Mamamia’s Tried and Tested series is your review of the latest to hit our desks in beauty, health and wellbeing. You won’t find any #sponsored content here, just honest, relatable and independent advice. This week, Mamamia's Beauty Editor trials Go-To's new Very Amazing Retinal.
Hey, remember a few months back when Go-To released a retinal eye serum? And everyone was like, oh stunning, but can we put it on our whole face? And they were like, no this is for your under eyes only? It says on the packaging? Also, pls stop leaving us voicemails. Just text?
WELL, SOME GOOD NEWS.
The Go-To fairy (Zoe Foster Blake) decided, indeed — we should have a retinal face serum!
It's called Very Amazing Retinal, and it's $85.
Watch: The Project: Zoe Foster Blake talks about her role on The Wrong Girl. Post continues below.
In case you missed the memo on retinal vs retinol, both ingredients are part of the vitamin A family and offer the same benefits when it comes to improving the overall appearance of the skin and reducing the appearance of ageing.
However, the difference is in how they work. Basically retinal is faster and more potent than retinol and is more tolerable for sensitive skin — so it involves less chance of irritation.
I put it to the test to find out if it the new Go-To Retinal was really worth all that pestering. Here are my first impressions.
What is Very Amazing Retinal?
On the website, it's described like this: "Very Amazing Retinal is a powerful but gentle Vitamin A serum, with niacinamide and peptides for smooth and rejuvenated skin. This serum is what people are talking about when they say it's time to "get serious about skincare", clinically proven to visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and increase elasticity and skin smoothness."
Marketed as a "results-driven" serum, the product is clinically proven to:
- Reduce the appearance of fine lines by up to 40 per cent
- Reduce pigmentation by up to 70 per cent
- Reduce the appearance of wrinkles by up to 30 per cent.
Neat!
Here's what it looks like inside of the box:
And here's what it looks like in the nude:
As we mentioned it's priced at $85, and it's meant for anyone looking to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and those looking for brighter skin (so, all of us).
In terms of where it sits in your routine — this is not one of those vitamin A products you can use morning and night. It's meant to be used in the evening after cleansing along with any other hydrating serums, creams, etc.
If you're new to retinol, don't go willy nilly slapping it on every single day, yeah? It's recommended you use it twice a week and build up to more regular use depending on how your skin shapes up. If you've used retinal for a while, you know the deal.
How did you go with it?
Similar to the De Crease Eye Serum, the Very Amazing Retinal has the same gel-like consistency and has a bright orange-y colour. It kind of looks like antiseptic gel (doesn't smell like anything, though!) or as people on Instagram commented, apparently it kinda looks like colostrum? Cool!
Here's what it looks like on my hand:
A little goes a long way (you only need a wee drop!), and the formula absorbs into the skin really well (it looks a bit orange at the start, but once you massage it in properly, you're good!). What I like about this formula is that there's no fragrance and it's incredibly lightweight and non tacky or gluggy — you don't go to bed feeling like you're going to stick to your pillow.
Now, as someone with sensitive skin, heavy-lifting ingredients like vitamin A can be a tricky dance. While I've been using retinol for years, different formulations can impact my skin differently — sometimes causing irritation, dryness and flaking (yes, even if I'm using it correctly, mum!).
Seeing as retinal is generally stronger, I usually opt for retinol in low percentages. The downside? Sometimes I feel like the results aren't as great as they could be. But also — don't want to burn my acid mantle off. So.
And look, I wouldn't say I was surprised to learn this particular formula did not irritate my skin, but I was honestly pretty chuffed with how gentle it was. I didn't have a sniff of trouble working it into my skincare routine and found it perfectly smoothing, nourishing and effective when it came to brightening and evening out the redness in my skin.
The verdict.
While you can't expect big results from retinal unless you've been using it for a while (it's a slow burn), I will say that my skin has felt noticeably softer and smoother after trialling Go-To's new formula. I also notice my skin isn't throwing around quite as much redness and inflammation (particularly around my chin area, where it's been breakouts galore).
All in all, I think this feels like a product that's been a long-time coming — and I can quickly see it becoming one of the brand's best-sellers for the fact that it's beautifully gentle and suitable for beginners and even the most sensitive of skin types.
I'm going to continue using this and will report back with more results!
What do you think of Go-To's new serum? Will you try it? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Feature image: Supplied.
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