Retinol 0.3 Niacin Renewing Serum
Anua Retinol 0.3 Niacin Renewing Serum is a serum with Retinol, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening.
No reviews yet- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Congested skinUneven textureDry skinCompromised barrier
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Retinol in a serumRoutines that want Retinol and Niacinamide in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formula
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- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
Key benefits
- Retinol, the active this serum is built around
- Niacinamide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Adenosine and Allantoin on the same list, actives
- BHA and Tocopherol further down the same list
- BHT and Ceramide NP further down the same list
- Retinol named eighteenth on the manufacturer list printed on this page
Key actives
3Niacinamideactive
Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is named third on this serum's list, alongside Retinol.
18Retinolactive
Retinol is the alcohol form of vitamin A and the strongest retinoid available without a prescription. Skin converts it in two steps to retinoic acid, and it is used at night, at low percentages, for the look of fine lines and rough texture. The name on the box points at it, and it is named eighteenth on this serum's own ingredient list.
23Dipotassium Glycyrrhizateactive
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate is a water-soluble salt derived from licorice root. It is named twenty-third on this serum's list, alongside Retinol.
25Adenosineactive
Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated. The panel names it twenty-fifth on this serum's list, beside Retinol.
46Allantoinactive
Allantoin is a comfrey-derived compound used to condition skin and soften the outer layer so it feels smoother. It is one of the standard additions to a formula built for easily irritated skin. The panel names it forty-sixth on this serum's list, beside Retinol.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 3Niacinamide
- 18Retinol
- 23Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
- 46Allantoin
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
Anua Retinol 0.3 Niacin Renewing Serum
Where does this serum go in my routine?
After toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. Anything thinner than a serum goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is the Retinol and not three changes at once.
What else is on the list besides Retinol?
Niacinamide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate and Adenosine. The order they are printed in on this serum's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Retinol sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Allantoin, BHA and Tocopherol.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (49): Water, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Tocopherol, Propanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Pentaeryhrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Retinol, Ceramide NP, Pentylene Glycol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Potentilla Erecta Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyquaternium-51, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Beta-Glucan, Castanea Crenata (Chestnut) Shell Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Squalane, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, BHT, Oleic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, BHA, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Allantoin, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract, Maltodextrin, Sacchar
46 of 49 explained
- Water solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- Glycereth-26 humectant
- Glycereth-26 is a modified glycerin that hydrates with far less stickiness than glycerin itself. It is a common way to load water into a formula that has to stay light.
- Niacinamide active
- Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is used at roughly 2 to 5 percent for the look of uneven tone and visible pores, and it is water soluble, stable and comfortable beside almost every other active, which is why it turns up in so many lists.
- Glycerin humectant
- Glycerin is the most used humectant in skincare. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and holds it there, and it is one of the very few ingredients whose hydrating effect is settled science rather than marketing. Higher amounts feel tacky, which is why it is usually blended.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emollient
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is the light fraction of coconut oil, with the heavy parts removed. It is the workhorse emollient of modern formulas: it softens skin, dissolves oil-soluble actives and absorbs without the greasy weight of a whole plant oil.
- Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate emulsifier
- A mixed glycerin ester used as a mild emulsifier in plant-based cream bases. It holds oil and water together and conditions at the same time.
- Tocopherol antioxidant
- Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer.
- Propanediol humectant
- Propanediol is a plant-derived glycol used in place of propylene glycol. It hydrates, carries actives into solution, and gives a lighter, less sticky slip than glycerin at the same strength.
- Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer thickener
- This is a synthetic thickener that gels quickly and holds an emulsion stable across a wide pH range. It gives a light, non-tacky body.
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate emollient
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is a synthetic ester used as a dry-feeling emollient. It spreads easily, leaves a silky rather than oily finish, and helps disperse pigments and UV filters evenly.
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 thickener
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a thickener chosen for a notably fresh, bouncy gel feel that breaks down to water on the skin.
34 more explained
- Methylpropanediol humectant
- Methylpropanediol is a small glycol used to hydrate and to help water-soluble actives penetrate the outer layer of skin more evenly. It leaves almost no tack, which suits watery textures.
