Reducing Yellow Color and Staining in Retinal Serum

Retinal (Retinaldehyde) naturally has a deep yellow color, which is a characteristic of this ingredient. Directly reducing the yellow color within the Retinal molecule in a finished serum can be challenging.

However, to improve the visual appearance of the serum and make the color less noticeable on the skin, you can consider adding ingredients that help adjust the overall color of the formulation. For instance, using a very small amount of cosmetic colorants can help counteract or mask the yellow tint. For example, a suitable amount of a light violet or blue shade might help neutralize the yellow appearance. Care must be taken not to add too much, which could change the serum's color to something else.

Furthermore, choosing an encapsulated form of Retinal (such as Retinal-EZ™) might improve dispersion in the formula, and the initial color of the raw material might appear lighter than the powder form. However, the yellow color will still be present when incorporated into the formulation.

In summary, adding appropriate cosmetic colorants in small amounts is a common method used to help adjust the color of formulations containing naturally colored ingredients like Retinal.