I Tried This Cult Retinal Serum for 3 Months – And Was Shook by My Results
Main image – Courtesy of writer
Some anti-ageing serums come and go, but not Medik8 Crystal Retinal (from £45 from Medik8 UK /$55 from Medik8 US).
This cult vitamin A serum, which claims to be so innovative that it can be used on all skin types, is anything but a flash in the pan TikTok trend.
It’s received high praise from all corners of the beauty industry (a rare feat in itself), because according to skincare experts, beauty editors and influencers alike, it doesn’t cause irritation like most vitamin A formulas can. Wait…what?!
As an avid retinol user myself (note: retinol, not retinal – retinal is faster-acting), I was keen to up my game when it came to anti-ageing my skin. My skin is oily and acne-prone during hormonal changes, but luckily, I have never reacted badly to retinol, bar the odd tingle under my eyes.
But how would it go with retinal, which apparently works 11 times faster than retinol? And would this iconic product live up to its age-reversing claims? Keep scrolling to read my honest review.
Product details
As discussed, the unique selling point of this serum is that it is a retinal (or, retinaldehyde), not a retinol. Yep, just one little letter in a word can make all the difference.
Image – Courtesy of writer
The reason it works faster than retinol is because retinaldehyde is only one conversion step away from retinoic acid – the active form of vitamin A.
Medik8 use their patented crystal encapsulation technology to protect the retinaldehyde and release it slowly overnight which is why any irritation that vitamin A often causes is – hopefully – reduced.
The brand offer the product in six different options, ranging in strength from 0.01% retinaldehyde to 0.24%: 1 – sensitive, 3 – beginner, 6 – regular (mine), 10 – advanced, 20 – experienced, and 24 – expert.
This isn’t something you often see and means you can go at your own pace and work upwards in strength if you need to – clever.
As well as retinal, the product contains hyaluronic acid, glycerin and vitamin E to soothe the skin and help to further minimise vitamin-A induced irritation. It also promises to tackle dark spots, wrinkles, and breakouts, while firming skin, without irritation.
According to the brand, you can expect to see visible wrinkle improvements in just one tube, which is backed up with an independent clinical trial (ok, sign me up…). There is also a Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye Cream available too which has the same concept and is sold in three different strengths.
How I tested Medik8’s Crystal Retinal
I tested (and consequently finished) this product for 12 weeks from mid-September until mid-December last year and was using number 6 – regular.
I feel I probably could have gone up one step as my skin takes well to retinol but as retinal is new to my skin, I played it safe. I applied it every single evening after double cleansing my skin, followed by my Ole Henriksen Strength Peptide Barrier Boost Moisturiser.
Image – Courtesy of writer
First impressions
As I squeezed the serum out onto my fingers, my instant reaction was that it looked more like a cream than a serum. Usually serums are quite runny and liquidy, but this was stiffer and came out in a controlled blob. This actually made it easier to work with, and made me feel like I was wasting less product.
Its smell is quite almondy – not my personal preference as I like zesty, pretty fragrances when it comes to skincare – but I didn’t find it in any way offensive. It also has an orange tint- caused by the retinaldehyde- which gets darker in the higher concentrations of the product.
At concentration 6 though, you can see that once rubbed in it doesn’t show on the skin.
Images – Courtesy of writer
As I applied it onto my face I also felt zero irritation – sometimes if a product is too strong for my skin (usually vitamin C or AHAs) I can instantly feel a stinging sensation just under my eyes, around the tops of my cheekbones. Ironically, this far more potent active felt pleasant, although maybe it would start to irritate my skin overtime…
Finally, I noticed the formula is quite matte, which is a huge plus for anyone with oily skin like me. I do like to have quite glowy skin before bed though as it gives me that tangible feeling that ‘things’ will happen while I sleep. But my moisturiser takes care of that anyway and I know, deep down, I would much rather not have a ton of oil on my skin.
My results
Not once while using this product – and I used it religiously for three months – did I feel any irritation. It was just like any other gentle serum I’ve used (or cream, because come on guys, this is definitely more of a cream). It glided around my face, sting-free, and even though I expected to have to decrease my usage to maybe every other evening, I didn’t need to.
