Dr. Althea
0.1% Gentle Retinol Serum
A retinol serum from Dr. Althea's Korean-market lineup. Retinol sits at position 16 of 33 on the brand's own ingredient list, a retinoid driving this formula's renewal work; Panthenol follows at position 7, a barrier-support humectant that also settles visible irritation. 30ml to a unit.
No reviews yet- Ships from our California warehouse
- Duties prepaid
- Suited to
- Dehydrated skinSensitive skinDull, uneven tone
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Retinol in a serumRoutines that want Retinol and Bakuchiol in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formulaAnyone who wants the Retinol serum sold on Korean shelves
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- 30-day returns
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- Dispatched within 2 business days
How it works
The 0.1% Gentle Retinol Serum is a 30ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Retinol, named fifteenth on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Bakuchiol, Allantoin and Tocopherol, 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. This is the Original Korean Formula, the serum Dr.Althea sells in Korea, Retinol and all.
Key benefits
- Retinol, the active this serum is built around
- Bakuchiol and Allantoin on the same list, actives
- Tocopherol on the same list, an antioxidant
- Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract on the same list, a plant extract
- Borago Officinalis Extract and Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract further down the same list
- Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract and Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Extract further down the same list
Key actives
Retinolactive
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 is the entry this serum is named after, and the list carries it.
Bakuchiolactive
Bakuchiol is a compound from the babchi seed, used as a plant-derived alternative to retinol. It is oil soluble, stable in daylight and does not carry retinol's acclimatisation period, which is why sensitive-skin formulas choose it. It is named sixteenth on this serum's list, alongside Retinol.
Allantoinactive
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 nineteenth on this serum's list, beside Retinol.
Tocopherolantioxidant
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. It is named thirty-second on this serum's list, alongside Retinol.
Hyacinthus Orientalis Extractplant extract
Hyacinth extract, used as a floral herbal extract. It is one of the less common botanicals to meet on a Korean label. It is named twenty-sixth on this serum's list, alongside Retinol.
Dr. Althea 0.1% Gentle Retinol 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.
Is this the Korean-market serum or a US version?
The Korean-market one, Retinol and all. We match this serum to its Korean barcode before it reaches the shelf, which is the check that tells you which market release you are holding.
What else is on the list besides Retinol?
Bakuchiol, Allantoin and Tocopherol. 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: Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract, Borago Officinalis Extract and Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract.
- Ships from
- California
Duties are prepaid. Nothing is owed at delivery. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
Orders ship from our California warehouse, dispatched within 2 business days, and arrive in 3 to 5 days. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more.
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 - 2Customs
Duty paid by us before it enters the US - 3California
Ships domestically, no international leg
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.
Import duties are paid by us before the parcel reaches you, so nothing is owed at the door, 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.
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How to use
- Use the 0.1% Gentle Retinol 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.
Reviews
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Dr. Althea, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula serum from Dr.Althea, 30ml formulated with Retinol and Bakuchiol, held in the United States and shipped domestically.
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.
Match the batch code on the box against the code printed on the bottle or tube itself; the two are stamped separately and should agree.
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 Bakuchiol is often used as a gentler alternative to retinol. It may help your skin look smoother and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Shilpi Khetarpal, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
1 more professional perspective
People with dry, flaky skin are more likely to see a benefit from using vitamin E because it enhances moisturization.
Amy Kassouf, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
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