Dr.Althea
Retinol Flat Iron Eye Roller
An eye care product from Dr. Althea's Korean-market lineup, built around Retinol and Panthenol, 25ml to a unit.
No reviews yet25 ml
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Dry skinCompromised barrierDehydrated skinSkin that has lost bounce
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Retinol in an eye serumRoutines that want Retinol and Madecassoside in one stepFilling the eye serum step with a Korean-market formulaAnyone who wants the Retinol eye serum sold on Korean shelves
In stock. Ships from California or direct from Korea
You’re $100.00 away from free US shipping.
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
How it works
The Retinol Flat Iron Eye Roller is a 25ml eye serum, used after toner and before your eye cream or moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Retinol, named sixteenth on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Madecassoside, Bakuchiol and Sodium DNA, 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 eye serum format rather than by the list alone. This is the Original Korean Formula, the eye serum Dr.Althea sells in Korea, Retinol and all.
Key benefits
- Retinol, the active this eye serum is built around
- Madecassoside, Bakuchiol and Sodium DNA on the same list, actives
- Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5 on the same list, a peptide
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-1 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 further down the same list
- Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate and Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl p-Cresol further down the same list
- Retinol named sixteenth on the manufacturer list printed on this page
Key actives
16Retinolactive
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 eye serum is named after, and the list carries it.
32Madecassosideactive
Madecassoside is the centella triterpene most associated with the look of redness, and the one brands lead with in cica products. It is water soluble and stable, so it appears in essences as readily as in creams. The panel names it thirty-second on this eye serum's list, beside Retinol.
34Bakuchiolactive
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 thirty-fourth on this eye serum's list, alongside Retinol.
36Sodium DNAactive
Sodium DNA is the salt of DNA, in Korean skincare almost always salmon derived, and it is the ingredient behind the PDRN category. It is used as a humectant and for the look of tired skin; the fragments themselves are what the name PDRN refers to. The panel names it thirty-sixth on this eye serum's list, beside Retinol.
37Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5peptide
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5 is a four-amino-acid peptide used in eye products for the look of puffiness and crepiness. It is named thirty-seventh on this eye serum's list, alongside Retinol.
How to use
- Use the Retinol Flat Iron Eye Roller in the evening only, after your serum and before your moisturizer.
- Roll the applicator along the orbital bone, from the outer corner inward, and let the metal head do the pressing.
- Follow with your moisturizer over the top rather than leaving it bare, which is what makes a retinol step tolerable.
- Twice a week to begin with, building to alternate nights. Do not use it in the morning, and do not take it onto the lid itself.
Where does this eye serum go in my routine?
After toner and before your eye cream or moisturizer, morning and evening. Anything thinner than an eye 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 eye serum or a US version?
The Korean-market one, Retinol and all. We match this eye 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?
Madecassoside, Bakuchiol and Sodium DNA. The order they are printed in on this eye serum's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Retinol sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8.
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 (39): Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Propanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Retinol, Tromethamine, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl p-Cresol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Cholesterol, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenylpropanol, Madecassoside, Hyaluronic Acid, Bakuchiol, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Sodium DNA, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Ingredient list read from inkeedecoder.com on 10 September 2026.
38 of 39 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Hydrogenated Polydecene emollient
- Hydrogenated Polydecene is a synthetic hydrocarbon emollient used in place of mineral oil. It is stable, has no scent, and gives a cushioned slip without oxidising.
- 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.
- Betaine humectant
- Betaine is a sugar-beet-derived humectant that cells use to hold water. In a formula it hydrates and takes the edge off cleansers and acids, which is why it often appears alongside them.
- 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.
- Hydroxyacetophenone preservative booster
- Hydroxyacetophenone is an antioxidant that also strengthens a preservative system, so a formula needs less traditional preservative. Korean formulas pair it with 1,2-hexanediol constantly.
- Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer thickener
- This is a carbomer relative with fatty side chains, so it thickens and stabilises an emulsion at the same time. It gives a light gel-cream body rather than a heavy one.
26 more explained
- Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate antioxidant
- This is a stabiliser that keeps the oils and fragrance in a formula from oxidising. Its job is the shelf life of the product rather than any effect on skin.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl p-Cresol antioxidant
- A light stabiliser. Its job is to keep the formula itself from degrading in light, so it is a product-stability ingredient rather than one aimed at skin.
