PRODUCT REVIEW: FIRST AID BEAUTY 0.3% RETINOL COMPLEX SERUM WITH PEPTIDES - Can retinol be used on sensitive skin? What percentage of retinol is best for sensitive skin?
FIRST AID BEAUTY 0.3% RETINOL COMPLEX SERUM WITH PEPTIDES
A few weeks ago, I reviewed the new Cocokind Beginner Retinol Gel. With a 0.1% retinoid complex, it’s one of the best Retinol serums for first-time users.
I’m not new to Retinol, but I’ve actually found a place for the gentle anti-aging serum in my routine – in the morning. Yes, I’ve been using a Retinol serum in my AM skincare routine. It sounds wild, I know.
Cocokind’s beginner Retinol is actually mild enough for daytime use, especially if you’re an experienced user. It really feels like I’ve stepped up my anti-aging game – again.
But that 0.1% retinoid treatment is by no means sufficient as a serious longterm solution for wrinkles and other visible signs of aging. If you’re just starting out with Retinol, sure. And if you have a sensitivity to retinoids, the Cocokind Beginner Retinol Gel is perfect for you.
For more advanced users – regular users of Retinol who’ve built up a tolerance for higher concentrations – a stronger treatment is preferred. But there’s a lot of confusion over retinoids in facial skincare.
In 2023, in an attempt to streamline and clarify the consumer market, new EU regulations went into effect limiting the concentration of Retinol in OTC face products to 0.3% pure Retinol. Global skincare brands were forced to comply with the new standards for their consumers in the US, too.
One of the newly compliant products to hit the market is First Aid Beauty’s 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum. Designed for sensitive skin, I’ve been test-driving the mid-strength Retinol treatment over the past several weeks. My detailed review is just below.
BEST RETINOL FACE CREAMS & SERUMS
Despite unrivaled anti-aging benefits of retinoids, the majority of people I know don’t use a Retinol face serum or cream in their daily skincare routine. There’s still tremendous hesitancy about using Retinol – the result of the perception that it can be highly irritating. For many people, it’s not worth the risk or the effort.
While the most severe signs of irritation occur from prescription-strength retinoids like Tretinoin and Retin-A, many weaker OTC Retinol creams can still irritate your skin if they’re poorly formulated or marketed to the wrong users.
I’ve certainly had my share of redness, flaking, and sun sensitivity when over-doing it with a Retinol treatment. Even I don’t know what to expect in most cases when I’m trying a new anti-aging serum with Retinol. Which retinoid molecule is in the formula? What’s its concentration? Are there other actives that ameliorate signs of irritation or even exacerbate irritation?
And this is precisely why the EU established standards limiting OTC products to 0.3% Retinol. The beauty marketplace is a jungle and serious anti-aging treatments should come with some degree of clarity, credibility and expectation.
But don’t be deterred! You just have to find a Retinol treatment that works for you…
THE SKINCARMA CHALLENGE: HOW DO TWO POPULAR HA SERUMS COMPARE?
Before I get into my detailed First Aid Beauty 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum product review just below, I wanted to explore some of the most frequently asked questions about using Retinol on sensitive skin and the technology behind First Aid Beauty’s new Retinol serum for sensitive skin…
1. Can retinol be used on sensitive skin?
Yes, people with sensitive skin can use Retinol. The key is to start low and go slow.
A beginner Retinol cream with a low-strength concentration of Retinol between 0.01% and 0.03% is a great place to start for both new Retinol users and those with sensitive skin.
With a 0.1% retinoid complex of three distinct low-strength retinoid molecules, the Cocokind Beginner Retinol Gel is ideal for those just beginning their Retinol journey – and those with sensitive skin.
Of course, you’ll want to avoid a Retinol treatment that contains fragrance or drying alcohol. And the Cocokind formula is free of both. My product review is here.
The Paula’s Choice Triple Active Total Repair Serum is also great for beginners and for those with sensitive skin. Catch my review of it on the blog here.
Explore my picks of the best Retinol face creams and serums on the blog here.
Sources: Healthline: Yes, Retinol Is Safe — When Used Correctly. Here’s How to Get Started; Northwest Dermatology: Retinol and Sensitive Skin
2. What percentage of retinol is best for sensitive skin?
If your skin is sensitive, it’s a smart idea to start low and go slow – as is recommended for beginners to Retinol as well. Seek out a Retinol face cream with a low-strength concentration of Retinol between 0.01% and 0.03% and a formula that is free of fragrance and drying alcohol.
The Paula’s Choice Triple Active Total Repair Serum is formulated with 0.3% Retinyl Propionate, a retinoid which is generally well-tolerated and recommended by dermatologists as a suitable option for sensitive skins.
Retinyl esters like Retinyl Propionate are considered gentler forms of retinoids, making them ideal for first-time users or those with sensitive skin. While Retinol can be irritating and drying for sensitive skin, Retinyl Propionate is a milder alternative that can still help improve skin texture, skin tone, and signs of aging without causing the kind of irritation common to Retinol.
Explore my picks of the best Retinol face creams and serums on the blog here.
Sources: Paula’s Choice: What percentage of retinol should I use?; Allure: How to Use Retinols on Sensitive Skin, According to Dermatologists
3. Can you use retinol with peptides?
Yes, in fact peptides and retinoids like Retinol are great together and can super charge your anti-aging routine for faster improvement of signs of photoaging, including wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.
According to Kavita Mariwalla, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, by combining peptides and Retinol, “you get the collagen-building effects of the retinoid, but it also works to improve the penetration of the peptide cream, which can help improve skin’s firmness.”
Importantly, many peptide face creams are packed with replenishing emollients that can deeply moisturize the skin to prevent the drying effects of Retinol.
Peptides and Retinol are a win-win for skin!
Explore my picks of the best Retinol face creams and serums on the blog here.
Sources: Youth to the People: Can I Mix Retinoids And Peptides In Skincare?; Real Simple: 4 Skincare Ingredient Combinations You Should Try—and 3 to Avoid
4. Is 0.3% retinol too strong for beginners?
It’s difficult to determine how your skin will react to Retinol no matter the strength without trying. In general, 0.3% Retinol is considered a “mid-strength” concentration, ideal for regular users whose skin has acclimated to Retinol use.
If you’re just beginning your Retinol journey, it’s a smart idea to start at a lower concentration of between 0.01% to 0.03% pure Retinol and work your way up to a stronger product. Even if you begin with a 0.3% concentration and find it’s too much for your skin, simply save it for when you’re ready to step up to a higher concentration in a few weeks.
The Cocokind Beginner Retinol Gel is a great way to start your Retinol journey. Catch my product review here.
If you're curious about the Retinol concentrations that are best for your skin, there’s a great article from the Paula’s Choice research team on the brand’s website here.
Explore my picks of the best Retinol face creams and serums on the blog here.
Sources: Paula’s Choice: What percentage of retinol should I use?
5. Product Review
First Aid Beauty 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum Review
The first thing to know about First Aid Beauty is that they’re experts in sensitive skin. The brand got its start addressing sensitivity and the specific needs of sensitive skin types.
In fact, there are very few brands that I trust as much for treating sensitive skin kindly. I would put both First Aid Beauty and Skinfix in the top tier for sensitive skins.
But the FAB brand’s new 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum with Peptides isn’t their first Retinol face serum. As I recall, they had a more potent Retinol serum not too long ago. It seems the introduction of the 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum is in response to recently enacted EU regulations for OTC Retinol products that went into effect last year.
As a global skincare brand, it’s not cost effective for a brand like First Aid Beauty to offer similar products with varying formulations in different regions. And First Aid Beauty’s 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum is ideal for all skin types anywhere, but especially sensitive skins.
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What makes the brand’s new retinoid product one of the best Retinol serums for sensitive skin?
First is its retinoid complex. The formula contains a blend of two retinoids: pure Retinol and Retinyl Propionate. The latter is the same milder anti-aging retinoid found in the new Paula’s Choice Triple Active Total Repair Serum – which I’ve reviewed on the blog here.
Retinyl Propionate is a retinyl ester, considered a gentler form of retinoid and ideal for first-time users or those with sensitive skin. While Retinol can be irritating for all skins, Retinyl Propionate is a milder alternative that can help improve signs of aging without the irritation common to Retinol.
In addition, according to First Aid Beauty, their new Retinol serum is free of drying alcohols, artificial colorants, artificial fragrance, Mineral Oil, parabens, Propylene Glycol, sulfates, Ethanol and numerous other ingredients believed to sensitize the skin or be irritants to sensitive skin types.
Equally important as what’s not in the formula is what is. High concentrations of Dimethicone and Glycerin help to soothe skin and prevent dryness.
None of that is particularly innovative.
But one technology in the 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum actually is: Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate.
The lone peptide is the formula, Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate is a synthetic peptide that can have a significant benefit by energizing dermal cells and boosting healthy functions.
It can promote cellular activity that is crucial for the production of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the skin. Ex vivo studies have shown that Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate protects cells from UVB- and oxidative damage, making it effective at preventing environmental damage and even photodamage – attributable for up to 90% of skin aging.
The First Aid Beauty’s 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum has been core to my PM skincare routine for three weeks now. I’ve used it on consecutive nights and even around my eyes and seen no irritation whatsoever. Notably, I’ve actually noticed that my complexion appears calmer and more unified.
While I can’t be sure that’s entirely attributable to First Aid Beauty’s new retinoid treatment, it’s clear that it causes no irritation. That’s notable for a mid-strength Retinol face serum.
6. Pros & Cons
What I like about it: The First Aid Beauty 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum is not particularly innovative, but I love its potency and lack of irritability. As a mid-strength Retinol serum, it has caused no irritation or redness – even on consecutive nights and around my eyes. I also love its unique peptide technology. Pairing this particular peptide with anti-aging Retinol makes it one of the most effective anti-aging serums.
What I don’t like about it: I like everything about it.
Who it’s for: All skin types, especially sensitive skin.
SHOP THE BLOG: Want to try it for yourself? Purchase the First Aid Beauty 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum for $48 here.
FIND OUT WHICH SERUM PERFORMED BETTER – AND BY HOW MUCH!
The Ingredient List of the First Aid Beauty 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum:
Aqua (Water, Eau), Dimethicone, Glycerin, Retinyl Propionate, Retinol, Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Laureth-4, Mica, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60, Propanediol, Sodium Citrate, Sorbitan Isostearate, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide).
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