Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Obagi Retinol 1.0 versus The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on July 27, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe facial treatments. They have a total of 3 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain retinoid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Ingredient Info
Obagi Retinol 1.0 39 ingredients
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane 6 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Obagi Retinol 1.0 39 ingredients
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane 6 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.
Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Obagi Retinol 1.0 39 ingredients
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane 6 ingredients
Water • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Glyceryl Stearate • Cyclopentasiloxane • Butylene Glycol • Stearic Acid • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Polysorbate 60 • Stearyl Alcohol • Glycerin • Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer • Retinol • Polysorbate 20 • Dimethicone • Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil • Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract • Hypericum Perforatum Flower Extract • Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract • Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract • Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract • Cyclohexasiloxane • Sorbitol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Ascorbic Acid • Ubiquinone • Sodium Hyaluronate • Propylene Glycol • BHA • Bisabolol • Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Disodium EDTA • Triethanolamine • Carbomer • Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer • Caprylyl Glycol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Hexylene Glycol • Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideObagi Retinol 1.0 contains this as ingredient number 2.
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 2.
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:
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
Learn more about RetinolObagi Retinol 1.0 contains this as ingredient number 12.
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 3.
This ingredient is the fixed oil extracted from seeds of the desert shrub Jojoba. It is more commonly known as jojoba oil. The seed oil is liquid wax ester from the plant. It is non-comedogenic.
Jojoba oil does not contain fragrance and has many fatty-acids, making it a great soothing ingredient. Jojoba contains Vitamin E, a great moisturizing ingredient. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect your skin against free-radical damage. This may help in anti-aging.
Jojoba seed oil is a humectant, meaning it helps draw moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
While jojoba has antibacterial properties, it is only able to kill some bacteria. It has also been shown to help in wound healing. Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns.
It is found to be similar to natural human skin sebum, so it has a great effect on dry skin. Jojoba oil may even help with regulating sebum production.
Although jojoba oil is non-comedogenic, we recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have any concerns.
Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Jojoba is native to the southwestern US.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilObagi Retinol 1.0 contains this as ingredient number 15.
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 5.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Obagi Retinol 1.0 39 ingredients
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane 6 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Obagi Retinol 1.0 39 ingredients
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane 6 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Obagi Retinol 1.0 39 ingredients
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane 6 ingredients
specialuniquesnowflake
Just no. Oily products absolutely don't work for me. They just sit on my skin for hours, feels like they don't absorb at all. Therefore no visible...
Just no. Oily products absolutely don't work for me. They just sit on my skin for hours, feels like they don't absorb at all. Therefore no visible effect either. If oily products don't work for you, just skip this one.
magicalmarion
Gave me a balancing skin complexion and nice soft feeling by using it as an evening serum. But when i used it more often broke me out (fungal...
Gave me a balancing skin complexion and nice soft feeling by using it as an evening serum. But when i used it more often broke me out (fungal acne). Didn’t see any major changes but did not irritate me.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 30 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Obagi Retinol 1.0.
See 30 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 5 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane.
See 5 alternatives