IO Retinol Oil Solution (Squalane, Jojoba Seed Oil, Retinol)

Retinol has been the reference ingredient in evening skincare for decades. Customers know it, look for it by name and expect smoother-looking skin and a finer-looking texture from steady use. IO Retinol Oil Solution (Squalane, Jojoba Seed Oil, Retinol) presents retinol already dissolved in a lipid carrier together with two botanical extracts and an antioxidant, which spares the formulator the difficult step of handling raw retinol.

Reading the INCI

The product card gives a complete ingredient list: Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Retinol, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract and Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone. Squalane, triglyceride and jojoba form a light, skin-friendly carrier. Retinol is the active. Tomato and rosemary extracts add botanical character, and hydroxymethoxyphenyl decanone is an antioxidant ingredient used to support a stable formula. The retinol content and recommended level are confirmed on the CoA for each lot.

An oil-based blend

The spec table on our page uses a generic water-phase template, but the INCI makes it clear that this is a lipid solution. Handle it as an oil-phase ingredient: blend it directly into an anhydrous serum or add it to the oil phase of an emulsion after cooling. Long heating and exposure to air and light are the main enemies of retinol, so it always goes in at the end.

Product formats

Night oil serum

An anhydrous oil serum is the simplest and most stable option. Add a little more squalane or a light ester to fine-tune the feel, and package it in a dark glass or airless container.

Night cream

In an emulsion, add the solution to the oil phase or to the cooled cream with good mixing. Choose a cushioned base with humectants and barrier lipids, since retinol products can make some skins feel dry.

Eye and neck products

These delicate areas call for lower levels and a richer base. Test tolerance carefully.

Formulating rules

Work below 40 °C, minimize air with gentle mixing, and use opaque or airless packaging. Add an antioxidant such as tocopherol to the oil phase for extra protection. The card gives a working pH from 3.0 to 7.0 for the finished product. Combining retinol with strong exfoliating acids in the same product is generally avoided. For a gentler plant-based option in the same range, consider bakuchiol, and for a different retinol format there is our Retinol Oil. Botanical blends of this kind are listed in our botanical extracts category.

Advice for users

Recommend starting two or three evenings a week and building up, applying a thin layer to dry skin, and using sunscreen every morning. Advise consumers to patch test and to follow local labeling rules for retinol products. Keep claims cosmetic: smoother-looking, more even-looking and refined-looking skin.

Consistency across batches

Check color and odor of each delivery against the previous lot, since retinol solutions can darken slightly with time. Keep the bottle refrigerated after opening if your storage space allows and use it within the period indicated on the CoA.

Original recipe: retinol night oil, 100 g

Squalane 45.00 g, caprylic/capric triglyceride 25.00 g, jojoba oil 15.00 g, rosehip seed oil 10.00 g, IO Retinol Oil Solution (Squalane, Jojoba Seed Oil, Retinol) 4.00 g as an example level to confirm on the CoA, tocopherol 0.80 g, bisabolol 0.20 g. Combine the oils at room temperature under dim light, add tocopherol and bisabolol, then add the retinol solution last with slow stirring. Fill into amber airless bottles straight away.

Storage

Store tightly closed in a cool, dark place, ideally refrigerated after opening. Minimize air in the container and reseal immediately after use.