I didn’t experience any purging either, apart from during a hormonal change (so we can definitely blame hormones for that). I feel the firmness of my skin improved too but sadly, a dark spot on my cheek didn’t fade at all. While I am not fazed by this dark spot, others might be by theirs so it’s worth noting that I saw zero change in that department. But my wrinkles? Keep reading.
My before and after photos show a noticeable improvement in the appearance of the inherited deep horizontal lines on my forehead.
Images – Courtesy of writer
OK, they haven’t exactly vanished but there is definitely a noticeable reduction in how deep set the lines are – they look more blurred now than when I started using the product which, for someone who is quite self-conscious about their lines, is a huge win.
My general skin tone also looks more even, healthier and glowier after 12 weeks of use too.
Overall, I am seriously impressed.
What other users are saying
In researching this review, one of my first ports of call was my fellow Live That Glow editor, Tori Crowther, who I know has been using this serum- with fantastic results- for some time.
Here’s what she told me. “As someone with rosacea, I have to be really careful about retinoids. If I over-use them at too high a strength, my skin barrier is a wreck almost instantly. I’ve been careful in starting Crystal Retinal from 1 to 3 and have had great results so far.
“Although I could likely more up to 6 now, I like knowing that even if I don’t use it perfectly (i.e. I use it too often accidentally), my skin barrier isn’t going to be ruined and I’ll still get all the great benefits from it. My skin is more radiant, fine lines reduced (though I still do get Botox so nothing can compare to the results of that) and minor pigmentation minimised.”
She adds: “The only other retinoid that I see great results with and zero irritation is The Skin Diary’s Night Repair Therapy.”
Glowing praise then. But what are other reviewers saying?
A quick browse of Reddit tells me that lots of others are really enjoying Medik8’s product too. “I had absolutely no stinging, redness of even purging,” writes Crafty-Art_5799.
“It is so gentle yet the results are amazing.” Another user says, “I’ve been using the crystal retinals for almost a year – started with the 3 and now using the 6. My skin has honestly never looked better.”
I have seen a few complaints online about the smell though, with most thinking it’s more cinnamon-smelling than almond! “The cinnamon smell is extremely off putting and I probably won’t repurchase because of it,” writes AdvernturousPlum1 on Reddit, whilst Stasechka says, “I like this retinal a lot, but the smell… not so much.”
Yes, but is it worth giving up blurred wrinkles for?
Overall value for money
Unfortunately, this product is super expensive, and the price tag gets greater the higher up the strengths you go. I’m stuck between being annoyed it’s so expensive and understanding why it is.
Retinol is often priced high simply because it works for a lot of people, so a really well-formulated cult product was never going to be cheaper. Some argue that the more you spend, the better the skincare (although I don’t necessarily subscribe to that viewpoint).
Image – Courtesy of writer
But I almost didn’t want to love it because now that I’ve run out, I’m going to have to spend a lot of money on a top up (my strength costs £69/$85) which is annoying and, honestly, pretty unattainable at this time of year.
However, many users have suggested Geek & Gorgeous’ A-Game (from £13.25 from Geek & Gorgeous UK /$14.90 from Geek & Gorgeous US) as a cheaper alternative so if you’re keeping costs down, perhaps look into it.
And one of our favourite brands, The INKEY List, has also just launched two new vitamin A serums with a similar concentration ladder concept. Their Starter Retinol Serum (£12 from Space NK UK /$14 from The INKEY List US) is- as the name would suggest- aimed at anyone new to retinol.
Meanwhile their Advance Retinal Serum (£15 from Space NK UK /$15 from The INKEY List US) contains 0.2% encapsulated retinaldehyde (the same concentration as Medik8’s Crystal Retinal 20 – Experienced ) and is aimed at those with more advanced signs of ageing.
The takeaway
My wrinkles have definitely reduced after using this product for 3 months so I’m one happy customer. It works really well for oily skin types too as it’s so lightweight. And yes, the rumours are true – it truly doesn’t irritate the skin.
Isn’t it amazing how one product can be so powerful in some ways and so gentle in others? It’s a shame the price tag is on a power trip though. But ask yourself this – can you really put a price on getting noticeable results? The jury’s out…
Get Glowing!
