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Geek and Gorgeous released their new high strength retinal recently, the Geek and Gorgeous A-Game 20. It is one of the two strongest budget retinal serums available at the moment, with only Medik8 offering a 0.24% concentration at a much higher price point.
But is it worth your money, what changed compared to the other A-Game products and how is it different to The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion?
Let me give you my thoughts!
What the Geek and Gorgeous A-Game 20 claims
Our very high-strength Retinal serum is formulated with 0.2% stabilized, sustained-delivery Retinaldehyde + 1% soothing Ectoin to noticeably help against all signs of aging. A-Game 20 is a silky, light emulsion, perfect for all skin types.
Facts about the Geek and Gorgeous A Game 20
Price and size
One bottle of Geek and Gorgeous A-Game 20 contains 30 ml and is available for 22,80 € on the website here. For comparison, A-Game 10, the lower strength, is available for 18,80 €. Like all products from the brand it is vegan and cruelty free.
Texture and smell
I had a bottle of A-Game 10 in my stash and compared that one to A-Game 20 split face. A-Game 10 has a tendency to take a little to fully absorb, and if I am very, very accurate, I’d say that A-Game 20 takes even longer. That is only noticeable in a split face application though, so I doubt you’d notice it in real life, applying just one.
Like all other Retinals I have tried it is bright yellow. Be warned, some people claim it will stain white bedding when applied directly before bed. That isn’t something I personally experienced, but I do my routine a little before bed time anyway.
Similar to the other two A-Games there is no noticeable scent.
How to use the Geek and Gorgeous A-Game 20
Retinal, just like other retinoids, belongs in the „Treatment Step“ of your routine. That means it goes on after cleansing and usually at night. (More info: How to build an effective skincare routine)
If your skin is sensitive or you want to make sure you don’t get irritation when increasing the concentration, you can also use a method called “Buffering” where you apply it after a thin layer of moisturizer. (More info: How to use Retin-A with minimal irritation)
The recommended frequency is using it every night, but building up gradually and starting with every other or even every third night is something I recommend with Retinoids in general. I personally wouldn’t pair it with other potentially irritating ingredients in the same routine, just to be careful, but every skin has a different threshold here.
The lotion like texture means that, depending on your skin type and the climate you live in, you might be able to skip the moisturizer afterwards – just see how your skin feels and decide based on that.
Ingredients of the Geek and Gorgeous A-Game 20
sii|h 0 0, Triheptanoin emo, Cetearyl Olivate 
emu, Sorbitan Olivate emu, Panthenol so|h 0 0, Ectoin aox|so|h, Cellulose vc, Allantoin so 0 0, Retinal cci, Biosaccharide Gum-1 so|h, Tocopherol aox 0–3 0–3, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer vc, Citric Acid buff, Disodium EDTA chel, Phenoxyethanol pres, Ethylhexylglycerin presHover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
When comparing A-Game 20 to A-Game 10, you’ll notice a few interesting changes:
The first one that caught my eye is that in A-Game 20 the Cyclodextrin is missing. The Cyclodextrin-Retinal-Complex is the form of stabilised Retinal I have come across most often, so I assumed they were using the same one in here – apparently not.
The second change I noticed is that the different plant extracts that were present in A-Game 10 are also missing here, something you will appreciate if your skin is reactive.
They also added Ectoin to the formula, an ingredient claiming to sooth the skin. (More info: The benefits of Ectoin in your skincare explained). The rest of the formula is pretty similar: Glycerin for hydration and Allantoin and Panthenol for soothing. (More info: The benefits of Panthenol in skincare explained)
Does it live up to its claims?
Yes.
Now I can’t judge the sustainably claimed part, but it is a light and silky emulsion that should work for all skin types.
How does it compare to The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion?
A few months before this one was released, The Ordinary released their very first Retinal Serum, also with a concentration of 0,2%. They are very similar in terms of texture and – thanks to my husband for testing both patiently for me – also similar in effect on the skin. Neither felt more irritating or more soothing than the other one. In terms of formulation, The Ordinary has a different approach with soothing ingredients, using Bisabolol, a synthetic Ceramide and a synthetic molecule copying the effects of colloidal oatmeal, but I am not sure that will make much of a difference in real life. As The Ordinary contains only 15 ml as opposed to the 30 ml in the A-Game 20, it is pricier in terms of cost per ml.
You can read my full review of The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion here.
Would I repurchase and which skin types do I recommend the Geek and Gorgeous A-Game 20 to?
I personally use Tretinoin for my adult acne, but ever since convincing my husband that he needs a routine, as basic it might be (More info: Minimalist skincare routine) he has been using a Retinal. Texturewise Medik8 is his preference, but as that one is way more expensive, he has settled for this one instead. As long as you’re not sensitive to any of the ingredients, it should work for all skin types.
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