Quick answer for retinol shoppers looking specifically for retinal:
- Choose Abib PDRN Volume fill-it Booster crème for a retinal cream with PDRN, Volufiline and peptides, plus stated cosmetic targets across several facial areas.
- Choose Avène RetrinAL 0.1% Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream for a cream that specifies 0.1% retinaldehyde and lists hyaluronic acid and niacinamide among its key ingredients.
- Check the ingredient name first: a product labeled with retinol belongs in a retinol shortlist, even when it also has barrier-supporting or moisturizing companions.
If a recommendation says “retinol” but you want retinal, this comparison covers two cream-format options whose makers name retinal or retinaldehyde. Abib pairs retinal with PDRN, Volufiline and peptides; Avène specifies 0.1% retinaldehyde and highlights hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and Avène Thermal Spring Water. Choose Abib for its PDRN-and-Volufiline profile and multi-area cosmetic positioning, or Avène for a specified retinaldehyde concentration and evening face-and-neck directions.
Here, “formula companions” means other named ingredients in a cream alongside its retinal form. The comparison uses each maker’s formula descriptions, appearance targets, application directions, package size and displayed U.S. price.
1. Screen the active name before comparing companions
Retinol and retinaldehyde are distinct forms of vitamin A. Dermalogica’s retinoid guide describes retinol converting to retinaldehyde and then to retinoic acid, placing them at different steps in that sequence. For this shortlist, “retinal” or “retinaldehyde” names the ingredient match; “retinoid” refers to the wider family, and “retinol” names a different form.
A product can include companion ingredients and still identify its retinoid as retinol. CeraVe’s Resurfacing Retinol Serum identifies its retinoid as encapsulated retinol. CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Day Cream also identifies its retinoid as encapsulated retinol.
RoC’s official Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream names retinol in the product title.
2. Abib: retinal with PDRN, Volufiline and several named peptides
Abib describes PDRN Volume fill-it Booster crème as a targeted anti-aging booster formulated with PDRN, Volufiline, retinal and peptides. Abib’s official product page specifies PDRN (identified as salmon DNA) at 15,000 ppm and Volufiline at 10,000 ppm. The listed size is 30 ml, or 1.01 fl oz. The Abib U.S. listing displayed $23.80 and a crossed-out $28 price and marked the product sold out when captured on October 2, 2026.
The product description is especially relevant if your priority is the look of volume loss across several areas. Abib says the cream targets the appearance of forehead lines, smile lines, under-eye areas and neck wrinkles. It also describes the PDRN and Volufiline as ingredients for visibly plumper-looking hollow areas and elasticity, and the retinal-and-peptide combination as supporting the look of texture and elasticity.
The full ingredient list gives more detail than the headline phrase “peptides.” The ingredient list names Sodium DNA, retinal, niacinamide, panthenol, glycerin, squalane and ceramide NP alongside peptides.
Formula figures read best beside the ingredient they measure. Avène’s 0.1% retinaldehyde equals 1,000 ppm; Abib’s ppm values describe PDRN and Volufiline. A unit conversion puts the numbers on one scale, while the ingredient names show that they refer to different components, not like-for-like retinal levels.
“Peptides” is a broad category, rather than one ingredient with a single shared role. A review indexed on PubMed identified 102 commercially available cosmetic peptides and describes their supporting efficacy evidence as varied, including in-vitro and ex-vivo findings. Most cosmetic peptides in the review were inspired by molecules found in the human body. The authors describe claimed roles from collagen and hyaluronic-acid signaling to antioxidant activity, pigmentation and enzyme inhibition; this range makes “peptides” a broad family label rather than a single ingredient role.
For a reader choosing between these two creams, Abib’s distinct strength is its disclosed PDRN-and-Volufiline pairing plus multiple named peptides in a product that explicitly calls out the under-eye and neck appearance areas. It suits someone who wants those companions and those multi-area cosmetic targets represented in one cream. The formula also includes retinal, so it passes the active-name screen for a retinal shortlist.
