Retinol (Ingredient Explained + Products)

You should know

What it is

Retinoid

Benefits

Acne

Good for Oily Skin

Brightening

Texture

Large Pores

Anti-Aging

Dark Spots

Scar Healing

Concerns

Dry Skin

Irritation

Eczema

Explained

Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.

Why is retinol famous?

It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.

Retinol is proven to:

Tell fibroblasts to create more collagen
Remove old elastin
Protect cells from oxidative stress
Form new blood vessels
Increase new cell turnover
Treat acne

This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.

Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).

Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.

We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.

Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.

Read about Tretinoin

People also like: Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Salicylic Acid

People also dislike: Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Salicylic Acid

Also known as: Vitamin A

Retinol is a rare cosmetic ingredient, with about 1.8% of the products in our database containing it.

What it does:

Skin Conditioning

Everything you need to know about Retinol in skincare

Retinol is one of the most famous skincare ingredient these days. It rose to fame for its science-backed anti-aging benefits. ...

Updated 4 months ago

Community Stats

20772 people from our community have liked or disliked this ingredient.

Users who like it 💖

Often have the following skin types:

Combination Dry

Usually have one or more of the following skin concerns:

Wrinkles • Fine Lines • Dullness • Dark Spots

Users who dislike it 💔

Often have the following skin types:

Sensitive Normal

Usually have one or more of the following skin concerns:

Sensitivity • Dryness • Redness • Dullness

Where it's used

Retinol is most often found as ingredient number 15 within an ingredient list.

Of the 15 products in our database that have a known concentration of Retinol, we've seen concentrations from 0.03% to 3% specified within their ingredient lists.