Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment Ingredients Explained

4.8   from 15 ratings
105
11
67
35

Updated on August 14, 2023

Overview

What it is

Serum with 8 ingredients that contains retinoid

Cool Features

It is fungal acne (malassezia) safe

Suited For

It has ingredients that are good for fighting acne and anti aging

Free From

It doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, silicones or sulfates

Fun facts

Differin is from United States. This product is used in 1495 routines created by our community.

We independently verify ingredients and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Does this product need an update? Let us know.

You should know

Here's our breakdown of the notable ingredients, benefits, and concerns we determined from the ingredients in this product. Click any item to learn more.

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid

Benefits

Anti-Aging
Acne Fighting

Concerns

Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema (2)

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

Ingredients Overview

Here's our quick-to-read summary of the ingredients in this product. Keep scrolling if you'd like to learn more about what each ingredient does!
Ingredient
Features
1
Retinoid IconMay cause irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps fight Acne IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon
2
Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming
1 / 0
3
4
Preservative
0 / 0
Preservative IconParaben IconNon-Reef-Safe IconMay worsen Eczema Icon
5
Emulsifying
6
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
0 / 0
May worsen Eczema Icon
7
Skin Conditioning, Solvent
8
Buffering

Ingredients Explained

This product contains 8 ingredients. Click on any ingredient to learn more about it
1
What it does:
Community Rating: Liked

Adapalene is a type of retinoid and common acne treatment.

It has been found to be as effective as other retinoids while causing less irritation. Adapalene helps with anti-aging and acne treatment.

You can buy adapalene over the counter, or in-store, in concentrations of 0.1% in gel form. 0.1% lotion or cream and 0.3% gel are only available with a prescription.

Learn more about Adapalene
2
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming
Community Rating: Disliked

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.

3
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA
4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.

Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.

Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.

The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.

Learn more about Methylparaben
5
What it does: Emulsifying

We don't have a description for Poloxamer 182.

6
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Disliked

Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.

Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.

This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.

Those with sensitive skin or conditions may deliver a rash when using this ingredient.

Learn more about Propylene Glycol
7
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water
8
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide
Embed Ingredients

Here's what our community thinks of the 8 ingredients in this product ✨

25% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
13% have no rating yet

When to use

We've created a guide with info on when you should use Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment. We've also included some recommended products to use it with, as well as some routine inspiration!

Read our guide on when to use Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment ->
Verified by SkinSort

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The data we've presented on this page has been verified by a member of the SkinSort Team.

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Latest Reviews

View all 15
jazzzzz1's Avatar'
Jan 16, 2024

I've been using this on and off for around 2 years. I thought this was going to help my acne, but looking back at pictures I actually think it's made my acne worse! It's made my acne areas really inflamed and red with angry spots. Think...

I've been using this on and off for around 2 years. I thought this was going to help my acne, but looking back at pictures I actually think it's made my acne worse! It's made my acne areas really inflamed and red with angry spots. Think it's time to cut it out of my routine... Given it 2 stars as it soaks in pretty fast and is hydrating.

Irritating
Light
Absorbs Well
No Scent
jojoswrld_'s Avatar'
Jan 7, 2024

Works! Doesn’t irritate my skin when used on a dry surface. I hate how my skin looks when it sends all the clogged sebum to the surface of my skin, but it clears over time and leaves the skin incredibly firm and smooth. It’s the only not...

Works! Doesn’t irritate my skin when used on a dry surface. I hate how my skin looks when it sends all the clogged sebum to the surface of my skin, but it clears over time and leaves the skin incredibly firm and smooth. It’s the only not cruelty-free product I use just because it’s benefitted me so greatly and, in my opinion, is indisputably the best prescription-grade retinoid especially for sensitive skin.

Irritating
Light
Absorbs Well
Light Scent
Works Well
Read more reviews ->