What is Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6?

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 is a night-time retinaldehyde serum, part of a graded strength range, designed to help improve the look of lines, uneven tone and texture.

Is Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 worth it?

Mostly yes. 15 of the 17 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 89%.

What is Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6's Guru Score?

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 holds a Guru Score of 89%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 17 expert reviewers we have collected. It is also Guru Certified, our mark for products that hold broad approval across many expert reviewers.

Who is Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 best for?

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 is generally suited to normal skin.

What is Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 is good for dark spots and post-acne marks (2 experts), fine lines and wrinkles (2 experts), breakouts and acne (1 expert), irritated or reactive skin (1 expert), dull skin (1 expert) and rough or uneven texture (1 expert).

Is Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 good for dark spots and post-acne marks?

2 experts who reviewed Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 say it is. Gothamista put it this way: “These were my precursor to tretinoin, another gold standard ingredient for treating pigmentation.”

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6: a Guru Score of 89% from 17 experts

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.

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Dr. Shereene Idriss

1.73M subs

✓Yay

"Medik8 Crystal Retinal is one of those that I really like because you can progressively increase the strength slowly than rather starting off aggressively."

Dr. Jenny Liu

324k subs

✓Yay

"Medik8 Crystal Retinal is the one I love and highly recommend. It [...] does give a bit more benefit than over-the-counter retinol before you switch to tretinoin, [...] and it's not irritating. The texture is creamy, and I use it on my face, [...] neck and hands. It's a great, [...] gentle retinoid for fine lines, wrinkles and uneven tone and texture, though it isn't good for acne since that needs a prescription."

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"For a more pricey option I really love the retinaldehyde from Medik8. Retinaldehyde is just as effective as retinol with similar irritancy, so it's a great gentler option."

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"Medik8 has a great retinal ingredient as well that has long-standing history, great data, very stable, and less irritating."

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No BS Beauty

89k subs

✓Yay

"It's free from denatured types of alcohol. It uses retinal, which is stronger than retinol, plus ethyl ascorbic acid, cloudberry seed oil, [...] vitamin E, and squalane. It's on the expensive side, so if you're on a budget there are a lot of other retinols that are [...] more affordable. This one is very nice, and I like the vanilla scent. [...] Overall it's a good product, but if you have super sensitive skin, that's one thing to be aware of."

Dr. Mamina

283k subs

✓Yay

"My favorite retinaldehydes include the Medik8 Crystal Retinal."

Mad About Skin

734k subs

✓Yay

"They really led the way, which will always have my heart. They do 10 different strengths, starting at a 1, working your way up to a 24. The Medik8 Crystal Retinal 24 is the world's strongest over-the-counter retinoid, doesn't get stronger than this, and whilst it comes in a slightly higher price point, if you're wanting maximum anti-aging, this is where it's at. But again, you could start with one of the lower strengths and work your way up."

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"This has been in my routine on and off for the past six years. I think it stood the test of time for a reason. It's a great product. When it comes to drawbacks, the price point is not the cheapest, but with inflation over the past two years, a lot of skincare products have gone up in price and Medik8 haven't actually put the price of their products up, so what used to be quite a high price brand actually seems a lot more reasonable when you look at the competitors that have put their prices up."

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"My absolute favorite luxury retinal is the Medik8 Crystal Retinal range. [...] This range costs a lot more than some of the other options but I think is totally worth it if your budget will stretch to it. The reason I say this is it's encapsulated, so very friendly to sensitive skin types, and the fact that you have different strengths I think is fairly unique to Medik8."

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"The Medik8 Crystal Retinal collection was the original and some people still say the best when it comes to retinol. Super kind to the skin, very nourishing, very hydrating, won't trigger any sensitivity and irritation if you use it correctly, and just a really really nice retinol product."

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"Phenomenal product. I genuinely think medicate transformed retinoids and the whole retinoid landscape when they introduced this crystal retinol range. And they have the greatest strength range of any brand out there. [...] They're also encapsulated, so [...] minimum side effects, maximum compatibility with the rest of your routine. The only reason this doesn't score higher is some of the lower strength options do contain fragrance."

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"This is the Medik8 Crystal Retinal, which is phenomenal because they have six different strengths. You start on the lowest and build your way up, and that way you can further minimize the risk of sensitivity by gently introducing this ingredient. It's also less sensitizing on the skin than retinol, so it's one of those few times where you can get better results and less sensitivity out of a product, and that honestly for me is like holy grail territory."

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"I think the Medik8 one has a slightly better formulation in terms of hydration, but nothing to justify that huge price differential."

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"If you're looking to do things on a budget, this is a wonderful product. I like that it's delayed release. I like the formulation. I like that they have nine different strengths to choose from, so you can start from the lowest and work your way up. I'm a big fan of the product, but know that you can still get that up to 11 times greater benefit from other [retinals] which come at a lower price point."

