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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane versus Pixi Beauty Retinol Tonic .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on July 17, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 2 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, parabens, silicones 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
Toner British Brand United Kingdom

Facial Treatment

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

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Price

Shop

Buy Retinol 1% in Squalane

Starts at $8.90
Shop

Buy Retinol Tonic

Starts at $15.00

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
Vitamin C
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Eczema
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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: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Triglyceride

The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 2.

Pixi Beauty Retinol Tonic contains this as ingredient number 7.

2
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 1% in Squalane contains this as ingredient number 3.

Pixi Beauty Retinol Tonic contains this as ingredient number 19.

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

33% are loved or liked
33% have mixed ratings
17% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet
36% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
25% are disliked or very disliked
29% 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 1% in Squalane 6 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 4 reviews
specialuniquesnowflake's Avatar'
Mar 13, 2024

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.

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.

Heavy
Oily
Doesn't Work
magicalmarion's Avatar'
Jan 13, 2024

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.

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.

Great Value
Light
Absorbs Well
Oily
Light Scent
lonelydeath's Avatar'
Apr 20, 2024

I was told that this was okay for people with oily skin, guess not for me. It destroyed my t-zone, clogged about every pore I had, but left the rest of my face hydrated and smooth because I have combination skin. It also left a oily...

I was told that this was okay for people with oily skin, guess not for me. It destroyed my t-zone, clogged about every pore I had, but left the rest of my face hydrated and smooth because I have combination skin. It also left a oily residue on just about anything my hands or face touched after I was done, had to wipe everything down to get rid of the residue.

Hydrating
Broke Me Out
Irritating
Oily

Pixi Beauty Retinol Tonic 28 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 review
starstellastar_407's Avatar'
Apr 15, 2024

Excellent. Most retinol are super comedogenic or have squalene, which breaks me out. This has none of that and the bottle is huge! You get a lot of product for the price and it doesn't irritate me. I know the retinol works too, as I made...

Excellent. Most retinol are super comedogenic or have squalene, which breaks me out. This has none of that and the bottle is huge! You get a lot of product for the price and it doesn't irritate me. I know the retinol works too, as I made the mistake of putting it on my lips, and they peeled so much. Don't do that, that was just me being stupid. Has a pleasant light scent and has helped with my acne a lot. Give it a try if you want a retinol and you have acne.

Great Value
Hydrating
Absorbs Well
Light Scent
Works Well

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 5 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 10 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Pixi Beauty Retinol Tonic.

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