When do I use RETI-A REEDLE SHOT 300 in my routine?

Use RETI-A REEDLE SHOT 300 after cleansing and toner, before your moisturizer or cream. It is a leave-on step, so apply it to a clean face and let it settle for a minute before layering the next product. Most people use it once in the morning and once at night, though a single evening application is fine while your skin adjusts to a new step.

Can I layer it with other serums or ampoules?

Yes. Apply thinner, more watery formulas first and heavier creams last, so this ampoule generally goes after a toner and before a thicker serum or moisturizer. If you use it alongside an actives-heavy routine, introduce it on its own for the first week so you can tell what any reaction is coming from.

Does it feel greasy or heavy on the skin?

No. It has a water-forward, leave-on base rather than a heavy oil or wax base, so it absorbs into the surface rather than sitting on top of it. Most people describe the feel as light and quickly absorbed, not tacky or greasy.

Is this the same formula sold in Korea?

Yes. This is the Korean-market VT Cosmetics release, imported with its original Korean-language packaging, barcode, and batch code intact, rather than a version reformulated or repackaged for US retail. We check that batch code against the one on the box before it ships, instead of relying on the listing alone.

How long does one bottle last with daily use?

At roughly a few drops per application, twice a day, a 50 ml bottle typically lasts about six to eight weeks, though usage varies with how much product a person applies each time.

VT Cosmetics

VT RETI-A REEDLE SHOT 300 50ml

Name: VT Cosmetics VT RETI-A REEDLE SHOT 300 50ml
Brand: VT Cosmetics
SKU: 10528504694
Price: 85.0 USD
Availability: InStock

VT Cosmetics RETI-A REEDLE SHOT 300 50ml carries five separate centella asiatica forms on its own ingredient panel, including Centella Asiatica Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid.

Reviewed by Nurcan Saglam, licensed dermo-cosmetic expert (Paris)

No reviews yet

$85.00

50 ml

$170.00 per 100 ml

Korean-market formula
Ships from California or direct from Korea
Korean barcode and batch code intact

Suited to: DryNormalCombinationDehydrated

Helps with: DullnessDehydrationRough textureUneven surface

One-time purchase

$85.00

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How it works

The panel on this formula names five forms of centella asiatica rather than one: Centella Asiatica Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid. 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. On this panel it sits alongside Niacinamide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate and Tocopheryl Acetate. 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.

Key benefits

Five forms of centella asiatica on one panel, not a single token inclusion
Niacinamide on the same panel, the formula's active
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate on the same panel, the formula's active
50 ml to a unit
Korean GS1 barcode matched against a Korea sourcing supplier's record for this item

Inside the formula

Ingredients declared

No fragrance

on the list

1 of 4

47 of 48 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.
Dipropylene Glycol humectant: Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ethylhexyl Palmitate emollient: Ethylhexyl Palmitate is a palm-derived ester used as a light emollient and a solvent for pigment. It gives a smooth, non-greasy slip.
Silica absorbent: Silica is finely milled mineral, essentially very pure sand. It absorbs oil, stops powders clumping and soft-focuses the look of pores and fine lines.
Sodium Polyacrylate thickener: Sodium Polyacrylate is a polymer that absorbs many times its weight in water. It thickens a formula and holds water in a gel against the skin.
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer thickener: This is a pre-neutralised polymer thickener that gels on contact with water and stabilises an emulsion without heat.

35 more explained

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-6 Stearate emulsifier: Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate is a mild plant-derived emulsifier for oil-in-water creams.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Glycereth-26 humectant: Glycereth-26 is a modified glycerin that hydrates with far less stickiness than glycerin itself. It is a common way to load water into a formula that has to stay light.
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.
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.
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.
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate active: Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate is a water-soluble salt derived from licorice root. It is the licorice fraction Korean formulas use for the look of redness, and it is far more stable in water than the whole extract.
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.
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside surfactant: Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside is a sugar-derived cleansing surfactant. It foams modestly and is mild enough for low-pH cleansers built for reactive skin.
Sorbitan Oleate emulsifier: Sorbitan Oleate is an emulsifier for water-in-oil formulas. It keeps a rich cream or a cleansing oil from separating.
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate emulsifier: A polyglycerin ester with a long fatty chain. It emulsifies and thickens at the same time, which is how a cream gets body without wax.
Lecithin emulsifier: Lecithin is a soy or sunflower-derived phospholipid, the same class of molecule cell membranes are built from. It emulsifies oil into water and is the basis of the liposomes formulators use to carry actives.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract plant extract: Diospyros Kaki is the persimmon tree. Its leaf extract carries tannins and vitamin C and is used as an antioxidant extract.
Coffea Arabica (coffee) Seed Extract plant extract: Coffee Seed Extract carries caffeine and chlorogenic acid. It is used as an antioxidant extract and, in eye and body formulas, for the look of puffiness.
Carthamus Tinctorius (safflower) Flower Extract plant extract: Safflower Flower Extract is a traditional East Asian dye and skincare plant. It is used as a conditioning antioxidant extract and can tint a formula.
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.
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.
Castanea Crenata Shell Extract plant extract: Chestnut Shell Extract carries tannins and is used as an antioxidant plant extract, most often in formulas aimed at visible pores.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract plant extract: Camellia Sinensis is the tea plant. Green tea leaf extract carries catechins, among the most studied plant antioxidants, and is used for the look of redness and oily shine.
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract plant extract: Zanthoxylum Piperitum is Korean pepper. Its fruit extract is used as a conditioning plant extract and is often paired with pulsatilla and usnea in Korean formulas.
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.
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.

How to use

Cleanse and tone first so the skin is clean and slightly damp, not dripping wet.
Dispense a few drops of RETI-A REEDLE SHOT 300 into the palm or fingertips and press it over the face and neck.
Pat gently until it is absorbed rather than rubbing it in.
Follow with a moisturizer or cream within a minute or two to seal the hydration in.

Worth knowing

Patch test on the inner arm before the first full-face application, as with any new ampoule.
Stop use and rinse if stinging, redness, or itching develops after application.

Complete the routine

This itemVT Cosmetics VT RETI-A REEDLE SHOT 300 50ml$85.00
An as-needed step, in place of the prep layerVT Cica Collagen All In One 3step Mask 1.5g+24g+1.5g$12.50
The treatment step of this routineVT Reedle Shot 1000 15ml$102.50

Total for 3 items$200.00

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VT RETI-A REEDLE SHOT 300 50ml

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VT Cosmetics, Korean-market original

VT Cosmetics ampoule, 50 ml.

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 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