- Butylene Glycol humectant
- Butylene Glycol is a small glycol that does two jobs at once: it holds water in the top layer of skin and it dissolves plant extracts and actives that plain water cannot. It also thins a formula, which is why watery Korean essences lean on it.
- Polysorbate 20 emulsifier
- Polysorbate 20 is a solubiliser: it dissolves small amounts of oil or fragrance into a watery formula so nothing separates or floats.
- Coptis Japonica Root Extract plant extract
- Coptis Japonica is a traditional East Asian medicinal root, bright yellow from its berberine content. In skincare its extract is used for the look of congested, oily skin.
- Retinol active
- Retinol is the alcohol form of vitamin A and the strongest retinoid available without a prescription. Skin converts it in two steps to retinoic acid, and it is used at night, at low percentages, for the look of fine lines and rough texture. It can leave skin flaking while it acclimatises.
- Ceramide NP barrier lipid
- Ceramide NP is the most used cosmetic ceramide, the same class of lipid that makes up roughly half the mortar between cells in the outer layer of skin. Added to a cream it slots into that structure, which is why ceramide formulas feel less leaky rather than merely greasy.
- Pentylene Glycol humectant
- Pentylene Glycol hydrates and, like the other longer-chain glycols, makes a formula less hospitable to microbes so the preservative system can be lighter. It also improves how evenly a product spreads.
- Carbomer thickener
- Carbomer is a synthetic polymer that only gels once a base neutralises it, which is why arginine or tromethamine sits nearby on the list. It gives the clear, non-stringy gel texture a xanthan formula cannot reach.
- Tromethamine pH adjuster
- Tromethamine neutralises acidic thickeners such as carbomer so they gel, and holds a formula near skin-friendly pH. It is used at a fraction of a percent.
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate active
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate is a water-soluble salt derived from licorice root. It is the licorice fraction Korean formulas use for the look of redness, and it is far more stable in water than the whole extract.
- Ethylhexylglycerin preservative booster
- Ethylhexylglycerin softens skin and boosts a preservative system, which is why it is nearly always sitting beside phenoxyethanol or 1,2-hexanediol. It also cuts down the odour bacteria produce, so it turns up in deodorising products.
- Adenosine active
- Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated.
- Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract plant extract
- Apple fruit extract, carrying malic acid, sugars and polyphenols. It is used as a conditioning extract with a mild acid character.
- Disodium EDTA chelator
- EDTA is a chelator: it locks up trace metal ions from water and packaging that would otherwise turn a formula cloudy, off-colour or rancid. It does nothing to skin and appears at a fraction of a percent.
- Hydrogenated Lecithin emulsifier
- Hydrogenated Lecithin is lecithin with its unsaturated bonds filled in, which makes it far more stable. It emulsifies and is the standard shell for the liposomes that carry actives into the outer layer of skin.
- Polyquaternium-51 film former
- Polyquaternium-51 is a polymer, sometimes sold as Lipidure, built on the same phosphorylcholine structure as a cell membrane. It holds water in a film on the surface and gives a distinctive soft, dry finish.
- Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract plant extract
- Artichoke Leaf Extract carries cynaropicrin and other plant antioxidants. It is used in formulas aimed at the look of visible pores and dullness.
- Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract plant extract
- Oat Kernel Extract carries beta-glucan and avenanthramides, and it is one of the most reliably tolerated ingredients in skincare. It is used for the look of reddened, itchy-feeling skin.
- Beta-Glucan polysaccharide
- Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide from oats or yeast. It holds a large amount of water, forms a soothing film, and is one of the ingredients formulators reach for in products aimed at reactive skin.
- Castanea Crenata (Chestnut) Shell Extract plant extract
- Chestnut Shell Extract carries tannins and is used as an antioxidant plant extract, most often in formulas aimed at visible pores.
- Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water plant extract
- Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water is green tea distillate used in place of plain water as a base. It is far more dilute than the extract, so it sets the base rather than supplying the antioxidants.
- Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract plant extract
- Diospyros Kaki is the persimmon tree. Its leaf extract carries tannins and vitamin C and is used as an antioxidant extract.
- Squalane emollient
- Squalane is the stable, saturated version of squalene, a lipid human skin already makes. It is a light emollient that absorbs quickly, does not oxidise, and is one of the few oils widely considered safe for blemish-prone skin. Most cosmetic squalane is now from sugarcane or olive rather than shark.
- Panthenol humectant
- Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh.
- Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate humectant
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid cut into much shorter fragments. The smaller the fragment, the further into the outer layer it can settle, which is why serums stack several sizes together instead of using one.
- Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water plant extract
- Cornflower distillate, a traditional eye-area ingredient in French pharmacy formulas. It stands in for part of the plain water.
- BHT antioxidant
- BHT is a synthetic antioxidant used in traces to stop the oils in a formula going rancid. It protects the product, not the skin.
- Oleic Acid fatty acid
- Oleic Acid is the main fatty acid in olive and many nut oils. It is a rich emollient that softens skin and can feel heavy on skin prone to congestion.
- Dipropylene Glycol humectant
- Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
- BHA exfoliant
- BHA is short for beta hydroxy acid, which on a Korean list almost always means salicylic acid or one of its salts. It is the oil-soluble exfoliant class, the one that can work inside a pore.
- Portulaca Oleracea Extract plant extract
- Portulaca Oleracea is purslane. Its extract is unusually high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants for a plant, and Korean formulas use it for the look of reddened, reactive skin.
- Allantoin active
- Allantoin is a comfrey-derived compound used to condition skin and soften the outer layer so it feels smoother. It is one of the standard additions to a formula built for easily irritated skin.
- Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract plant extract
- Tea Tree Leaf Extract is the water-based extract rather than the essential oil, so it is far milder and much less aromatic. It is used in formulas for blemish-prone skin.
- Maltodextrin film former
- Maltodextrin is a starch-derived sugar chain used to carry powdered extracts and to form a light film. It also gives a soft, smoothing feel.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Adenosine, Allantoin, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP, Green Tea, Licorice Root, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Tea Tree
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
How it works
The Retinol 0.3 Niacin Renewing Serum is a serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Retinol, named eighteenth on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Niacinamide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate and Adenosine, so the active is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the Retinol stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the serum format rather than by the list alone. Anua sells this Retinol serum in Korea, and this is that version.
How to use
- Use the Retinol 0.3 Niacin Renewing Serum after toner and before moisturizer, in the evening.
- Three or four drops covers the whole face. Press it in with flat palms instead of rubbing it around.
- Toner first so the surface is damp, then this, then about a minute before your moisturizer goes over the top. Retinol is the entry that puts this step in the evening rather than the morning.
- Start at two or three evenings a week and build up from there, because retinol is on this list. Do not use it in the same routine as another retinoid or a resurfacing acid.
Worth knowing
- Patch test this serum on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with Retinol on the list.
- Retinol is on this list, so keep this serum to the evening and build the nights up slowly rather than starting nightly.
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Anua Retinol 0.3 Niacin Renewing Serum
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
Anua, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula serum from Anua, formulated with Retinol and Niacinamide, shipped from California or direct from Korea.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
Anua uses a holographic QR seal that only the HiddenTag app can read. Install HiddenTag from your phone’s app store and scan the seal on the box. A camera app alone will not resolve it.
Source: Anua packaging, HiddenTag scheme
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Vitamin A has a molecular structure that's tiny enough to get into the lower layers of your skin, where it finds and boosts collagen and elastin, which is a protein that strengthens your skin's flexibility.
Wilma Bergfeld, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic It contains liquiritin, an active compound that helps to disperse and remove existing melanin in the skin.
Jennifer Chwalek, MDDermatologist, Byrdie
1 more professional perspective
Niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of pores in a few ways. By strengthening the skin barrier and improving elasticity, pores appear less noticeable and more even.
Ashlyn YankeAesthetician, Cleveland Clinic
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