MEDITHERAPY
Retinal Skin Booster Serum 150ml
Retinal Skin Booster Serum is a large-format retinal serum from MEDITHERAPY, built around Retinal alongside Niacinamide, Adenosine, Madecassoside and Bifida Ferment Lysate on its own ingredient list, sized for nightly use across a full routine rather than dosed as a spot treatment.
No reviews yet150 ml
$28.33 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- NormalCombinationDry
- Helps with
- A targeted treatment step between toner and moisturizerA concentrated step layered under a moisturizerDaily use as the treatment step of a routine
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
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- Tracked delivery to your door
Key benefits
- Built on Retinal, retinaldehyde, a faster-converting retinoid step above retinol
- Niacinamide runs alongside it, the brightening and barrier-support active
- No parfum or fragrance ingredient on the list
- 150ml serum sold in MEDITHERAPY's Korean-market packaging, not a US-reformulated version
- Takes after toner and before moisturizer
- 65 ingredients on the manufacturer's own list, in the order MEDITHERAPY lists them
Key actives
8Niacinamide
Niacinamide is The brightening and barrier-support active. It appears at position 9 of 65 on MEDITHERAPY's own manufacturer ingredient list for this formula, which is real evidence of what the formula is built around rather than a marketing label placed over it.
18Adenosine
Adenosine is The wrinkle-care active recognized in Korea's own cosmetic functional-ingredient system. It appears at position 19 of 65 on MEDITHERAPY's own manufacturer ingredient list for this formula, which is real evidence of what the formula is built around rather than a marketing label placed over it.
23Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate is A hyaluronic form working at the surface. It appears at position 24 of 65 on MEDITHERAPY's own manufacturer ingredient list for this formula, which is real evidence of what the formula is built around rather than a marketing label placed over it.
27Retinal
Retinal is Retinaldehyde, a faster-converting retinoid step above retinol. It appears at position 28 of 65 on MEDITHERAPY's own manufacturer ingredient list for this formula, which is real evidence of what the formula is built around rather than a marketing label placed over it.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 8Niacinamide
- 18Adenosine
- 23Sodium Hyaluronate
- 27Retinal
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
Is the Retinal Skin Booster Serum 150ml sold here MEDITHERAPY's Korean-market formula?
Yes. What ships is MEDITHERAPY's release for the Korean market: the formula and packaging sold in Korea, with the Korean-market barcode and batch code intact on the box rather than swapped for an export or US-retail label.
Where does the Retinal Skin Booster Serum 150ml go in a routine?
It takes after toner and before moisturizer. That placement follows from what a serum is, not from anything unusual about this specific unit. A serum in this format is built to carry a concentrated dose of its named actives in a light enough base that it absorbs before the next step goes on, so moving it earlier or later in a routine works against the format rather than with it.
What does Retinal do in this serum?
Retinal is Retinaldehyde, a faster-converting retinoid step above retinol. It appears at position 28 of 65 on MEDITHERAPY's own manufacturer ingredient list for this formula, which is real evidence of what the formula is built around rather than a marketing label placed over it.
Does the Retinal Skin Booster Serum 150ml contain fragrance?
No. Parfum and fragrance do not appear anywhere on the manufacturer's own ingredient list for this formula, which is one reason it reads as a shorter, calmer list than a heavily scented formula in the same category.
How does buying the Retinal Skin Booster Serum 150ml here compare with a US retailer carrying the same name?
A US listing under the same product name can be a reformulated export version and rarely states which one it is selling. What we carry is the Korean-market MEDITHERAPY release, identified by its intact Korean barcode and batch code on the box rather than a relabeled export carton, so the unit you get matches what is sold on shelf in Korea.
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 (64): Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Polyglycerin-3, Niacinamide, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylic Acid/MA Copolymer, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Xanthan Gum, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Retinal, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Potentilla Anserina Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Polyquaternium-51, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Beta-Glucan, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Canola Oil, Myristyl Alcohol, PCA, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobionic Acid, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Beta-Carotene, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Panthenol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Sucrose Distearate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid
Ingredient list read from inkeedecoder.com on 10 September 2026.
62 of 64 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Polyglycerin-3 humectant
- Polyglycerin-3 is a short chain of glycerin units used as a gentler, less sticky humectant. It also helps oils and water stay blended.
- 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.
- Phenyl Trimethicone silicone
- Phenyl Trimethicone is a silicone with a higher refractive index than most, so it adds visible gloss as well as slip. It is common in glow and lip textures.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sodium Acrylic Acid/MA Copolymer thickener
- An acrylic copolymer used to thicken water into a gel and to hold an emulsion stable.
50 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.
- 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.
- Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil emollient
- Macadamia Seed Oil is unusually high in palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid that human sebum also contains, which is why it absorbs faster than most nut oils. It is a cushioning emollient for dry 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate emulsifier
- Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a sugar-derived emulsifier and solubiliser, mild enough to be a standard choice in Korean essences. It dissolves small amounts of oil into water without any tightening feel.
- Sodium Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid, and it is what most products labelled hyaluronic actually contain. The salt dissolves more readily and the molecule is smaller, so it sits in the outer layer of skin rather than only on top of it.
- 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.
- 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.
- Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols emollient
- Phytosterols are plant sterols, structurally close to the cholesterol in skin's own lipid layer. They soften skin and help the oil phase of a formula hold together.
