COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil Review

Who else is bringing retinol into their skincare routines in 2023? We gotta say though, we are sticking to our new year’s skincare resolution of incorporating more active ingredients into our beauty routines for flawless, silky-smooth skin naturally! Retinol is an ingredient that has been used for a long time, but it has taken the Korean skincare world by storm recently. And of course, our cult-favourite K-Beauty brand COSRX introduced its new, skin-friendly version of this hyped ingredient in the form of COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil and The Retinol 0.1 Cream. Here's our review on the product:

 

Main Ingredients

As its name suggests, COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains 0.5% of pure retinol, making it a strong and efficacious product. This high concentration of pure retinol or Vitamin A works by decreasing wrinkles, fine lines and at the same time boost collagen production to smooth out uneven skin texture. In addition, squalane and super Vitamin E are added to help retain optimal moisture levels, prevent external environmental stress while reducing skin damage. Together, these ingredients complement one another to impart a healthy, fresh and youthful-looking radiance onto your skin!

 

Texture

Unlike a typical facial oil that leaves a slippery texture on the skin to form a moisture layer, COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil has a smooth, fast absorbing texture that does not feel greasy or heavy. Our BONIIK team was surprised that the oil did not feel sticky at all and it also mixed well with our moisturiser. There is a slight acidic scent when we first apply it onto our skin, but this disappears quickly once the product absorbs.

To ensure that COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil remains fresh, stable and effective in combating our skin concerns, our team found that placing it in a cool environment like inside a beauty fridge works best. If you don’t have a beauty fridge, don’t stress because your normal fridge will work fine too!

 

How to Incorporate into Your Skincare Routine

We can all agree that adding a new ingredient into our skincare routines, especially when it is something ‘active’ like retinol may seem daunting. But not to worry! Our team at BONIIK has a tried and tested method to ensure that you can safely and effectively add COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil to your beauty routines to feel its benefits!

Retinol is best applied at night when your skin’s repair and regeneration process takes place. If you are new to retinol, it is recommended to pair it with soothing, gentle ingredients like centella asiatica, collagen, snail mucin, ceramides or hyaluronic acid to provide your skin with some ‘buffer’ as the retinol is not directly touching your skin. At the same time, it helps prevent tingling sensation during the initial use.

Alternatively, our sensitive skin staff members like to use the sandwich method, where we apply some retinol in between our moisturisers. Yes! You heard it right, add your retinol in between 2 layers of moisturiser.

For starters, it is recommended to try incorporating retinol once a week as part of your nighttime skincare routine, then as your skin gets used to this ingredient you can increase the frequency to 2-3 times in a week. Also, it is very important to not use any other active ingredients like Vitamin C, or exfoliators like AHA, BHA, PHA together with retinol as your skin may be excessively sensitive.

 

Results

Our review on the COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil? For intermediate-level retinol users, this COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil is a win! In just a few weeks of usage, our team members at BONIIK noticed visible changes in our skin appearance, the most noticeable being plumper skin, refined pores and overall bouncier skin which means fewer wrinkles. Those experiencing signs of aging saw that areas like the forehead, under eyes and nasolabial area appeared smoother and it was easier to apply makeup without worrying about it settling into fine lines. Overall, our BONIIK team is satisfied with the results of this concentrated youth booster and we think you will too!

So, ready to try this new COSRX retinol oil? Press the button below to shop from BONIIK, your Korean beauty destination!