All scans / Serums / The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane ingredients: is it worth it?
This is a brutally strong, no-nonsense retinol oil that prioritizes potency over comfort.
This is a brutally strong, no-nonsense retinol oil that prioritizes potency over comfort.
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A true 1% retinol in anhydrous squalane with minimal extras gives high-evidence anti-aging and texture benefits, but the lack of buffering humectants or barrier-lipid system means irritation risk is very real and the formula is deliberately aggressive rather than elegant.
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DemythSkin rates The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane 4.2/5 for efficacy and 4.2/5 for safety.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS BY TIER
Gold Standards
High clinical proof | Skin-transformativeReliable
Proven resultsPotent
Developing evidenceOverhyped | Marketing
Hype | Limited dataDocumented Irritants
Evidence-backed flagFORMULATION BASE (1)⌄
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄
Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Retinol, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, BHT
WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (8)⌄
- Squalane
- Emollient base, skin-identical lipid
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Emollient, texture enhancer
- Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
- Emollient, lightweight oil
- Retinol
- Vitamin A anti-aging active
- Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract
- Antioxidant plant extract
- Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
- Antioxidant, soothing plant extract
- Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
- Antioxidant, soothing helper
- BHT
- Antioxidant preservative
EXTERNAL CITATIONS
Retinol: Topical retinol at 0.1–1% has strong evidence for improving fine lines, wrinkles, and photoaging by increasing epidermal turnover and dermal collagen (e.g., Kafi et al., Arch Dermatol. 2007;143(5):606-612).
Squalane: Squalane is a skin-identical emollient lipid that can support barrier function and reduce transepidermal water loss (Zouboulis et al., Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2016;29(1):10-17).
DISCLAIMER: THIS ANALYSIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. AI-GENERATED DATA BASED ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INGREDIENT LISTS. VERIFY WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
A cheaper serum with a similar formula
A partial ingredient match (44%), not a close dupe.
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane: common questions
Is The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane worth it?
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane scores 4.2 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Effective) and 4.2 out of 5.0 for safety (Gentle) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. This is a brutally strong, no-nonsense retinol oil that prioritizes potency over comfort.
What are the key active ingredients in The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane?
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane contains these gold-standard actives with strong clinical evidence: Retinol.
Does The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane contain fragrance or known irritants?
DemythSkin's analysis found no flagged irritants in The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane. It scores 4.2 out of 5.0 for safety.
How is The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane scored?
DemythSkin grades every product on two independent scores: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are graded S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. Brand and price are not part of the score, and no brand pays for one.
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