- Retinal active
- Retinal is retinaldehyde, a vitamin A derivative one chemical step closer to retinoic acid than retinol is. It is yellow-orange and unstable in light, so products carrying it are usually opaque.
- Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate antioxidant
- Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is an oil-soluble vitamin C ester, also sold as tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. Being oil soluble it sits in the oil phase and is far more stable than pure vitamin C.
- Potentilla Anserina Extract plant extract
- Silverweed extract, a rose-family herb carrying tannins and flavonoids. It gives an astringent feel and is used as a conditioning extract.
- 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.
- Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate dispersant
- A mineral soap used to suspend powders and thicken an oil phase, which is what stops pigment settling to the bottom of a bottle.
- 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.
- Potassium Cetyl Phosphate emulsifier
- Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier prized for keeping powdered ingredients evenly suspended, which is why tinted and mineral-powder textures use it.
- 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.
- Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract plant extract
- Kava extract, from the Pacific pepper plant. It carries kavalactones and is used as a conditioning plant extract.
- Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate antioxidant
- Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate is a water-soluble, stable vitamin C salt. It works at near-neutral pH, so it appears in formulas aimed at skin that pure ascorbic acid leaves stinging.
- Centella Asiatica Extract plant extract
- Centella Asiatica is the plant behind the whole cica category, sold as gotu kola or Madagascar centella. Its extract is the anchor of Korean formulas built for easily reddened skin, and its work is done by four triterpenes: asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
- Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract plant extract
- Fig Fruit Extract carries fruit sugars, mild acids and a protein-digesting enzyme. It is used as a hydrating extract with a light smoothing effect.
- 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.
- Saccharomyces Ferment ferment
- Saccharomyces Ferment is a brewer's yeast ferment. It supplies amino acids, sugars and B vitamins and is used as a conditioning, hydrating ferment.
- Canola Oil emollient
- Canola Oil is pressed from rapeseed. It is a light, high-oleic oil used to soften skin and to carry oil-soluble ingredients.
- Myristyl Alcohol fatty alcohol
- Myristyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol from coconut or palm. It thickens a cream and helps the oil and water phases stay together, and it is not the drying kind of alcohol.
- PCA humectant
- PCA is pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, one of the components of the natural moisturising factor skin makes for itself. It holds water at the surface, and its salts do the same job.
- 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.
- Asiaticoside active
- Asiaticoside is one of the four active triterpenes isolated from centella and the most studied of them. Korean formulas name it separately when they want to show which fraction of the plant they standardised.
- 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.
- Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil emollient
- Carrot seed oil, pressed from the seed rather than the root. It is used as a conditioning oil and carries its own earthy scent.
- Bifida Ferment Lysate ferment
- Bifida Ferment Lysate is a bifidobacteria ferment with the cells broken open. It is the ingredient behind the first-essence category and is used for the look of tired, reactive skin.
- Lactobionic Acid exfoliant
- Lactobionic Acid is a polyhydroxy acid, the gentlest of the acid families because the molecule is large and slow to travel. It is also a strong humectant.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract plant extract
- Polygonum Cuspidatum is Japanese knotweed, the main commercial source of resveratrol. Its root extract is used as an antioxidant plant extract.
- Sucrose Distearate emulsifier
- Sucrose Distearate is a sugar-based emulsifier that is mild and gives a light, silky feel. It also conditions skin.
- Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin solvent
- Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin is a ring-shaped sugar that traps an active molecule inside itself, keeping it stable and releasing it slowly. It is a delivery shell rather than an active.
- Madecassic Acid active
- Madecassic Acid is the fourth centella triterpene. A list that names all four is telling you the extract was standardised rather than simply pressed, which is the difference between a cica claim and a cica formula.
- Asiatic Acid active
- Asiatic Acid is the third of centella's four triterpenes and the aglycone form, meaning it has no attached sugar. It is oil soluble, so it turns up in cica creams and balms more than in watery layers.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 150 ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- 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
Retinal Skin Booster Serum 150ml is a serum built on Retinal, retinaldehyde, a faster-converting retinoid step above retinol, named 28 of 65 entries on MEDITHERAPY's own manufacturer INCI for this formula. Niacinamide runs alongside it, the brightening and barrier-support active, and the rest of the list rounds out a MEDITHERAPY formula built for this format rather than a stripped-down version of it. It takes after toner and before moisturizer, and the serum format is the reason it behaves the way it does once it is on skin. A serum in this format is built to carry a concentrated dose of its named actives in a light enough base that it absorbs before the next step goes on.
How to use
- Apply to clean, toned skin, pressing in gently before the next step.
Worth knowing
- A retinoid formula: start two to three nights a week and build up from there, and pair it with a sunscreen the following morning.
- Discontinue if irritation develops and check the ingredient list against any known sensitivity.
Complete the routine
- This itemMEDITHERAPY Retinal Skin Booster Serum 150ml$42.50
- From the same Korean-market lineMEDITHERAPY SOKSAL GUA SHA$75.00
- An as-needed step, in place of the prep layerMEDITHERAPY Blue Layer Water Dome Mask 34g X 4ea$45.00
Total for 3 items$162.50
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MEDITHERAPY Retinal Skin Booster Serum 150ml
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
MEDITHERAPY, Korean-market original
Serum built on Retinal, 150ml.
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 Hyaluronic acid helps bind water to collagen, which traps water in the skin. That helps make the skin more plump and full-looking.
Samantha Stein, PA-CDermatology physician assistant, Cleveland Clinic
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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