RETINOL RETI-JECTION SERUM 50ml
IOPE runs two retinoids here, retinol and hydroxypinacolone retinoate, in a 50 ml serum with niacinamide seventh, shea butter eighth and both tocopherol and tocopheryl acetate to hold them steady. Evening only: build the nights up slowly. Korean-market formula.
No reviews yet50 ml
$275.00 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Dehydrated skinSensitive skinDull, uneven tone
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Retinol in a serumRoutines that want Retinol and Niacinamide in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formulaAnyone who wants the Retinol serum sold on Korean shelves
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
We accept
You’re $100.00 away from free US shipping.
- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
How it works
The RETINOL RETI-JECTION SERUM is a 50ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Retinol, named thirty-third on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Niacinamide, Allantoin 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. This is the Original Korean Formula, the serum IOPE sells in Korea, Retinol and all.
Key benefits
- Retinol, the active this serum is built around
- Niacinamide, Allantoin, Adenosine and Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate on the same list, actives
- Tocopherol and Tocopheryl Acetate further down the same list
- Sodium Sulfite and Beta-Carotene further down the same list
- Retinol named thirty-third on the manufacturer list printed on this page
- The Korean-market release of this serum, confirmed against its Korean barcode
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
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?
Niacinamide, Allantoin 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: Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Tocopherol and Tocopheryl Acetate.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (39): Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Panthenol, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Carbomer, Sodium Sulfite, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Allantoin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tromethamine, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Metaphosphate, Kojyl Methylenedioxycinnamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Retinol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Beta-Carotene, Acacia Senegal Gum, BHT, Propylene Glycol Alginate
Ingredient list read from iope.com on 30 August 2026.
37 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate colorant
- A glass flake used as the carrier for high-shine pearl pigments. It is inert and sits on the surface.
- Dimethicone silicone
- Dimethicone is the most used cosmetic silicone. It forms a breathable film that smooths the surface, slows water leaving skin, and gives the slip that makes a primer or cream feel silky. It is inert and does not penetrate.
- 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.
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter emollient
- Shea Butter is the fat pressed from the shea nut, rich in oleic and stearic acids and unsaponifiable plant sterols. It is a heavy emollient and partial occlusive, which is why it sits in balms and night creams rather than in essences.
- 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.
- C14-22 Alcohols fatty alcohol
- C14-22 Alcohols is a declaration for a mixture of long-chain fatty alcohols. They thicken a cream and hold the emulsion together.
- Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol
- Cetearyl Alcohol is a waxy solid, not the drying kind of alcohol. It is a blend of cetyl and stearyl alcohols used to thicken a cream and keep oil and water from separating, and it softens skin as it does so.
- 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.
25 more explained
- Tocopheryl Acetate antioxidant
- Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable vitamin E ester that skin converts to tocopherol. It is used as an antioxidant and a light emollient and holds up better than plain vitamin E in a formula.
- Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate emulsifier
- Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate is a plant-derived emulsifier used to hold oil and water together in creams and lotions.
- Glyceryl Stearate emulsifier
- Glyceryl Stearate is glycerin joined to stearic acid, and one of the most used emulsifiers in skincare. It holds oil and water together and thickens the result, and it softens skin at the same time.
- Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil emollient
- Sunflower Seed Oil is high in linoleic acid, the fatty acid dry and blemish-prone skin is often short of. It is a light, non-fragrant emollient and one of the better tolerated plant oils.
- Palmitic Acid fatty acid
- Palmitic Acid is a saturated fatty acid present in skin's own lipids. It thickens a formula, stabilises the emulsion and softens skin.
- Stearic Acid fatty acid
- Stearic Acid is a saturated fatty acid from plant fats, and one of the three lipid classes skin's own barrier is built from. In a formula it thickens, stabilises the emulsion and can be turned into a soap-style cleanser by adding a base.
- Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil emollient
- Soybean Oil is a linoleic-rich plant oil used as an emollient. It also carries soy phytosterols and vitamin E.
- C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside emulsifier
- C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside is a sugar-derived emulsifier used in mild, plant-based cream bases.
- Dimethyl Isosorbide solvent
- Dimethyl Isosorbide is a solvent used to dissolve actives that water and oil both reject, and to carry them evenly through the outer layer of skin. It appears in vitamin C and retinoid formulas for exactly that reason.
- 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.
- Sodium Sulfite antioxidant
- A reducing agent used to stop vitamin C and other easily oxidised ingredients from browning in the bottle.
- Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract plant extract
- Carrot Root Extract carries carotenoids, which give it a strong orange colour. It is used as an antioxidant extract and can tint a formula.
- 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.
- Glyceryl Caprylate emulsifier
- Glyceryl Caprylate is a mild emulsifier that also makes a formula less hospitable to microbes, so it is often part of a preservative-free system.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sodium Metaphosphate chelator
- A phosphate salt that ties up metal ions in water. It also stops the calcium and magnesium in hard water from flattening a cleanser foam.
- 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.
- 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.
- Glyceryl Stearate Citrate emulsifier
- Glyceryl Stearate Citrate is a mild, citrate-modified emulsifier. It holds oil and water together and is chosen for formulas aimed at reactive skin.
- Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate active
- Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate is a retinoid ester that binds skin's retinoid receptors directly, with no conversion step. Brands use it where they want retinoid-style results with less of the flaking retinol brings.
- Beta-Carotene antioxidant
- Beta-Carotene is an orange plant pigment and a vitamin A precursor. It is used as an antioxidant and it tints a formula, which is often why it is there.
- Acacia Senegal Gum film former
- Gum arabic, tapped from the acacia tree. It thickens, forms a tightening film as it dries, and holds pigments in place.
- 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.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8800283656732
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 50 ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Adenosine, Allantoin, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Retinol, Shea Butter
- 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.
How to use
- PM only, after toner, before moisturizer.
- Apply a few drops, avoiding the eye area.
- Start 2 to 3 nights a week and build up as skin tolerates it.
- Follow with moisturizer; use sunscreen the following morning.
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.
- Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate is on this list, so keep this serum to the evening and build the nights up slowly rather than starting nightly.
Complete the routine
- This itemIOPE RETINOL RETI-JECTION SERUM 50ml$137.50
- Seal the routine in as the last stepIOPE SUPER VITAL EMULSION 150ml$87.50
- The treatment step of this routineIOPE RETINOL RETI-JECTION SERUM 30ml$100.00
Total for 3 items$325.00
Reviews
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IOPE RETINOL RETI-JECTION SERUM 50ml
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
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IOPE, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula serum from IOPE, 50ml 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.
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 skin care, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Your skin barrier is basically your outer layer of the skin.
Melissa Piliang, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic Pretty much every step of a Korean skin care routine is going to have some component of hydration.
Alok Vij, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
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