Is Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 worth it?

Yes. All 4 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 89%.

What is Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3's Guru Score?

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 holds a Guru Score of 89%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.

Who is Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 best for?

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 is generally suited to mature skin.

Medik8

Crystal Retinal 3.

Retinoids

About this product

A retinal eye serum formulated with 0.03% retinaldehyde to target fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles around the delicate eye area.

Full ingredients

Aqua (Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Cyclodextrin, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Rubus Chamaemorus (Cloudberry) Seed Oil, Alumina, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Stearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Retinal, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Polyaspartate, Climbazole, Disodium EDTA, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Guru Score

89%

Yay

4 experts · Moderate agreement

4Gurus

4Yay

0Mixed

0Nay

What they liked

Gentle enough for sensitive skin around eyes
Hydrating, minimizes fine lines and crow feet
Fragrance-free

What they flagged

Nothing. None of the experts who reviewed it raised a problem.

What the gurus are saying

This retinal works gently enough for sensitive skin and the under-eye area, even for those who cannot tolerate tretinoin there. The gurus found it plumps fine lines and crinkles while its yellow tone helps neutralize purple-toned dark circles, and one noted visible improvements in wrinkles and puffiness over 12 weeks. Starting twice weekly and building up to nightly use helps avoid irritation, making it a good gentle retinoid option for the eye and neck if you are already using a stronger retinoid elsewhere.

Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take May 2024

Best for

Mature skin

Type

RetinoidsDrops & dropper

Key actives

Vitamin C Retinoid Hyaluronic acidVitamin ESqualane

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

The Budget Dermatologist

723k subs

✓Yay

"I am using Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3. I splurge on this one for a few reasons that make this one unique. First and most important, this has retinal, not retinol, which is the strongest form of retinoid that you can get over the counter without a prescription. You can find retinal DHEA eye creams at the drugstore, but this brand makes three versions of this in graded strength. This is the lowest strength, 3, they make a 6 and a 10, so you can start and graduate up and go slow and get more results over time. One of the reasons to splurge on this, I love that concept of the graded kind of ladder to climb for more results. I really like knowing the exact percentage of the key active in the product, and not all drugstore brands or products will disclose that. And then also just their overall formulation, this has peptides in it, so it's really hydrating and nourishing to that delicate eyelid skin."

Mad About Skin

727k subs

✓Yay

"This is the Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3, a great option, a retinal that works under the eye in a super gentle way. Again, my eye area is very sensitive, I couldn't use tretinoin around it, this allows me to, and it is one of the best anti-aging serums for the eye I've ever found. So so good, absolutely love it. This works beautifully well under the eye to minimize crow feet and is super hydrating. Retinal, like with that other skin oil I just shared, is more gentle, less irritating than tretinoin. I'd recommend if you're using tretinoin to maybe consider having another gentle retinoid for under the eye and on the neck. I think that works best."

Cassandra Bankson

2.45M subs

✓Yay

"The most potent thing that you can get over the counter that is not prescription is something like retinaldehyde. This is one from Medik8, the Crystal Retinal 3. If you have fine lines and wrinkles, this is one of the best."

Top Pick: over the counter retinol for mature skin

All 2 takes from Cassandra Bankson

Do You Have A Retinol Rash Or Are You Experiencing Retinization?

Which Retinoid is Best for Your Skin Type?

"Medik8 Crystal Retinol 3 is actually very interesting because this isn't retinol with an O, this is retinal with an A. This is fantastic and instead of just being the bottom level retinoid, this is a step up—this is the most potent you can get without a prescription. It isn't as irritating as full on retinoic acid but it's kind of here right up against that border of what is allowed to be sold over the counter legally. This has glycerin, squalene, ascorbic acid, and carrot seed oil and this is fantastic. You could use it for any skin type but I love this for mature skin if you're trying to fight fine lines or wrinkles you want something that is soothing on the skin, that works well, that absorbs nicely. This is going to be a BFF. This is fantastic. It is expensive but it is worth every penny and it is potent. Even if you're an adult who struggles with adult acne you could definitely use this, but this is the closest you're going to get to a prescription without actually getting one. Medik8 really did a great job with this—it's a next generation vitamin A stable retinol night serum so good."

Gothamista

684k subs

✓Yay

"It just plumps out the fine lines, gets rid of any kind of crinkles, but also I find that that yellow color from the retinal really seems to work to neutralize the darkness under my eyes because my darkness is more of the purpley bruisy kind of anemic kind. I've not experienced the sensitivity since I started using this, but I was definitely careful with phasing this in when I first started using it so I would use it twice a week at first and I work my way up to using this every night. Because it is the eye area, it doesn't hurt to start out with the Crystal Retinal 3 that uses 0.03% retinaldehyde and it's really gentle. Over a 12-week period, tests have shown this to have quite a significant effect on reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness, just overall youthfulness as well as dark circles. I also love that this has no scent to it."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Retinoids

Retinoids are among the best studied ingredients in dermatology, with solid evidence for acne and for the fine lines and rough texture that come from sun exposure. Dryness and flaking in the first few weeks are common and usually settle.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin C

Topical vitamin C is an antioxidant with reasonable evidence for dullness and uneven tone. It breaks down in light and air, so how a product is formulated and packaged matters as much as the percentage on the front.

Source: DermNet

Sunscreen filters

Sun protection is the best evidenced way to slow visible ageing, and the filters are what does the work. Mineral and chemical filters both protect when a product is applied thickly enough and often enough, which is where most people fall short rather than on the choice of filter.

Source: DermNet