Levulinate
(Skin Conditioning)
2
A
Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
3
B
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)

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

Glycerin
Humectant, Skin Protecting
Squalane
Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OIL
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Skin Conditioning

Benefits

Good for oily/acne-prone skin

Concerns

Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
Retinyl Linoleate — higher EWG
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
Squalane
Emollient, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientHair conditioningRefattingSkin conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Masking
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientMaskingPerfumingSkin conditioningSolvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Opacifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingOpacifyingFoam boostingViscosity increasingagent - aqueousViscosity increasing agentEmollientEmulsifyingViscosity controlling
SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OIL
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningSkin conditioning emollient
Propanediol
Solvent, Viscosity decreasing agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 SolventViscosity decreasing agentViscosity controlling
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion stabilising, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingSkin conditioningViscosity increasing agentViscosity controlling
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Abrasive
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B CleansingSkin conditioningSmoothingSoothingTonic
Niacinamide
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningSmoothing
Bisabolol
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A FragranceSkin conditioningSoothing
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientSkin conditioning
PERSEA GRATISSIMA OIL
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin conditioning, Viscosity controlling
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioningViscosity controlling
+ 15 more — see the full ingredients list above
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
Glyceryl Stearate SE
Emulsifying, Surfactant
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmulsifyingSurfactant Bad for Oily Skin
Sorbitan Stearate
Fragrance, Emulsifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceEmulsifyingSurfactant Fungal-acne trigger
Retinyl Linoleate
Skin conditioning
Higher-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 9 Skin conditioning
Retinol
Skin conditioning
Potentially a skin irritantRead moreShow less
EWG 9 CIR A Skin conditioning Bad for Sensitive Skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin conditioning, Humectant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningHumectant Good for Dry Skin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant, Skin conditioning
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 3 AntioxidantSkin conditioning Bad for Oily Skin
Citric Acid
Chelating agent, Fragrance
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Chelating agentFragrancePh adjusterBuffering agentMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Apply after toner and before moisturiser — thinnest to thickest.
  • 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) (Retinyl Linoleate, 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.

Retinyl Linoleate, Retinol

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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