The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
Amazon Basics Basics Refining Retinol Serum
Versus

The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion Versus Amazon Basics Basics Refining Retinol Serum

Emulsion
Serum
Canadian Brand Canada
American Brand United States

Updated on May 12, 2025

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 0 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, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils or parabens

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

New Comparison

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients

Amazon Basics Basics Refining Retinol Serum 32 ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients

Amazon Basics Basics Refining Retinol Serum 32 ingredients

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Retinal 0.2% Emulsion

Water

Skin Conditioning

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Hydroxyapatite

Abrasive
Exfoliant Icon

Retinal

Skin Conditioning
Retinoid IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide

Skin Conditioning

4-T-Butylcyclohexanol

Masking
Fragrance IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid

Skin Conditioning

Ergothioneine

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Bisabolol

Masking
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Masking
Helps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Isohexadecane

Emollient

Hexyldecanol

Emollient

Maltodextrin

Absorbent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum

Skin Conditioning

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Emulsion Stabilising

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Stearic Acid

Cleansing
2-3 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Isoceteth-20

Emulsifying
May cause irritation Icon

Polysorbate 60

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Antioxidant
2 / 0 Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Lactic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Lactate

Buffering

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Chlorphenesin

Antimicrobial
Preservative Icon

Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyapatite, Retinal, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Ergothioneine, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Bisabolol, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Isohexadecane, Hexyldecanol, Maltodextrin, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 60, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

Basics Refining Retinol Serum

Water

Skin Conditioning

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconGood for Oily Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon Icon

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Sulfate Icon

Squalane

Emollient
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Polysorbate 60

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Masking

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Retinol

Skin Conditioning
Retinoid IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Ceramide AP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Ceramide EOP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Emulsifying

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Isopropyl Myristate

Emollient
3-5 / 3 May worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Bleaching
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Potassium Phosphate

Buffering

Dipotassium Phosphate

Buffering

Phytosphingosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Retinol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid

Ingredient Ratings

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

Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
10
10
10
liked
mixed
disliked
not rated
Unlock with Premium
Basics Refining Retinol Serum
10
10
10
liked
mixed
disliked
Unlock with Premium

When to use

The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients

Amazon Basics Basics Refining Retinol Serum 32 ingredients

385 Routines
4% use in am
95% use in pm
51% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
13 Routines
38% use in am
62% use in pm
92% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients

5.00
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Great Value 100% Works Well 100% Absorbs Well 75%
See all reviews for Retinal 0.2% Emulsion

Amazon Basics Basics Refining Retinol Serum 32 ingredients

No reviews yet

Be the first to review Basics Refining Retinol Serum

Write the first review
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