We tend to assume that a serum or cream is finished the moment the cap goes on. But what if the quality of an active ingredient has already begun to change while it sits in its packaging for months? For this edition of BeautyJournaal LAB, I explored the science behind the water-free formulations developed by the Swedish skincare brand Skinome, focusing on its Retinal Concentrate.
Fast read
- Skinome’s Retinal Concentrate contains 0.1% retinal in a water-free, oil-based formula designed to help protect this fragile vitamin A derivative from degradation.
- The concentrate is mixed with a Skinome moisturiser immediately before application, so the retinal reaches the skin as freshly as possible.
- In a six-week clinical study with 27 participants, pigmentation decreased by 12%, fine lines by 14% and the visibility of pores by 24%.
- The formula contains only eight ingredients, requires no conventional preservatives and should be stored in the refrigerator to support stability.
- The key lesson: the percentage of retinal tells only part of the story. Formulation, packaging and stability determine how much active ingredient is still available when you apply it.
During my interview last year with Swedish researcher and Skinome founder Johanna Gillbro, I was reminded that the performance of a cosmetic product depends on far more than the active ingredient itself. The real challenge lies in the formulation. If an active ingredient gradually loses quality while still inside the package, its performance on the skin may diminish as well.
When I came across Retinal Concentrate and read that it is only mixed with the moisturiser immediately before application, I wanted to understand the science behind this approach. Johanna shared the clinical study, an academic thesis and the European patent application describing the formulation technology. In other words, everything I needed for a compelling BeautyJournaal LAB investigation.
Why I wanted to explore this
Imagine spending €90—or even €150—on a retinal serum. You expect the retinal to be just as effective when you use it as it was when the product was made. But is that always the case?
Most of us first look at the ingredient list. Does it contain retinal? How much? What other active ingredients are included? Those are sensible questions, but they don’t tell the whole story. An ingredient may look impressive on paper, but what really matters is how much remains available by the time it reaches your skin. That depends not only on the concentration, but also on the formulation.
That is the question Johanna Gillbro has been exploring for years—and one that has shaped the development of her skincare brand, Skinome.
Retinal: powerful yet fragile
Retinal belongs to the retinoid family, the vitamin A derivatives long regarded by dermatologists as among the most extensively studied ingredients for skin ageing. It stimulates cell renewal, supports collagen production, helps reduce pigmentation and softens the appearance of fine lines. Because retinal requires only a single conversion step in the skin before becoming retinoic acid, it is generally considered more potent than retinol. A useful fact to remember.
Why retinol became the industry standard
For many years, retinol has been the benchmark ingredient. It is generally easier to formulate and chemically more stable than retinal. Retinal however, is biologically more active but also more delicate. It is more susceptible to degradation when exposed to light, oxygen and heat. That makes the way retinal is incorporated into—and protected within—a formulation just as important as the ingredient itself.
Packaging matters too
There is no single percentage that can describe how much retinal may be lost while a product remains in its packaging. It depends on numerous factors, including the formulation, the packaging itself—whether a bottle or a jar—temperature and the overall composition of the product.
That is precisely why cosmetic companies invest heavily in formulation technologies designed to help preserve sensitive ingredients, such as encapsulation systems and air- and light-protective packaging.
Why an oil-based formulation?
Skinome chose a water-free formula. The oil-based concentrate contains 0.1% retinal together with vitamin C, niacinamide, acetyl glucosamine and alpha-glucan oligosaccharide. Just before use, a few drops are mixed with a Skinome moisturiser. It may seem like a small detail, but it is a very different approach to formulation, allowing the retinal to be applied as fresh as possible.
If water is in almost every cosmetic product, what’s the issue?
You might wonder why water matters at all, given that it is present in the vast majority of skincare products. Water is by no means an undesirable ingredient. It allows products to spread easily across the skin, provides a pleasant sensory experience and helps distribute a formulation evenly. However, the stability of retinal can decline in the presence of water.
