Dr.Reju-All Advanced Retino-Mela Serum Review - Unparalleled Skin Texture

Dr Reju-All launched onto the Korean beauty scene in only mid-2025. At just over a year of being on the shelves, they have experienced amazing success in a variety of spaces. They market themselves carefully as a ‘pharmaceutical’ brand, designed for pure treatments and results. From their famous Advanced PDRN Rejuvenating cream and their LC-Ceramide Barrier Cream, they have had wonderful success in simple products that are non-irritating. But have they done the same with a powerful retinoid?

The Advanced Retino-Mela Serum has seen popularity with a balanced, soothing formula that is specifically designed for dark spots. Perfect for sensitive skin, this creamy and light serum is infused with a variety of brightening ingredients, but the most interesting is: ✨Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate ✨

So, why is this retinoid so interesting? It's a modern retinoid designed to address visible fine lines and dark spots, to create perfectly textured skin. It has been found to be on-par with the power of a cosmetic laser treatment, which is wild for a topical retinoid  (i.e. retinol, retinal). It firms the skin, reduces visible pores and does all this with far reduced irritation of other retinoids. 

Simply put, if you are a fan of the power of retinol (but hate the burn), this specialised retinoid might just be the perfect thing for you! How does it improve your skin? Well, we're just going to have to put it to the test.

Niacinamide: brightening vitamin B3 that helps lift dark spots and even skin tone for a natural, golden glow.   

Tranexamic acid: is used to reduce redness and appearance of inflammation or blood vessels under the skin. It can also inhibit melanin, preventing hyperpigmentation and creates clearer, brighter skin. 

Seaweed extract: deeply hydrating and soothing extract that helps cool the skin, reduce redness and inflammation for clearer, smoother skin texture. 

Sugarcane extract: firming and hydrating extract naturally rich in glycolic acid, to help clear pores, exfoliate skin and seal the skin barrier for improved hydration. 

Sodium hyaluronate: water magnet that helps draw water into skin cells and hold it for lasting, deep hydration that carries your throughout the day.    

Tree Peony extract: rich in antioxidants, this floral extract helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles as well as improving natural skin brightness. 

Panthenol: soothing and hydrating vitamin B5 that helps improve skin texture and heal from damage and irritation.   

Bisabolol: natural extract from brewed chamomile, rich in a variety of skin soothing mediators that help stimulate skin repair, providing proteins against environmental damage. 

Vitamin E: hydrating antioxidant that helps reduce the skin’s stress, provides protection against environmental pollutants and stimulates skin healing. 

Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate: modern retinoic acid ester that helps stimulate collagen production to firm and smooth skin, reducing fine lines and reducing pigment formation to prevent dark spots. 

Adenosine: boosts skin cell collagen production and general elasticity of skin, perfect for fine lines. 

Beta-glucan: deeply hydrating molecule that retains extra moisture and helps smooth and soften dry and damaged skin.       

Sounds like this serum has a lot of benefits… so who wouldn't benefit from it? Well, the formula of this serum is genuinely designed for sensitive skin and soothing hydration, so unless you had a specific allergy to one of the ingredients, it is designed for a wide variety of skin types.

It's generally very suitable to anybody struggling with texture issues (dark spots, large pores, fine lines) who needs a little refresh.

As an individual with sensitive skin and often have acne outbreaks and scarring, I'm always excited to trial out products that improve texture and clear skin. Also hyperpigmentation is always a concern with inflammation, so I always try to have a niacinamide/TXA serum in my routine. As this serum not only has niacinamide and tranexamic acid (TXA) in it (but also a modern retinoid for testing), I was excited to see the texture changes it could make.

I added it to my morning (AM) routine, to help boost brightness and provide additional protection against UV damage underneath my SPF+ layer.

The serum is incredibly lightweight, absorbs quickly and has a light, natural and medicinal scent on application (that fades quickly). It leaves no residue and layers incredibly well, along with having zero irritation (despite the powerful retinoid). 

After 2 weeks of use, I was excited to see a gentle improvement to textures and skin redness. It helped reduce pore texture, improved healing of old acne spots and improved my natural skin glow. Gentle skincare does have a more subtle improvement and requires longer time to show results.

You can see the immediate benefit of the seaweed and sugarcane extract in reducing redness, as well as healing benefit of bisabolol and HPR. As a soothing serum, it yields great benefits that improve over time.

For this kind of serum, I would really recommend it for those that are happy with slow-and-steady results and improvement. It's incredibly soothing and gentle, perfect for easily irritated and acne-prone skin and helps reduce post-acne spots, scarring and hyperpigmentation.

If you struggle with sensitive skin, check out the whole soothing and healing range by Dr Reju-All on Arktastic.

Want to learn more about how soothing skincare can be? Check out our guide to caring for redness in skin, to keep cool and bright this summer! Or check out our review of the amazing Dr Reju-All Advanced PDRN Serum.

What is Dr. Reju-All Advanced Retino-Mela Serum?

It’s a Korean skincare serum formulated with hydroxypinacolone retinoate (HPR), niacinamide and tranexamic acid. The review also notes soothing and hydrating ingredients including panthenol, bisabolol and sodium hyaluronate.

What is HPR in skincare?

HPR, or hydroxypinacolone retinoate, is a type of retinoid. Dr. Reju-All’s product information recommends using the serum at night and following with moisturiser.

What results did the review notice?

After two weeks, the reviewer noticed a gentle improvement in skin texture and redness. That’s one person’s experience; results vary.

Is the serum suitable for sensitive or acne-prone skin?

The reviewer experienced no irritation during the trial. Skin can react differently, so patch test and introduce the serum gradually.

How should I use the Retino-Mela Serum?

Follow the product directions. Dr. Reju-All recommends night use; if using it in the morning, apply sunscreen. The brand advises against use during pregnancy.