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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% versus Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel .

Published on April 06, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both prescription. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and retinoid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances and parabens

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Prescription American Brand United States
Prescription American Brand United States

Prescription

Prescription skincare treatments. The ingredients in these product are prescription strength and considered medication. In many countries, these must be prescribed by a certified professional.

Prescription

Prescription skincare treatments. The ingredients in these product are prescription strength and considered medication. In many countries, these must be prescribed by a certified professional.

Price

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Buy Tretinoin 0.05%

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Buy Tretinoin 0.05% Gel

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% 12 ingredients

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel 16 ingredients

alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% 12 ingredients

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel 16 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Anti-Aging
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Anti-Aging
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (4)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does:
Community Rating: Loved

Tretinoin is a form of Vitamin A. It is stronger than retinol and only available with a prescription in many countries.

Research on tretinoin has found it to be effective in anti-aging the skin. It helps improve damage from the sun, even the skin tone, and smooth out wrinkles.

Tretinoin has also been found to be an effective acne treatment by reducing sebum production in pores.

Tretinoin, like other forms of Vitamin A, increases the turnover cycle of skin cells. This helps the skin create newer and healthier skin cells faster. Due to its strength, it can cause irritation, redness, and dry skin. Those with sensitive skin should consult a professional about using tretinoin.

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

Read about Retinol

Learn more about Tretinoin

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 1.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Perfuming, Preservative, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.

Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.

Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.

Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.

Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.

Learn more about Benzyl Alcohol

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 2.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant. As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.

BHT also helps stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Many products are sensitive to air and light. BHT prevents them from breaking down when exposed.

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 3.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 4.

4
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming
Community Rating: Disliked

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 4.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 6.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 8.

6
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.

Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.

Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.

The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.

Learn more about Methylparaben

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 7.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 10.

7
What it does: Emulsifying

Octoxynol-9 are part of a group called ethoxylated alkyl phenols. Octoxynols are usually found in hair-coloring products.

As an emulsifier, it helps keep other ingredients together.

The 9 stands for the average number of ethylene oxide units used to create this ingredient.

Learn more about Octoxynol-9

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 9.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 11.

8
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 10.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 14.

9
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 11.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 15.

10
What it does: Buffering, Emulsifying, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Triethanolamine is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.

As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.

PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.

Learn more about Triethanolamine

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% contains this as ingredient number 13.

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel contains this as ingredient number 16.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% 12 ingredients

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel 16 ingredients

42% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
8% have no rating yet
31% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
63% are disliked or very disliked
6% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% 12 ingredients

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel 16 ingredients

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Altreno Tretinoin 0.05% 12 ingredients

4.8 /5
from 5 ratings
borntohula85's avatar

borntohula85

7 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

Tretinoin is the best thing that has ever happened to my skin. While retinization isn’t easy, my skin has never looked better than now at 38.

Sbutler85's avatar

Sbutler85

9 months ago · Normal Skin
Review

the bomb.com

Obagi Tretinoin 0.05% Gel 16 ingredients

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