Review: The Inkey List Retinol. Sad to say it doesn't work.
Disclaimer: Our skins are different. What works for me, may or may not work for you & vice versa.
What is it?
A skin care brand and product that is loved by many. Its main target is to lessen/prevent the appearance of fine lines. It also claims to help with hyperpigmentation and boosts overall clarity of the skin, giving you a brighter and even complexion.
Ingredients
Water (Aqua / Eau), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Phospholipids, Caprylic/capric Glycerides, Squalane, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 60, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycolipids, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Edta, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Retinol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Phenoxyethanol.
My experience
My skin's biggest concerns include hyperpigmentation, dullness and acne. I've seen a lot of people with a similar skin type as I have who have tried their hand at retinol and ended up with pretty great results. Inkey List's retinol is a cult favorite but I think I'm part of the minority who ended up disappointed after I finished two of them yet have seen no results. Here's my experience:
The good:
► It was extremely gentle on my sensitive skin, I'll give it that. I didn't experience any stinging during my first use.
► I noticed that my skin underwent a little purging here and there. Nothing too severe. My blackheads had come up in places I didn't think they would be so I took that as a good sign.
The bad:
► Retinol can take up to 12 weeks to manifest the effects on the skin. But when you've used up 2 tubes of retinol and have been using them for a year, without seeing results well I guess that goes to show that it isn't effective at all.
► For the past year, my blackheads have just been resurfacing. It's as if this product's main job is to bring out my skin's impurities.
► It claims to target hyperpigmentation and boost your skin's clarity but my skin has been nothing but dull. Hyperpigmentations are also still there.
► No improvement on my skin at all. It has been the same when I first started using it.
Other thoughts:
► In terms of fine lines, that I can't vouch for as I haven't started showing just yet. Or who knows, maybe the product worked in preventing early signs of fine lines because my skin seem to still be in good condition lol.
Final verdict
While this product has worked wonders for many, I guess this isn't just for me. I think if you're looking for a strong retinol for your skin this may not work for you. But if you're starting out, this may be a good place to begin until you can build your skin's resistance to stronger retinols.
