The main ingredient, or rather, the active agent, in retinol is retinoic acid.
Retinol products don't contain retinoic acid directly. They contain precursor molecules that the skin then converts into retinoic acid. The reference information clarifies this process:
- Retinols undergo several changes in their formulation to become retinoic acid.
- Retinoids are converted to retinoic acid, making them faster-acting and more potent.
Therefore, while retinol itself is the ingredient in the product, the key ingredient doing the work is retinoic acid.
