A retinal anti-ageing cream built for people who want real vitamin A activity without the peeling, stinging and downtime that put most people off retinoids within a fortnight. It combines liposome-encapsulated retinal with bakuchiol, niacinamide, a stable vitamin C derivative, three peptides and a heavily fermented base — so the retinal is supported rather than left to work alone against an unprepared barrier.

Understanding the "1%" — please read this

The name is easy to misread, and we would rather explain it than let you assume. This cream does not contain 1% retinal. The "1%" refers to 1% of a liposome dispersion in which the retinal is encapsulated. The actual retinal concentration is 100 ppm, which is 0.01%.

That is not a criticism — it is the correct dose. Retinaldehyde is significantly more potent than retinol; it requires only a single conversion step in the skin to become retinoic acid, whereas retinol requires two. Effective cosmetic retinal products sit in the 0.05% to 0.1% range, and 1% retinal would be an irritant, not a treatment. At 0.01% inside a liposome, this is a genuinely beginner-friendly concentration — a first retinoid, or a maintenance product for sensitive skin, rather than a high-strength option.

If you are already using a strong retinol or prescription tretinoin, this will feel gentle by comparison. If you have never used a retinoid, this is close to an ideal starting point.

Key ingredients

• Retinal (retinaldehyde), 100 ppm, liposome-encapsulated — the most direct precursor to retinoic acid available without prescription. Liposome encapsulation wraps the molecule in a lipid sphere, which stabilises it against light and oxygen degradation and releases it gradually into the skin — meaningfully lowering irritation compared with unencapsulated retinal.
• Bakuchiol — a plant-derived compound that produces retinoid-like effects on the appearance of lines and firmness through a different mechanism. Used here alongside the retinal so the two work in parallel; bakuchiol is also well tolerated by sensitive skin.
• Fermented rice complex (Lactobacillus/rice ferment, 1000 ppm) — the second half of the product's name. Fermentation breaks large molecules into smaller, more bioavailable ones and generates amino acids and organic acids as by-products. Rice ferment is a traditional Korean brightening ingredient with a genuinely long history behind it.
• Additional ferments — ginseng root, soybean, Job's tears and potato — a layered fermented base contributing antioxidant, brightening and conditioning activity.
• Niacinamide (vitamin B3) — barrier support, tone evening and sebum regulation. Pairs particularly well with retinoids because it offsets the barrier disruption they cause.
• 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid — a stable, water-soluble vitamin C derivative for brightening and antioxidant protection, without the pH and stability problems of pure ascorbic acid.
• Peptide complex (SH-oligopeptide-1, SH-oligopeptide-2, SH-polypeptide-1) — signalling peptides associated with firmness and the appearance of skin renewal.
• Adenosine — a regulator-recognised functional anti-wrinkle active in Korea.
• Cholesterol, phytosterols and macadamia seed oil — barrier lipids and emollients that counteract the dryness retinoids typically cause.
• Traditional herbal root extracts — burdock, cnidium, Japanese yam, tree peony and rehmannia — antioxidant botanicals drawn from Korean herbal medicine, in keeping with the brand's heritage positioning.
• Tocopherol (vitamin E) and allantoin — antioxidant and soothing support.

How to use

1. Use in the evening only. Retinoids degrade in UV light and increase photosensitivity. There is no benefit to morning use and a real cost to it.
2. Cleanse and apply toner. Wait until the skin is completely dry — 10 to 20 minutes if you can. Applying any retinoid to damp skin increases penetration and, with it, irritation.
3. Take an amount roughly the size of a large pea for the full face.
4. Apply evenly and pat gently until absorbed. Avoid the immediate eye area, the corners of the nose and the corners of the mouth, where skin is thinnest and irritation appears first.
5. If your skin is sensitive, use the buffering method: apply a layer of a plain barrier moisturiser first, then this cream on top. This slows absorption and substantially reduces irritation while you build tolerance.
6. Sunscreen the following morning is mandatory. Not optional, not weather-dependent.

Recommended frequency

• New to retinoids: twice per week for the first two weeks. Increase to three times per week in weeks three and four. Move to every other night in month two. Progress to nightly only if your skin remains comfortable.
• Experienced retinoid users: nightly is appropriate at this concentration.
• Sensitive skin: two or three times per week, buffered over moisturiser, indefinitely. There is no requirement to reach nightly use.
• Do not combine in the same routine with AHAs, BHAs, benzoyl peroxide, high-strength vitamin C or another retinoid. Alternate on different evenings.
• Pause use for three to five days before and after waxing, threading, peels, microneedling or laser treatment.
• Timeline: improved texture and smoothness at 4 to 6 weeks. Visible change in fine lines and firmness at 12 weeks and beyond. Retinoids are the most rigorously evidenced anti-ageing ingredient class available — and among the slowest. Consistency over months is what produces results.

The retinisation period

When starting any retinoid, a period of mild dryness, flaking and slight redness in the first two to four weeks is normal and expected — the skin is adjusting its rate of cell turnover. Support it with a barrier cream and reduce frequency rather than stopping entirely. Persistent burning, painful stinging, swelling or raw patches are not normal. Stop, repair the barrier for two weeks, and restart at a lower frequency.

Best suited to

First-time retinoid users. Sensitive skin that has previously failed with retinol. Early fine lines, uneven texture, dullness and loss of firmness. Anyone in their late twenties and upward beginning preventative anti-ageing care. Also suitable as a gentle maintenance option for experienced users who want something milder on non-tretinoin nights.

Specifications

• Volume: 50 ml
• Product type: Leave-on night treatment cream
• Retinoid: Retinal (retinaldehyde), 100 ppm (0.01%), liposome-encapsulated
• Strength: Beginner to gentle
• Supporting actives: Bakuchiol, niacinamide, 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid, adenosine, three peptides, fermented rice (1000 ppm), ginseng and soybean ferments
• Texture: Lightweight, silky cream; absorbs without residue
• Use: Evening only
• Skin type: All skin types, including sensitive
• Country of origin: Republic of Korea
• Approximate usage: 3–4 months at every-other-night use

Important safety information

Do not use if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding. Topical vitamin A derivatives are routinely avoided during pregnancy as a precaution. Bakuchiol is generally considered the safer alternative in this situation, and we are happy to advise on one.

Daily broad-spectrum SPF 50 is required throughout use — retinoids increase UV sensitivity, and unprotected exposure undoes the benefit entirely. Avoid the immediate eye area. Do not apply to broken, sunburned, waxed or actively inflamed skin. Introduce gradually as set out above rather than starting nightly. If you are using prescription tretinoin, adapalene or isotretinoin, consult your dermatologist before adding this. For external use only. Store away from direct sunlight and heat, and keep the container tightly closed — retinal degrades on exposure to light and air, which is precisely what the liposome encapsulation is designed to slow. Keep out of reach of children.

Pair with a barrier repair cream — our COSRX Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream is the natural companion for buffering and for recovery nights.