Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane versus Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinol Serum .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on March 02, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 1 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 common allergens, 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 Canadian Brand Canada
Serum American Brand United States

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Retinol 0.5% in Squalane

Starts at $8.30
Shop

Buy A+ High-Dose Retinol Serum

Starts at $85.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant 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

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid (2)
Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (3)
May Worsen Oily Skin (6)
Irritating (3)
Rosacea
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: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Retinol is a form of Vitamin A and proven to help with anti-aging.

It promotes collagen production, increases new cell turnoever, and protects your skin as an antioxidant.

Retinol boosts collagen production and increases cell turnover. This makes retinol effective in removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, and reducing the appearance of pores.

Retinol is less effective when exposed to sun. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent.

Using retinol and 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.

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 Retinol

The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 4.

Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.

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

38% are loved or liked
38% have mixed ratings
13% are disliked or very disliked
13% have no rating yet
31% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
40% are disliked or very disliked
20% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane 8 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 reviews
CaroleD's Avatar'
Dec 26, 2023

It’s a great value but it’s definitely like rubbing pure oil on your face, squalane breaks me out apparently.

I don’t like the feeling of oil on my face, it’s just too much for me.

It’s a great value but it’s definitely like rubbing pure oil on your face, squalane breaks me out apparently.

I don’t like the feeling of oil on my face, it’s just too much for me.

Great Value
Hydrating
Broke Me Out
Heavy
Oily
No Scent
glasscasita's Avatar'
Sep 13, 2021

Like the texture
I've tried a lot of retinols and liked the texture of this one the most

Like the texture
I've tried a lot of retinols and liked the texture of this one the most

Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinol Serum 55 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 review
reneelovesherskin's Avatar'
Jan 19, 2023

Definitely high-dose retinol!
This is a powerful retinol serum that is no joke. I tried easing into it by going every other night, then moved to every night. I ended up with signs of a damaged skin barrier (redness) on my chin. I'm going...

Definitely high-dose retinol!
This is a powerful retinol serum that is no joke. I tried easing into it by going every other night, then moved to every night. I ended up with signs of a damaged skin barrier (redness) on my chin. I'm going to lay off this on my chin for a couple weeks, then try again, but stick to every other night. I like that I'm getting a strong dose of an excellent skincare ingredient, but I need to take care not to overdo it.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane.

See 4 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 9 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinol Serum.

See 9 alternatives
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