Given the fact that there are not many retinol serums available in Indian market I decided to try the Time Reverse Retinol Serum from the brand Dot and Key. The decision to use retinol serum was based on the numerous great reviews I have got from famous youtubers and bloggers. However, some of the most popular ones are either very expensive or not available in common platforms. I guess Dot and Key is one such brand which is trying to create a lot of different types of serums which have high public demand in India. I have tried their Hyaluronic acid serum and Vitamin C serum and I liked them. Now let’s give you my review on the retinol serum.

Price and Quantity : The product comes in a 30 ml bottle with a dropper and it retails for INR 1195. You can buy the product from Nykaa or from the official Dot and Key website.

Description :

• This supercharged anti-ageing serum promises a three-pronged action :

1. Reducing fine lines
2. Fading dark spots
3. Enhancing skin’s elasticity.

• The retinol serum contains Tripeptides and Retinol, that slows down skin ageing by capturing free radicals and promoting collagen regeneration.
• Infused with a botanical blend of Rosehip, Ylang Ylang & Geranium Oils, and highly moisturizing vitamin E & A

Ingredient List :

Purified Water,Dimethicone (and) Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptied -5, Cyclopentasiloxane (and) Dimethiconol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol (and) Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxy Ethyl cellulose, Vitamin A Palmitate, Rosehip Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Geranium Oil, Helichrysum Oil, Perfume.

My take on the serum :

Let’s first talk about why we do need retinol. You will find plenty of blogs to understand what Retinol does and why people are going gaga over it. However, I did some digging into actual scientific research papers and found some interesting facts. First of all let’s understand that ageing of skin can be of two types. Chronological ageing is an inevitable process whereas photo ageing is the premature ageing of skin occurring due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation.  Photoaging is the superimposition of photodamage on intrinsically aged skin generally bringing about premature aging. This specific damage occurs by chronic exposure of the skin to UV light. Hence, the skin becomes coarse; epidermis thickens initially and then thins resulting in loss of elasticity. Hence, our skin can experience wrinkles, irregular hyperpigmentation etc. The pores of the skin become larger. Although retinoids show promise in the treatment of skin aging but it can cause irritant reactions such as burning, scaling or dermatitis. Other retinoids mainly represented by retinaldehyde and retinol are considerably less irritating. The importance of retinol (vitamin A) was discovered during World War I. The modern history of retinoids, however, began in 1909 when an essential factor in the fatty extract of the egg yolk, called vitamin A, was discovered. Vitamin A cannot be synthesized by the body; hence it needs to be supplied to the body. Various studies have confirmed that retinol should be effective in the treatment of aging and photoaging. Another research was conducted on usage of retinol with other anti-ageing products and a successful study published that repeated topical application of a preparation containing both retinol and vitamin C could reverse, at least in part, skin changes induced by both chronological and photoaging.

So, before using the product I knew that my skin will take some time to adjust to retinol serums. There will be skin purging or break outs. Thankfully I did not experience any breakout but I experienced dryness and a few bumps here and there. I have been using the product for 4 months now but not everyday. I have limited the usage to twice a week with a 3 -4 days gap. Another important point to note that retinol serums must be used at night as they can react in sunlight. After applying the serum I apply a cote of a light vitamin c based lotion to restore the hydration.

Now coming to the ingredient analysis of this particular product; Dimethicone crosspolymer is a silicone derivative that is used in skincare and cosmetic formulations to improve texture and help condition the skin and hair and it is considered to be safe for skin. Methylsilanol Mannuronate is an anti-ageing agent and is an organic derivative of seaweed that binds moisture in the epidermis therefore firming and strengthening the skin. Palmitoyl Tripeptied -5 is also another known agent for anti-ageing. Vitamin A Palmitate is the source of retinol in this product. They also have added some essential oils like rosehip (known for anti-ageing) and Geranium (to dilute the consistency of serum and also for removing wrinkles). They did not mention the exact percentage of these ingredients in the product.

Because I have this bad habit of rubbing my eyes; I noticed a few lines around my under eyes. Although I used an eye cream/gel separately earlier but they did not remove those lines. I put a small amount of the serum around my eyes and around my lips. These two areas I feel show the early signs of ageing. The serum is little runny and looks transparent. I did not feel any heaviness after applying it. It got absorbed quickly. After using it for the third week I suddenly realized that the fine line that were showing up in my under eye area completely vanished. I should have clicked a before and after picture as a proof but I myself could spot the difference. However, it did not remove any blemishes and I experienced dryness after applying. So may be in winter we need to supplement this serum with hydrating moisturizers. Please note that I did not use any expensive under eye cream in these 3 weeks but used a vitamin c based lotion on my face. That’s it.

I know there are some very good retinol serums but they are crazily high priced. So at this price point I really liked this serum given the result and will continue to use it in future as well. So a few key points I want to reiterate

• Do not apply retinol serums during daytime
• Do not use it everyday. Use it at a regular interval.
• Listen to your skin. If you feel dryness use a natural/organic moisturizer which is hydrating.
• A break out is common while using retinol products for the first time.

Hope you found this review helpful. Have a nice day 🙂