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A 2026 study evaluated a six-ingredient skincare concentrate containing 10% azelaic acid and 0.1% retinal, with Azepur99 used as its azelaic acid source. After eight weeks, researchers reported improvements against the vehicle control, but the results apply to the complete formulation, not Azepur99 alone.
A 2026 study in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science reported improvements in skin measures after eight weeks of using a finished concentrate containing 10% azelaic acid and 0.1% retinal. The formula used Azepur99, an azelaic acid ingredient supplied by Azeco Cosmeceuticals, but the study tested the complete product rather than Azepur99 on its own.
The randomized, prospective, split-face, vehicle-controlled study enrolled participants with blemish-prone skin. Twenty-three people completed it. The researchers assessed outcomes with Antera 3D imaging, standardized photographs and participant self-assessments over an eight-week period.
The tested product was an anhydrous, six-ingredient concentrate containing squalane, azelaic acid, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hydrogenated vegetable oil, Hordeum vulgare seed flour and retinal. The active formula was compared with its vehicle, allowing researchers to assess differences between the complete active product and its base.
Compared with the vehicle, the finished active formulation showed reported improvements of 18.1% in overall redness, 12.7% in surface irregularities, 22.3% in pore parameters and 5.6% in skin texture. Maximum redness intensity was reduced by 5.2%. The study report describes these differences as statistically significant; the figures are outcomes for the combined formulation, not estimates of the isolated effect of either active ingredient.
In self-assessments, 95% of participants said their skin felt calmer, while 87% reported an improvement in overall skin condition and 82% reported reduced oiliness. Participants also reported improvements in pimple size or severity (78%) and number of pimples (74%). These are participant-reported results and should be distinguished from the instrument-based measures.
What the Formula Results Show
The study offers a clinical evaluation of a finished product combining azelaic acid and retinal, rather than evidence about an ingredient in isolation. That distinction matters to consumers and product developers: performance and tolerability can depend on the whole formulation, including its other ingredients and how they are combined.
The reported measurements and participant feedback may be relevant to people looking for products aimed at blemish-prone skin, visible redness and uneven texture. However, the findings describe outcomes in a small group over eight weeks. They do not establish that all products with the same azelaic acid concentration will produce comparable results, or that every user will experience the reported changes.
Azeco Cosmeceuticals supplied Azepur99, but the report states that the company did not take part in the study’s design, execution, data analysis or publication. The supplier’s involvement was limited to the ingredient being used. The study’s results therefore cannot be presented as proof that Azepur99 alone caused the observed effects.
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How Azepur99 Was Used
Azepur99 is described by its supplier as a cosmetic-grade azelaic acid with at least 99% purity, natural origin and micronized particle size. In the study, it was the source of the azelaic acid in a formula containing 10% of that ingredient, alongside 0.1% retinal.
The published paper is titled “Efficacy and safety of a novel anhydrous 0.1% retinal and 10% azelaic acid concentrate for blemish-prone skin: An eight-week randomized prospective split-face, vehicle-controlled study.” It is attributed to Gaudicheau, Ahlström, Gillbro and Åkerström and appeared in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science in 2026. The report identifies Skinome Research as the organization that evaluated the formulation.
“The study evaluated the complete formulation containing 10% azelaic acid and 0.1% retinal.”
— Study authors, as described in the report
Limits of the Eight-Week Findings
The source report provides results for 23 study completers and an eight-week assessment period, but does not give enough detail here to determine how well the findings apply to larger or more diverse groups, or whether effects persist after product use ends. It also does not provide a separate estimate for azelaic acid’s contribution versus retinal or the other formula components.
The supplied material does not detail adverse events, participant demographics, the full numerical results for each measurement, or the study’s funding and author disclosures. The paper’s title refers to efficacy and safety, but the available report excerpt does not provide specific safety findings. These details should not be inferred from the efficacy results.
What Further Evidence Could Clarify
The next step for readers seeking a fuller account is to consult the 2026 journal paper, which may provide methods, participant characteristics, statistical details and safety reporting beyond the supplied summary. Further studies with larger groups, longer follow-up and designs that can separate the effects of individual ingredients would help clarify how broadly the results apply.
For now, the reported findings support a limited conclusion: one finished concentrate containing 10% azelaic acid and 0.1% retinal showed measured and self-reported improvements over eight weeks compared with its vehicle. They do not establish the performance of Azepur99 as a standalone ingredient or predict an individual user’s response.
Key Questions
What did the study test?
It tested an anhydrous concentrate containing 10% azelaic acid and 0.1% retinal, compared with its vehicle, over eight weeks.
Was Azepur99 tested by itself?
No. Azepur99 supplied the azelaic acid used in the complete formula. The reported results apply to the whole formulation, not to Azepur99 in isolation.
How many people completed the study?
Twenty-three participants completed the study, according to the report.
What changes did researchers report?
Compared with the vehicle, the finished active formula showed reported improvements in redness, surface irregularities, pore parameters and skin texture, along with a reduction in maximum redness intensity. Participants also reported changes in how their skin felt and looked.
Does the study show that the product will work for everyone?
No. The findings describe a small study over eight weeks and cannot predict every person’s response. The supplied report also does not provide detailed safety findings or establish how long any effects last.
Source: rss
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