Retinaldehyde
On the label: Retinal · Active
What it is
A form of vitamin A one step closer to retinoic acid than retinol; used at low percentages, usually 0.05 to 0.1.
Actives: Actives are the ingredients a product is built around: acids, retinoids, vitamins and the like.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q17002962 →
In the research
2,993 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Diagnostic Odyssey in a Patient with Incontinentia Pigmenti Elucidated by Optical Genome Mapping: A Case Report · Case reports in dermatology, 2026
- Photothermal foveal injury secondary to accidental alexandrite-laser exposure: a case report and literature review · Frontiers in ophthalmology, 2026
- Difficult strabismus surgery following subconjunctival silicone oil migration: a case report · International journal of surgery case reports, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other actives
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.