Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion versus Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum .
Last updated on March 15, 2024. Published on March 17, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain retinoid and Vitamin E
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, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Emulsion
A lighter version of moisturizer, usually with a gel-consistency.
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
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum 19 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
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 🎉
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
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum 19 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
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:
This product contains 2 ingredients 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:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum 19 ingredients
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
Water • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Oleyl Erucate • Glycerin • Triheptanoin • Cetearyl Olivate • Sorbitan Olivate • Cyclodextrin • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Biosaccharide Gum-1 • Allantoin • Retinal • Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil • Panthenol • Citric Acid • Tocopheryl Acetate • Disodium EDTA • Ethylhexylglycerin • 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.
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 WaterThe Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 1.
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Retinal is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the gold-standard class of anti-aging ingredients.
Retinal has many benefits as other retinoids: improve skin texture, reduce large pores, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, heal scars, and fight acne.
Studies show retinal may work at a faster rate than retinol due to its structure.
All retinoids have to be converted into retinoic acid before starting to work. Some retinoids take several steps of conversion before binding. Retinal is only one step away, making it more potent.
Like other retinoids, retinal may be irritating. It is best to ease into using this ingredient frequently.
Using the 'ramp up' method, start by using retinol once a week. This gives your skin time to adjust and decrease irritation. Once you feel ready, you can slowly increase the frequency of retinol use.
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.
Learn more about RetinalThe Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 6.
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
Biosaccharide Gum-1 is a sugar created from fermented sorbitol. Most sorbitol is made from potato starch.
This ingredient is a a skin conditioning ingredient and helps moisturize the skin.
It is also naturally found in fruits such as apples and pears.
Learn more about Biosaccharide Gum-1The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 11.
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 21.
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 30.
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion contains this as ingredient number 31.
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum 19 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum 19 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion 32 ingredients
GemKelly
This is a very effective product at an incredible price point. It has a bright lemon yellow colour that will stain your skin for the night, as well...
This is a very effective product at an incredible price point. It has a bright lemon yellow colour that will stain your skin for the night, as well as your pillowcases, but washes out. I use it every second night and have seen significant improvement in the fine lines on my face since I started using it about 4 weeks ago. One and a half pumps does my whole face. I've experienced no retinization symptoms from either retinoid emulsions that I've used from The Ordinary, and prior to the using them I had never used a retinoid, and I believe that the emulsion is an effective yet gentle delivery method.
I really like the pump that the Retinal 0.2% is sold in. The product is light safe and doesn't need to be kept in the fridge.
Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum 19 ingredients
sword
Changed My Skin Completely
This retinal is genuinely amazing. It's one of the only noncomedogenic retinoids that I've found, and it has such a...
Changed My Skin Completely
This retinal is genuinely amazing. It's one of the only noncomedogenic retinoids that I've found, and it has such a small percentage of retinal that it's very well suited for beginners, especially those with sensitive skin. It has a very light lotion texture that absorbs very easily. I had a very short and light purge - it lasted about a week and a half and I only had some whiteheads, nothing intense. I started using it every third night, but now I'm using it every other night because it's gentle enough that my skin can take it that frequently. But the changes to my skin are VERY noticeable. My skin is almost completely clear, it's less oily, my acne scars are fading very quickly, and my pores have shrunk SO much I didn't think it was even possible for my skin to look like this. This product is absolutely incredible.
elinstrandh
Yes baby, this is the good stuff! When I switched from retinol to this my skincare journey changed completely. In my opinion it’s more effective...
Yes baby, this is the good stuff! When I switched from retinol to this my skincare journey changed completely. In my opinion it’s more effective and a lot less harsh on my skin (coming for someone who has sensitive skin). This is unscented which is also great. Affordable compared to other A-vitamin products out there. Definitely recommend!
Alternatives
We haven't detected any alternatives for The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion.
Our Dupe Finder has found 8 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 0.05% Retinal Serum.
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