This post contains affiliate links. Product provided by Sophie Beauty Box.
It’s no secret I really enjoy Dr Different retinoid products - I’ve reviewed their Vita-A cream here and the eye & neck cream here. Today, I have another awesome product to talk about - Dr. Different VITAACNAL TX Night Cream. It’s available on Amazon (official brand store) and Olive Young.
Dr. Different VITAACNAL TX Night Cream promises to control excess sebum, help with acne, and minimize the appearance of pores. It is an oil free formula with ceramides, BHA, and retinal. Yes, you read that right - retinal and not retinol. The cream is made using a patented liposomal technology, which stabilizes retinal.
Retinol vs Retinal
When applied to the skin, the more commonly known retinol must be converted to retinal and then to retinoic acid, but retinal is ready to directly go to retinoic acid. That last conversion is rapid, and since the first conversion is skipped, retinal can provide faster results than retinol. I am not a scientist by any means, but this is my best understanding of the difference between retinol and retinal, and why Dr Different is able to claim that their products work quicker than the ones with retinol.
How to use:
Apply at the end of your evening routine or before going to bed
Start with a couple of times a week and slowly increase frequency
Could be used as a spot treatment
I personally like to use a light moisturizer as my last step, let everything dry, and then use Dr. Different VITAACNAL TX Night Cream. If you want to see how I layer skincare, including the 7 skin method and retinoids, check out this video:
My impressions
I enjoy this formula greatly. And please don’t ask me to choose between this and the Vita-A - they are both good. The Vita-A, both original and Forte, has a slightly oilier / thicker consistency. The Vitaacnal cream is lighter and gets absorbed easier. I do not look for cosmetic elegance in retinoid products, I just need them to be effective.
This cream is making a visible difference in my skin. I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and dry/normal other areas. I experience occasional breakouts but nothing major. My pores are smaller visually, especially on the area close to the nose / under the eyes, and I am actually getting way fewer breakouts, even during monthly hormonal shifts (if you know, you know).
I still use the Vita-A forte as well, obviously not on the same days, but it’s part of my rotation. I think in total I’m at around 4 days of retinoids a week. I don’t do them nightly because I like to use an occasional peeling gel or a BHA toner, and if I add a retinoid on the same night, it becomes too much for my skin.
Do you use retinoids? Which one is your favorite?
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Dr. Different VITAACNAL TX Night Cream ingredients: Purified Water, Glycerin, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Cholesterol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglutamic Acid, Ceramide NP, Retinal, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA