
For decades vitamin A has been, and still is, the go to ingredient for anti-aging cosmetic products. Although the term “anti-aging” may be as dated as is the word “groovy” it remains the premier ingredient for this category. Recently, this go to ingredient has been improved.
Until now retinol has been the vitamin A of choice for cosmetics. With the invention of IconicA®, retinaldehyde, a superior form of vitamin A, has been stabilized and is able to be harnessed for cosmetic use.
Retinaldehyde is a better choice for vitamin A use in cosmetics than is retinol. Retinol must first be converted into retinaldehyde by our skin and subsequently converted into retinoic acid before it is used to combat skin wrinkles and uneven skin tones. When we use retinaldehyde in cosmetic products we avoid this conversion and the skin irritation that accompanies the chemical reaction.
Retinaldehyde has remained almost unused in the industry due to its inherent instability. IconciA® is stabilized retinaldehyde that comes in powder form and is easily added to almost any cream or lotion. In a 1999 French study retinaldehyde treatment tended to increase dermal thickness and reduce cutaneous stiffness.A
Dr Surbhi (MD Skin) states that retinaldehyde is the best retinoid available without the prescription and studies show that retinaldehyde at the concentration of 0.05% for 3-4 months increases the thickness, collagen production and elasticity of your skin.B
The best vitamin A skin care products contain stabilized retinaldehyde using IconicA®.
A) Diridollou S et al., Efficacy of topical 0.05% retinaldehyde in skin aging by ultrasound and rheological techniques., Dermatology. 1999;199 Suppl 1:37-41.
B) https://www.dermatocare.com/blog/is-retinol-or-retinoid-the-best-anti-ageing-ingredient-dermatocare-research