Research into water-free formulations
Back in 2021, Johanna Gillbro was involved in research at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. The study looked at how retinol behaves in experimental water-free formulations.
The research was about retinol, not retinal, so the results cannot be directly applied to today’s Retinal Concentrate. But it does show that the same question has guided this work for years: how do you keep a fragile vitamin A molecule as stable as possible in a cosmetic formulation?
Patent
The next step was logical. Johanna Gillbro developed her own formulation technology and filed a European patent application.
That process is common in the cosmetics industry. What impressed me was how carefully Gillbro and her team followed each step. They started with fundamental research, developed the technology, filed a patent application and only then launched the finished product.
A clinical study involving 27 participants
To further support the technology, Gillbro also published a clinical study in which 27 participants incorporated Retinal Concentrate into their skincare routine for six weeks, alongside a Skinome cleanser and moisturiser.
Skin analysis using 3D imaging
The researchers did not rely only on participants’ opinions. They also used the Antera 3D imaging system, which objectively measures changes in the skin. Pigmentation, skin texture, fine lines and pores could therefore be assessed with precision.
A Bonferroni correction was also applied, reducing the chance that the results were simply due to coincidence when multiple measurements were analysed.
The results after six weeks
After 6 weeks, measurable improvements were observed across all of the skin characteristics evaluated.Pigmentation decreased by an average of 12%, while fine lines were reduced by 14%. Measured wrinkle depth declined by 5%, and overall skin texture improved by 12%.
The skin’s surface also became more even. Irregularities in skin volume decreased by 15%, and pores appeared 24% less visible on average. No statistically significant change in skin redness was observed, suggesting that the skincare routine was generally well tolerated.
A more even complexion—and less make-up
Participants reported similar improvements. After six weeks, 81% said they were happier with their skin, 43% felt they needed less make-up—a result I personally find particularly meaningful—and 40% noticed visible improvements within the first two weeks.
Comparison with 7 other retinal products
Skinome also compared Retinal Concentrate with seven popular retinal products. The comparison focused on the formulations, not on skin results. Most of the products contained water, more ingredients and conventional preservatives.
NEW! Skinome investigated a water-free concentrate with 0.1% retinal and 10% azelaic acid in a randomized split-face study on blemish-prone skin. After eight weeks, redness, pore visibility, surface irregularities and skin texture had improved significantly compared with the control side. Read the study here.
Water-free, no conventional preservatives, refrigerated storage
Skinome, by contrast, has chosen a water-free formulation containing just eight ingredients and no conventional preservatives. The absence of water makes this approach possible. It is recommended to store the product in the refrigerator to help maintain the chemical stability of the formulation.
Personally, I find it a remarkable product—not only because of the attention given to the active ingredient itself, but because equal thought has gone into the formulation, its performance and its compatibility with the skin.
The emphasis on percentage tells only half the story
We’ve been taught to judge skincare by percentages. But concentration alone does not tell us how much of an active ingredient remains available by the time we actually use a product. Skinome asks a different question: how much retinal is still available when it reaches the skin?
That shift in thinking is what I find most compelling. Behind Retinal Concentrate lies not just another retinal formula, but a carefully considered development process—grounded in research, formulation technology, a European patent application and clinical study. Innovation isn’t always about discovering a new ingredient. Sometimes, it’s about finding a smarter way to deliver one.
Chapeau, Skinome
A note on vitamin A derivatives and pregnancy
Vitamin A derivatives -including retinol and retinal are generally advised against during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The evidence of harm comes from high-dose oral retinoids such as isotretinoin, which are established teratogens. Systemic absorption from cosmetic topical use is very low, and there is no good evidence that it poses even the slightest risk. Still, because the data are limited, dermatologists and manufacturers take a precautionary approach and recommend pausing retinoid use during this period. Therefore, If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, discuss your routine with your midwife, GP or dermatologist.
