Missha
Atelo Collagen Skin Essence 150ml$27.50Cica Reti-A Essence 0.1
VT's retinoid essence at the 0.1 strength, 30 ml, for evenings. Start it over your moisturizer, then move it underneath once your skin has settled into it.
No reviews yet$25.99
30ml
$86.63 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- NormalCombinationResilient/experienced with actives
- Helps with
- A lightweight prep layer before serumGeneral hydration supportSkin that finds heavier serums too rich alone
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- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
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Key benefits
- Three retinoid-route ingredients: hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol, bakuchiol
- Niacinamide sits in the first few entries to support tone alongside
- Centella asiatica extract, ceramide NP and allantoin buffer the workload
- The 0.1 tier is the stronger step after the 0.05 cream
Key actives
17Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
a retinoic acid ester chosen for low-irritation wrinkle care
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
43
Ingredients declared
Last
Fragrance on the list
5Niacinamide17Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate29Bakuchiol33Ceramide NP
- 5Niacinamide
- 17Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
- 29Bakuchiol
- 33Ceramide NP
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
VT Cosmetics Cica Reti-A Essence 0.1
Is the Cica Reti-A Essence 0.1 on this page the Korean-market VT Cosmetics formula?
Yes. It is the release VT Cosmetics sells inside Korea. A product carrying the same name in a US-facing listing can be a different export version with a different ingredient list or size, and we only stock the Korean release. The box and unit that ship to you keep their Korean-language packaging and Korean barcode intact.
What does the Cica Reti-A Essence 0.1 actually contain?
Its own ingredient list names hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol, bakuchiol and centella asiatica extract, and we only describe what that list states rather than adding anything a similar VT product happens to carry. Cica Reti-A Essence 0.1 is a lightweight retinoid essence, and it is meant to be worked in at night as a texture-focused step.
How does buying the Cica Reti-A Essence 0.1 here compare with a US retailer?
This is the unit built for the Korean market, with the Korean barcode and batch code intact on the box rather than swapped for a US-facing repack.
How is the Cica Reti-A Essence 0.1 meant to be used?
It is worked in at night as a texture-focused step, and its own texture is a lightweight retinoid essence. Introduce it on its own for the first several uses so any reaction traces back to this product rather than to whatever else is in a routine that week, then fold it into the rest of a routine once it has been tolerated well.
Contains fragrance (parfum)
Not on the ingredient list below: denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (43): Purified Water, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Betaine, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Polyacrylate-13, Ethylhexylglycerin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Adenosine, Polyisobutene, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Gluconolactone, Bakuchiol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ceramide NP, Retinol, BHT, Propolis Extract, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, BHA, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Ingredient list read from incidecoder.com on 30 August 2026.
43 of 43 explained
- Purified 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.
- Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin) emollient
- Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin) is a synthetic hydrocarbon emollient. It gives a smooth, silicone-like glide and is completely stable, so it does not go rancid.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate emollient
- Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate is a light ester emollient that gives a dry, silky finish and disperses pigment evenly.
- 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.
- 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.
- Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate emulsifier
- Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate is a sugar-derived emulsifier known for a light, non-soapy feel. It builds gel-creams that do not read as rich.
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil occlusive
- Plant oil hardened by hydrogenation. It behaves as a soft solid, so it gives balms and sticks their body and slows water loss from the surface.
- Behenyl Alcohol fatty alcohol
- Behenyl Alcohol is a long-chain fatty alcohol used to thicken and stabilise a cream. It gives a richer, more velvety body than cetyl alcohol.
31 more explained
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Polyacrylate-13 thickener
- Polyacrylate-13 is a pre-neutralised thickener that gels instantly and holds an emulsion together, so a formula can be built without heat.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Polyisobutene film former
- Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer that forms a flexible, water-resistant film. It gives gloss and holds a formula in place, which is why it appears in lip products and long-wear textures.
- 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.
- 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.
- Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract plant extract
- Moringa seed extract. The seed is best known for its oil and for the cationic peptides used to clarify water, and in a formula the extract is a conditioning botanical.
- Gluconolactone exfoliant
- Gluconolactone is a PHA, the gentlest exfoliant class. Its molecule is too large to penetrate quickly, so it smooths the surface without the sting of an AHA, and it is a humectant at the same time.
- 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.
- Capryloyl Salicylic Acid exfoliant
- Capryloyl Salicylic Acid is salicylic acid with a fatty tail, sometimes sold as LHA. It stays nearer the surface than salicylic acid and works at a higher pH, so it exfoliates more evenly and more gently.
- 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.
- Sorbitan Isostearate emulsifier
- Sorbitan Isostearate is a mild emulsifier that holds water into oil, the direction a cleansing balm or an oil-based cream needs.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Propolis Extract plant extract
- Propolis is the resin bees collect from tree buds and use to seal the hive. It is rich in flavonoids, carries a warm amber colour and scent, and is used for the look of dull, stressed skin. It is a bee product, so it is worth knowing about if you react to those.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Parfum fragrance
- Fragrance, or Parfum, is a single declaration standing for a whole scent blend, which can be dozens of materials. Regulators allow it as a trade secret, so a list showing only this word does not say what the scent is made of. It is the most common trigger named by people with reactive skin.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809695677236
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 30ml
- Category
- Essence / Retinoid essence
- Actives
- Adenosine, Allantoin, Bakuchiol, Centella Asiatica, Ceramide NP, Madecassoside, Niacinamide, Propolis, Retinol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate
- 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 it works
This Cica Reti-A Essence 0.1 is a lightweight retinoid essence, formulated around hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol and bakuchiol. It presses into the skin and is meant to be worked in at night as a texture-focused step. The remaining formula carries supporting humectants and film-forming agents typical of a VT essence of this kind, listed in full on the ingredient panel itself. Introduce this product on its own for the first several uses before layering it with other actives.
How to use
- Use it in the evening only, never in the morning.
- A pea sized amount for the whole face, kept away from the eyelids.
- Do not pair it with an acid or another retinoid on the same evening.
Worth knowing
- Propolis Extract is bee-derived, so this formula is not a vegan one.
- Salicylic Acid pairs less well layered directly under a second exfoliating acid on the same night, so space them out if a routine runs both.
Reviews
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VT Cosmetics Cica Reti-A Essence 0.1
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
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VT Cosmetics, Korean-market original
Retinoid essence, 30 ml, with Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Retinol and Bakuchiol on the list.
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 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
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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