- Glyceryl Polymethacrylate film former
- Glyceryl Polymethacrylate is a polymer that forms a smooth, water-holding film and gives a formula a cushioned, non-sticky feel.
- HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer absorbent
- A spherical polymer powder. The spheres roll under the fingers, absorb a little oil and scatter light, which softens the look of pores and fine lines.
- Xanthan Gum thickener
- Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide made by fermenting sugar. It thickens a watery formula into a gel and holds the whole thing in suspension so nothing separates. Too much of it and a serum turns stringy, which is why it appears in fractions of a percent.
- Cholesterol barrier lipid
- Cholesterol is the third of the three lipids the outer layer of skin is built from, with ceramides and fatty acids. Formulas that carry all three are following the ratio skin itself holds.
- 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.
- 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.
- Polyvinyl Alcohol film former
- Polyvinyl Alcohol is the polymer behind peel-off masks: it dries into a continuous film that lifts away in one piece.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Centella Asiatica Leaf Water plant extract
- Centella Asiatica Leaf Water is the distilled water of the centella leaf, used in place of plain water as a formula base. It is far more dilute than the extract, so it sets the base rather than supplying the actives.
- Caprylyl Glycol preservative booster
- Caprylyl Glycol is a glycol that conditions skin and, more importantly, strengthens a preservative system so less of the traditional preservative is needed. It appears in most modern formulas built without parabens.
- Phenylpropanol solvent
- Phenylpropanol is an aromatic alcohol with a faint hyacinth smell. It works as a solvent and strengthens a preservative system, so it appears in formulas built without parabens.
- Madecassoside active
- Madecassoside is the centella triterpene most associated with the look of redness, and the one brands lead with in cica products. It is water soluble and stable, so it appears in essences as readily as in creams.
- Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hyaluronic Acid is a sugar chain the body already makes, and one gram of it can hold several litres of water. In a formula it is a humectant that pulls water to the surface of skin and holds it in a film, which is what makes skin look plumper while it is there.
- Bakuchiol active
- 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.
- Sodium DNA active
- Sodium DNA is the salt of DNA, in Korean skincare almost always salmon derived, and it is the ingredient behind the PDRN category. It is used as a humectant and for the look of tired skin; the fragments themselves are what the name PDRN refers to.
- Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5 peptide
- Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5 is a four-amino-acid peptide used in eye products for the look of puffiness and crepiness.
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-1 peptide
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-1 is a six-amino-acid peptide used for the look of even tone. It is one of the few peptides aimed at pigment rather than at lines.
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 peptide
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a six-amino-acid peptide used for the look of expression lines, particularly around the eyes. It is the peptide sold under the name Argireline and is water soluble and stable.
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809447256658
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 25 ml
- Category
- Eye Care / Roller-applicator serum
- Actives
- Bakuchiol, Centella Asiatica, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Madecassoside, Panthenol, PDRN (Sodium DNA), Peptides, Retinol
- 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. The barcode in the specification above is the Korean-market one and it is printed on the box you receive.
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.
Payment and security
We accept
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 16Retinol
- 32Madecassoside
- 36Sodium DNA
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
Worth knowing
- Patch test this eye 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 eye serum to the evening and build the nights up slowly rather than starting nightly.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Tell us how much you love the product!
Write a reviewWrite a review
Dr. Althea Retinol Flat Iron Eye Roller
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
We’re on gram!
Creators trying on authentic Korean skincare routines and products from us.
Rating a shelf of Dr. Althea products one by one.
Jasmine Loo · YouTube
Two hydrating serums side by side, IUNIK and Dr. Althea.
Kristin · YouTube
A walk through the Dr. Althea serum lineup and who each one suits.
auraofmahmuda · YouTube
A blunt first take on the Dr. Althea range.
Lexi Chang · YouTube
A first look at the viral 345 Relief Cream before buying.
Shelley Nayak · YouTube
A first try of the Dr. Althea serum on camera.
Hannah Ziad · YouTube
Dr.Althea, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula eye serum from Dr.Althea, 25ml formulated with Retinol and Madecassoside, 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.
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 Centella can make your skin appear more hydrated, plumper and healthier.
Samantha Stein, PA-CDermatology physician assistant, Cleveland Clinic
1 more professional perspective
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
Ask an AI assistant about this product
Ask an AI assistant about this product
Opens ChatGPT, Perplexity or Claude in a new tab with the question prefilled. Claude asks you to sign in first.