Skin-Nomad's Take — At a Glance
- Sea fennel, a plant retinol alternative, with oatmeal, shea and squalane
- Rich, cushiony night cream that leaves skin soft and dewy by morning
- For dry, sensitive and mature skin that finds retinol too much
Plenty of people want what retinol does for fine lines and texture and cannot live with what it does to their skin. SIREN SILK takes a different route: sea fennel extract, the samphire Earth Harbor calls its bio-retinol, set in a rich night cream of colloidal oatmeal, shea and plant oils. Earth Harbor Naturals, a US brand founded by a toxicologist and herbalist, built it as a nightly moisturiser first, with the renewal work folded in.
Key Benefits
- Sea fennel offers a gentler route to renewal. Crithmum maritimum, sea fennel or samphire, is a coastal plant Earth Harbor chose for retinol-like effects on texture and fine lines without the dryness and peeling retinoids bring. Its use in skincare is recent, and published research on it is still early. Earth Harbor reports that 98% of people testing it had smoother, softer skin.*
- Colloidal oatmeal calms and protects. Oatmeal has a long track record with dry, itchy and sensitive skin, and here it sits third on the list, directly after the aloe base.
- Shea, mango, cocoa and avocado rebuild comfort overnight. A blend of plant butters and oils, finished with squalane, replaces the lipids dry skin loses and seals moisture in while you sleep.
Texture & Finish
A rich, cushiony cream in a soft yellow-white, with a subtle fruity, nutty scent from its butters and extracts. It takes a minute or two to sink in and leaves a soft, dewy finish that suits a night routine.
Note: Despite the name, there is no retinol or other retinoid in the formula; the bio-retinol is sea fennel. The cream contains sweet almond oil.
Ideal For
- Skin types: All skin types, especially dry, sensitive and mature skin.
- Skin concerns: Fine lines, dryness, rough texture and loss of firmness.
- Best used by: Someone who has tried retinol, found it too harsh, and wants a night cream that works on texture and fine lines while keeping their skin comfortable.
FAQ
Q: Is bio-retinol the same as retinol?
A: No. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that the skin converts into retinoic acid. The bio-retinol here is sea fennel extract, a plant ingredient with no vitamin A in it, and Earth Harbor positions it without the peeling or the slow build-up that retinol asks for.
Q: How does it compare with bakuchiol?
A: Both are plant alternatives to retinol. Bakuchiol has the larger body of published research, including a randomised comparison against retinol. Sea fennel is newer to skincare and less studied, and SIREN SILK pairs it with a rich, soothing cream base, so it suits people who want nourishment first.
Q: Can I use it with other actives?
A: Yes. It goes on last at night, after serum, and sits comfortably over niacinamide, peptides or a vitamin C serum used earlier in the day. It also works as the buffer layer over a retinoid if you use one.
For people who gave up on retinol, a night cream that works gently on the same concerns is a way back in.
* Earth Harbor's published results: 98% had smoother, softer skin, 96% had improved hydration, 92% saw reduced fine lines, 96% had more even skin tone and 94% noticed firmer skin, reported as immediate or after two weeks. Earth Harbor does not publish who ran the testing, how many people took part or the method. Results vary between individuals.
Explore more
Browse more moisturisers, see dry skin picks, or explore the full Earth Harbor Naturals range.
Skin-Nomad's Take — At a Glance
- Sea fennel, a plant retinol alternative, with oatmeal, shea and squalane
- Rich, cushiony night cream that leaves skin soft and dewy by morning
- For dry, sensitive and mature skin that finds retinol too much
Plenty of people want what retinol does for fine lines and texture and cannot live with what it does to their skin. SIREN SILK takes a different route: sea fennel extract, the samphire Earth Harbor calls its bio-retinol, set in a rich night cream of colloidal oatmeal, shea and plant oils. Earth Harbor Naturals, a US brand founded by a toxicologist and herbalist, built it as a nightly moisturiser first, with the renewal work folded in.
Key Benefits
- Sea fennel offers a gentler route to renewal. Crithmum maritimum, sea fennel or samphire, is a coastal plant Earth Harbor chose for retinol-like effects on texture and fine lines without the dryness and peeling retinoids bring. Its use in skincare is recent, and published research on it is still early. Earth Harbor reports that 98% of people testing it had smoother, softer skin.*
- Colloidal oatmeal calms and protects. Oatmeal has a long track record with dry, itchy and sensitive skin, and here it sits third on the list, directly after the aloe base.
- Shea, mango, cocoa and avocado rebuild comfort overnight. A blend of plant butters and oils, finished with squalane, replaces the lipids dry skin loses and seals moisture in while you sleep.
Texture & Finish
A rich, cushiony cream in a soft yellow-white, with a subtle fruity, nutty scent from its butters and extracts. It takes a minute or two to sink in and leaves a soft, dewy finish that suits a night routine.
Note: Despite the name, there is no retinol or other retinoid in the formula; the bio-retinol is sea fennel. The cream contains sweet almond oil.
Ideal For
- Skin types: All skin types, especially dry, sensitive and mature skin.
- Skin concerns: Fine lines, dryness, rough texture and loss of firmness.
- Best used by: Someone who has tried retinol, found it too harsh, and wants a night cream that works on texture and fine lines while keeping their skin comfortable.
FAQ
Q: Is bio-retinol the same as retinol?
A: No. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that the skin converts into retinoic acid. The bio-retinol here is sea fennel extract, a plant ingredient with no vitamin A in it, and Earth Harbor positions it without the peeling or the slow build-up that retinol asks for.
Q: How does it compare with bakuchiol?
A: Both are plant alternatives to retinol. Bakuchiol has the larger body of published research, including a randomised comparison against retinol. Sea fennel is newer to skincare and less studied, and SIREN SILK pairs it with a rich, soothing cream base, so it suits people who want nourishment first.
Q: Can I use it with other actives?
A: Yes. It goes on last at night, after serum, and sits comfortably over niacinamide, peptides or a vitamin C serum used earlier in the day. It also works as the buffer layer over a retinoid if you use one.
For people who gave up on retinol, a night cream that works gently on the same concerns is a way back in.
* Earth Harbor's published results: 98% had smoother, softer skin, 96% had improved hydration, 92% saw reduced fine lines, 96% had more even skin tone and 94% noticed firmer skin, reported as immediate or after two weeks. Earth Harbor does not publish who ran the testing, how many people took part or the method. Results vary between individuals.
Explore more
Browse more moisturisers, see dry skin picks, or explore the full Earth Harbor Naturals range.