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"This is one of the most hydrating formulas I have ever found. And it just means that if you use this, even if you go in with one of the higher dose options, you won't get that sensitivity, that dryness, that tight feeling because they've really thought about that formulation. This actually was one of their celebratory anniversary editions, which is why it's super spangly. They don't normally come with this amount of crystal action, but I love Medik8."

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"Previously the only brand that actually did it was Medik8 with their Crystal Retinal collection which I love. [...] The Medik8 one is an old goodie, like the original, which will always have a place in my heart and in my routine."

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"It's still going to boost collagen and elastin production, still going to organize that collagen in a more strategic way, but does so with less side effects and irritation. [...] The accessibility is there because it's just so much easier to get something over the counter versus on prescription. This is the Medik8 Crystal Retinal range, which I genuinely think is probably the best over the counter retinoid you're going to use, but there's lots of other options at different price points."

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Doctor Anne

56k subs

✓Yay

"The Medik8 Crystal Retinol in strength six is a firm favorite here in this house. [...] I use prescription Tretinoin, but my husband loves this. We'd usually buy the one from Geek and Gorgeous because it's much more affordable, but this one is more elegant in texture."

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"If money was no objection, I would go for the Medik8 Crystal Retinal line. This is beautiful. Beautiful in texture, but it is quite a lot more expensive. So, you have to see if that would be worth it for you."

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"The Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 was my husband's absolute favorite because he loved the texture and the way it felt on his skin. It is also way more expensive than the other ones, so I'm not sure it'll become a staple, since he's not willing to spend as much on skincare as I am."

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"I am a huge fan of the Medik8 Crystal Retinal formulas, based on both their very pleasant texture as well as on their comprehensive and easy approach to the different strengths and how to go up their strength ladder. No matter if you are a beginner or a seasoned retinal user, they have an option for you, ranging from Crystal Retinal 1 at 0.01% up to Crystal Retinal 24 at 0.24%, the highest concentration you can get at the moment."

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"I am on prescription Tretinoin so I don't personally use retinoids, but having my husband as my guinea pig testing over the counter options, here is what he would suggest: if money isn't an issue, Medik8 Crystal Retinal has the best texture."

Beyond50Skin

32k subs

✓Yay

"Both of these formulas are exquisite formulas, well put together, and come with a bit of a higher price tag, but they are also great multitaskers. Clinical grade powerhouses. This is for those of you who are experienced retinoid users and you want the strongest option over the counter before you go on to a prescription formula. [...] Very elegant formula. Actually quite well tolerated. I can use this formula without a ton of irritation."

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"My bougie or luxury pick for a retinal would be the Medik8 Crystal Retinal. This is beautiful as a gift; it comes in this beautiful silver packaging with a little red ribbon that would be the perfect gift I would love to see under the tree."

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

153k subs

✓Yay

"It's known for its elegant hydrating texture, fast results without excessive irritation. It's often described as that sweet spot between retinol and retinoid. The key ingredient is the encapsulated retinaldehyde, which is one conversion step away from retinoic acid. It also contains hyaluronic acid to help hydration and plumping, vitamin E, glycerin, and shea butter to help maintain hydration with the retinol."

Skin Obsessed Mary

33k subs

✓Yay

"As for Medik8, I love Medik8. Now I've only ever used the Crystal Retinal products and they're fantastic. They have such a huge range, and it's just something I haven't tinkered with yet. Part of that is the whole import thing, I think I have to pay to import it. But I loved their retinoids. I think they're fantastic."

Dr. Vanita Rattan

1.23M subs

✓Nay

"On top of that, when I investigated further, it only contained 0.3% [retinaldehyde]. I think they just had first-mover advantage. They were one of the first in the industry to use retinaldehyde, which is why they did so well with it, but I just think that the market's caught up. We've got better products at better prices and this is just a little bit out of date. It penetrates nicely, it's just not worth it now."

Gothamista

683k subs

✓Yay

"I've been using Medik8's Crystal Retinal for the longest time. These were my precursor to tretinoin, another gold standard ingredient for treating pigmentation."

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"I've been using Medik8's Crystal Retinal for the longest time. These were my precursor to tretinoin, another gold standard ingredient for treating pigmentation."

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"If it's nonprescription, then I am all about the retinol derivatives, but my favorite is still the Medicaid Crystal Retinol. It's a great formula, it's a stable formula, and during the time when I was using it my skin looked so good."

Nadine Baggott

164k subs

✓Yay

"I like this around the eyes because it does not irritate your eyes, especially if a lot of people had really bad experiences with [...] retinoids. [...] Retinaldehyde is actually more potent than retinols but tends to be more gentle on the skin. [...] I like this around the eyes because it's also got the ceramide so it's very kind of soothing. I've had problems with retinols but I've never had any problems with retinaldehydes."

Mixed Makeup

1.46M subs

✓Mixed

"Now I've graduated to the sixth version and I can tell you already I tried to bump it to more than two times a week and my skin got really sensitive to it, but it's still less sensitive than I get with tretinoin. So I'm gonna still try to really make my way through this because I want retinaldehyde to work so badly for my skin because it is such an awesome ingredient."

