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A 2026 study reported improvements in several measured skin features after eight weeks of using an anhydrous concentrate containing 10% azelaic acid and 0.1% retinal. The study involved 23 participants who completed it, and compared the complete formula with its vehicle; its results do not establish the effect of Azepur99® alone.
A 2026 study reported improvements in redness, surface irregularities, pore measurements and texture after participants used an eight-week skincare concentrate containing 10% azelaic acid and 0.1% retinal. The randomized split-face study evaluated the complete formula, which used Azepur99® as its azelaic acid ingredient, so its results cannot be attributed to that ingredient alone.
The study by Gaudicheau, Ahlström, Gillbro and Åkerström was published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science in 2026. It was a prospective, randomized, vehicle-controlled split-face study: the active concentrate was assessed against its vehicle, with each participant’s face serving as the comparison. Twenty-three participants completed the eight-week study. Researchers assessed skin using Antera 3D imaging and standardized photography, alongside participant self-assessments.
The tested anhydrous concentrate had six listed ingredients: squalane, azelaic acid, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hydrogenated vegetable oil, Hordeum vulgare seed flour and retinal. The active formula contained 10% azelaic acid and 0.1% retinal. Compared with the vehicle, the researchers reported statistically significant improvements in overall redness, surface irregularities, pore parameters and skin texture. The reported changes were 18.1%, 12.7%, 22.3% and 5.6%, respectively. Maximum redness intensity decreased by 5.2%.
Participant responses also favored the active formula. The study report says 95% reported calmer-feeling skin, 87% reported better overall skin condition and 82% reported less oiliness. Improvements in pimple size or severity were reported by 78%, while 74% reported fewer pimples. These percentages describe participants’ self-assessments; they are distinct from the instrument-based measurements and do not by themselves establish how the product would perform for a broader population.
What the Formula Results Show
The findings offer a clinical evaluation of a finished product combining azelaic acid with retinal, rather than evidence about an isolated ingredient. That distinction matters to readers comparing skincare products: the study tested a particular six-ingredient concentrate against its vehicle, and its measured outcomes reflect the full formulation and study conditions.
The reported changes cover several skin features associated with blemish-prone skin, including redness, pore parameters and surface irregularities. The results may help inform further product research, but the study’s 23 completers and eight-week duration set limits on what can be concluded. The supplied report does not establish long-term effects, results across a larger population, or how this formula compares with other products or treatments.
The study also does not show that Azepur99® independently produced the reported outcomes. Azeco Cosmeceuticals supplied the ingredient used in the formulation, while the researchers evaluated the complete active concentrate. Readers should keep that scope in mind when interpreting claims about either the branded raw material or azelaic acid generally.
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How Azepur99® Was Used
Azelaic acid is used in skincare products, including formulations aimed at blemish-prone skin and visible redness. The source report describes growing interest in such products, while emphasizing that the finished formula’s efficacy and tolerability are relevant to consumers. The study provides one evaluated example: an anhydrous concentrate with 10% azelaic acid combined with 0.1% retinal.
Azepur99® was the azelaic acid ingredient in the formula, supplied by Azeco Cosmeceuticals. The company describes it as cosmetic-grade material with at least 99% purity, natural origin and micronized particle size. According to the report, Azeco did not take part in study design, execution, data analysis or publication; its involvement was limited to supplying the ingredient used. The reference lists the paper as “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,” with DOI 10.1111/ics.70131.
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Limits of the Eight-Week Findings
The provided report does not give enough detail to assess every aspect of the findings. It does not state participants’ demographic profile, the full numerical results for each vehicle comparison, or the size of uncertainty around the estimates. It also does not describe adverse events or provide a detailed tolerability analysis, despite the paper’s title referring to efficacy and safety. Those details would help readers assess how broadly the results may apply.
The study cannot isolate the contribution of azelaic acid from retinal or the other ingredients, because it assessed the active formula as a whole. It also does not answer whether the reported changes persist after use stops, how the concentrate performs over longer periods, or whether similar results occur in routine use. The reported percentages should be read in the context of the study’s specific measures, comparator and eight-week window; the supplied material does not specify a broader population baseline for comparison.
People considering products containing retinal should follow the product directions and seek professional guidance if they have a skin condition, are pregnant, or have other concerns about use. The study report is not individualized medical advice, and it does not establish that the concentrate is suitable for every person.
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Further Evidence to Watch
The published study is the current evidence described in the source material. The next useful developments would be independent studies with larger and more clearly described participant groups, longer follow-up and fuller reporting of tolerability. Research that compares formulation components separately could help clarify whether the observed changes are associated with azelaic acid, retinal, their combination or other features of the product.
For now, the reported findings support a narrow conclusion: this particular concentrate showed improvements against its vehicle across several measured outcomes over eight weeks. Further evidence would be needed to establish how durable those effects are, how they translate to other formulations, and whether the same outcomes would be seen in broader routine use. Any future claims about Azepur99® itself would need evidence that distinguishes the ingredient from the complete formula tested here.
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Key Questions
What did the study test?
It tested an anhydrous concentrate with 10% azelaic acid and 0.1% retinal against its vehicle in a randomized split-face study lasting eight weeks. Twenty-three participants completed the study.
Did the study show that Azepur99® alone improved skin?
No. Azepur99® was the azelaic acid used, but researchers evaluated the complete formulation. The reported results cannot establish the independent effect of that ingredient.
What changes did researchers report?
Compared with the vehicle, the study reported improvements in redness, surface irregularities, pore parameters and texture, as well as a reduction in maximum redness intensity. Participants also reported changes including calmer-feeling skin and reduced oiliness.
How long did the study last?
The study ran for eight weeks. The supplied report does not establish whether the outcomes persist after use ends or how the concentrate performs over longer periods.
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