3. Avène: 0.1% retinaldehyde with hydration-focused companions
Avène RetrinAL 0.1% Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream is the clearer pick when a disclosed retinaldehyde concentration is a priority. The current U.S. product page identifies 0.1% retinaldehyde and highlights hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and Avène Thermal Spring Water among its key ingredients. Avène describes hyaluronic acid as moisturizing and visibly smoothing and plumping; it describes niacinamide as helping improve the look of fine lines and skin-barrier function. These label details give shoppers a more explicit percentage and companion profile to compare with Abib’s PDRN and Volufiline emphasis.
Avène’s RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream ingredient page also lists retinal, tocopheryl glucoside, oleoyl dipeptide-15 and oleoyl tetrapeptide-31 in the ingredient list. Avène directs evening use on the face, neck and décolleté and recommends daily sun protection during use, according to its product directions. That makes it a straightforward choice for someone looking for an evening face-and-neck cream with an explicitly named retinaldehyde strength and named peptide ingredients.
Avène’s example routine places the cream at Step 3, Moisturize, after a cleanser and serum, followed by Step 4, Protect. This gives shoppers a maker-defined routine position alongside the product’s evening application directions.
Avène’s Youthful Radiance Duo pairs RetrinAL 0.1 cream for the face with a separate RetrinAL Eyes Advanced 3-in-1 Eye Cream. When captured on October 2, 2026, the set was listed at $100, $17.50 below its stated $117.50 value. Avène says the eye cream targets fine lines, wrinkles, uneven tone, puffiness and dark circles. Abib’s own description names the look of under-eye areas among its targets; Avène’s routine presents eye-area care as a separate product choice. That distinction can guide you if your main shopping decision is whether you want one cream described for several areas or a face cream alongside dedicated eye care.
Avène lists hyaluronic acid and niacinamide among its key ingredients, while Abib lists glycerin and panthenol alongside retinal.
Avène’s official U.S. listing showed $68 for 1.0 fl oz when captured on October 2, 2026. With the captured listings at about 1 fl oz each, Avène’s $68 price is $44.20 higher, or roughly 2.9 times Abib’s $23.80 price.
4. Match the formula to the ingredient priorities you care about
Both products meet the core label criterion: each names a retinal form. The useful difference lies in what else the maker identifies, the product’s stated areas of use and the price shown in the U.S. store listings. The table compares active identity, named companions, stated use, package size and captured U.S. price.
| Cream | Retinal name and concentration | Named companion profile | Stated cosmetic use and directions | Size and U.S. price captured Oct. 2, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abib PDRN Volume fill-it Booster crème | Retinal named in the ingredient list | PDRN 15,000 ppm, Volufiline 10,000 ppm and peptides; also lists niacinamide, panthenol, glycerin, squalane and ceramide NP | Abib names forehead lines, smile lines, under-eye areas and neck wrinkles as appearance targets | 30 ml / 1.01 fl oz; $23.80 listed, with $28 crossed out |
| Avène RetrinAL 0.1% Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream | 0.1% retinaldehyde | Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and Avène Thermal Spring Water among key ingredients; ingredient list also names tocopheryl glucoside and two peptides | Evening use on face, neck and décolleté; Avène also offers a separate eye cream in its routine | 1.0 fl oz; $68 |
Choose Abib if you prioritize a single cream whose description names forehead, smile-line, under-eye and neck appearance areas, along with its PDRN-and-Volufiline profile.
FAQ
Does retinal mean the same thing as retinol?
No. Retinol and retinaldehyde are different forms: retinol converts to retinaldehyde, which then converts to retinoic acid.
Which cream states a retinaldehyde percentage?
Avène RetrinAL 0.1% Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream specifies 0.1% retinaldehyde. Abib names retinal in its ingredient list and emphasizes PDRN, Volufiline and peptides in its product description.
Which option names the under-eye area as a target?
Abib names the look of under-eye areas among its product-wide cosmetic targets. Avène’s product directions cover the face, neck and décolleté, and its Youthful Radiance Duo adds a separate eye cream for targeted eye-area care.
What should I look for if my current recommendation says only “retinoid”?
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum, CeraVe Skin Renewing Day Cream and RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream name retinol; Abib names retinal, while Avène specifies retinaldehyde.