Dr. Sam Ellis

902k subs

✓Yay

"The Medik8 Crystal Retinal is by far and away the non-prescription retinoid I have recommended the most over my entire career. [...] It comes in multiple potencies, so you can work your way up in intensity as your skin adapts. [...] It uses retinaldehyde, which is just one conversion step away from retinoic acid or tretinoin in the skin, so you get a good amount of potency with less irritation."

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"I absolutely love [retinaldehyde]. It's what I use on my neck and chest because [tretinoin] in any format just has no success there on me. I get way too irritated."

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"So when you put it on, your skin has to convert it into essentially retinoic acid in your skin for it to be effective. But that also makes it more gentle. And the thing I love about Medik8 Crystal Retinal is that they have multiple strengths. You can start with something very low potency, using it a few nights a week, working your way up to daily, and then [...] once you get through a whole tube of that nightly without irritation, you move up to the next strength."

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"The Medik8 Crystal Retinal is a formula I use and recommend all the time. [...] The main job of this is anti-aging, reversing fine lines and wrinkles, helping with pigmentation, helping with dullness. This is a topical retinoid, so it's a form of topical vitamin A that helps with skin cell turnover, helps you make new collagen, and helps slow down the breakdown of the collagen you currently have."

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"The Medik8 Crystal Retinal is more potent than the average retinoid product that you can get and it's also very well formulated, it's well stabilized. It's fantastic."

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"One of my all-time favorite retinaldehyde products is made by Medik8. They have this Crystal Retinal system with five different retinal potencies, so you can start at Retinal 1, which is 0.01% retinaldehyde, then they have 3, which is 0.03%, 6 which is 0.06%, 10 which is 0.1%, and 20 which is 0.2% retinaldehyde."

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"Another topical retinoid that I really love is by Medik8 and it's their Crystal Retinal."

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Lab Muffin Beauty Science

865k subs

✓Yay

"Medik8 Crystal Retinal is another product that I have loved for the longest time. [...] I have loved this since I tried it 5 years ago, it was the product that really sold me on the idea of retinal. [...] They have a whole bunch of different strengths so you can step up and step down, and even the 24 doesn't make me peel much at all. The base is also really moisturizing, and it has some carrot oil in it which has antioxidants."

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"The Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 is a really nicely formulated retinoid that is a bit on the stronger side."

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"The Medik8 Crystal [Retinal] is my favorite [retinal] product. I've been seeing more retinol on the market and a lot of other [retinal] products are really bright yellow, which like they'll still work, but it's just a bit off-putting because you can actually see it on your skin."

The Budget Dermatologist

725k subs

✓Yay

"I really want that product to do the most and to last a long time. This is an example by Medik8. It's a pricey product, it's a [retinaldehyde] product. [...] You don't need to use it every single night to get those results. In fact, I encourage you not to use it every night because your skin barrier will thank you if you give it some rest nights. Try to space this out to every other night or even just three times a week. You can still get results."

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"This is a good product. I [...] have used it. But this has fragrance. [...] Fragrance doesn't always bother me in skincare, [...] but this fragrance just bothers me a little bit after I use it for a while, so I tend to steer away from this. I don't use this on my face. [...] I have some other more budget-friendly retinaldehyde options for the face that I think work just as well, and I don't necessarily feel like I have to splurge for this one. So it is not in my routine."

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"I've worked my way up to the retinal 6, it's what I'm on right now. It's amazing. It's not cheap though."

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"I am on the retinal 6, it starts at 1 and then goes up to 6, ultimately ends at 24. I have worked hard to get up to this level and it's going well. I [...] prioritize the retinal ingredient in my routine because I think retinoids in general are pretty much the best one to build collagen and improve your skin texture. That's really my goal of what I'm trying to do, so this is kind of the star of my show lately in my own skincare routine."

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"I also love this brand because there's multiple strengths of the eye cream and a face cream so you can start low with like a retinal eye cream three then you can go to six and 10. [...] I recommend avoid the urge to just go all out start with the lowest strength of both of these and increase as tolerated and as needed to titrate your results and balance them with the side effects."

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

✓Yay

"I do think that for $15 this is amazing, one of the best things you can get for under $15. I'm loving it. However, are there better retinoids out there? Yes. Like the Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6, that's better. This is actually better, I think, than the Youth to the People retinal."

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"There's retinaldehyde, this is amazing, it is so potent and it's so good. It's the most potent form of a retinoid that you can get without seeing a doctor for a prescription. [...] One of my favorites is from Medik8. I believe they're either an Australian or a British brand, I'm pretty sure they're Australian, but they are fantastic. The Crystal Retinal Serum is so potent and so good. If you have adult acne, this is where you want to get to."

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"This is a retinal serum and retinal is the more potent version of retinol which I freaking love. The ingredients are looking really good and it has a nice golden color. This seems like a very elevated, more medical line."