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[ DemythSkin Verdict ]

NEOGEN

NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Retinol Serum

Name: NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Retinol Serum
Brand: NEOGEN

SerumAnti-Aging

Efficacy

Basic

3.5 / 5.0

Safety

Mostly Safe

4.1 / 5.0

System Verdict

This is a retinoid serum diluted by marketing fluff, not a high-performance retinol treatment. The score is dragged down because the formula relies on retinyl palmitate and a modest 475 ppm retinol rather than a clearly optimized, higher-strength retinoid system, while much of the rest of the formula is humectants, emollients, and botanical extras that support feel more than efficacy. The base is otherwise respectable, with glycerin, glycols, hydrogenated lecithin, and a bit of barrier-friendly lipid support, so it should be tolerable and hydrating, but the actual anti-aging punch is only moderate rather than strong.

Active Ingredients Detected

S Tier: Gold StandardsHigh Clinical Proof | Skin-Transformative

RetinolAscorbic Acid

A Tier: Good BasicsProven Results

GlycerinHelianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed OilAdenosineTocopherolLactococcus Ferment Lysate

B Tier: Supporting IngredientsPromising Ingredients

Glycereth-26Retinyl PalmitateOctyldodeceth-16Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate CopolymerC12-14 Alketh-12Hippophae Rhamnoides OilSorbitan IsostearateCentella Asiatica ExtractEthylhexyl OlivateBHTCamellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractBHA

C Tier: Marketing IdolsHype | Limited or Weak Data

Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower ExtractCoptis Japonica Root ExtractPolygonum Cuspidatum Root ExtractScutellaria Baicalensis Root ExtractGlycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root ExtractRosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf ExtractChamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower ExtractCollagen Extract

What Each Ingredient Does

Water: solvent base
Glycerin: humectant
Propanediol: solvent humectant
Butylene Glycol: humectant solvent
Glycereth-26: humectant emollient
Retinyl Palmitate: retinoid ester
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil: emollient oil
1,2-Hexanediol: solvent preservative
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: light emollient
Diphenyl Dimethicone: silicone emollient
Octyldodeceth-16: solubilizer emulsifier
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer: gel thickener
C12-14 Alketh-12: emulsifier surfactant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil: botanical emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate: texture thickener
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer: gel former
Ethylhexylglycerin: preservative booster
Tromethamine: pH adjuster
Polysorbate 20: solubilizer
Retinol: retinoid active
Adenosine: skin-conditioning active
Tocopherol: antioxidant
Sorbitan Isostearate: emulsifier
Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract: botanical extract

Full Ingredient List (INCI)

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Retinyl Palmitate(2.36%), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Octyldodeceth-16, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C12-14 Alketh- 12, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Polysorbate 20, Retinol(475ppm), Adenosine, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, BHT, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, BHA, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Ascorbic Acid, Collagen Extract

Frequently Asked

Is NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Retinol Serum worth it?

NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Retinol Serum scores 3.5 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Basic) and 4.1 out of 5.0 for safety (Mostly Safe) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. This is a retinoid serum diluted by marketing fluff, not a high-performance retinol treatment. The score is dragged down because the formula relies on retinyl palmitate and a modest 475 ppm retinol rather than a clearly

What are the key active ingredients in NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Retinol Serum?

NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Retinol Serum contains these gold-standard actives with strong clinical evidence: Retinol, Ascorbic Acid.

Does NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Retinol Serum contain fragrance or known irritants?

DemythSkin's analysis found no flagged irritants in NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Retinol Serum. It scores 4.1 out of 5.0 for safety.

How is NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Retinol Serum scored?

DemythSkin grades every product on two independent axes: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are classified S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. No brand pays for a score.

Analyze on DemythSkin →

Analysis last updated: 2026-09-02. DemythSkin is an independent ingredient analyzer. Scores are computed by a deterministic rubric from published clinical evidence — no brand pays for a score.