
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane
Welcome to our explanation of everything that you need to know about The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane. Let’s get started!
Description
- vegan and cruelty-free facial treatment that contains retinoid.
- it doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates.
- it does contain fragrances and oils.
- it is reef safe.
- it is not fungal acne (malassezia) safe.
This product was submitted by Amberfizzle on November 26, 2020
Directions
Apply a small amount to face in the PM as part of your skincare regimen, after water-based serums but before heavier treatments. Do not use with other retinoid treatments. Avoid unprotected solar exposure.
Ingredient List (8)
Product Info

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 🎉

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 🎉
Community Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the 8 ingredients in this product ✨
Ingredient Details
Here's a breakdown of the benefits, notable ingredients, and drawbacks that we found with The Ordinary's Retinol 0.5% in Squalane.
Benefits (8)








Notable Ingredients (1)

The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane Ingredients Explained
This product contains 8 ingredients. Click on any ingredient to learn more about it
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Because Squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits. Squalane is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.
Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.
Research shows that Squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).
In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.
Read more about squalene with an "e".

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.


Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil is the fixed oil expressed or extracted from seeds of the desert shrub, Jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis, Buxaceae. Jojoba is native to the southwestern US. The seed oil is liquid wax ester from the plant. It is non-comedogenic.
Jojoba oil does not contain fragrance and has many fatty-acids, making it a great soothing ingredient. Jojoba contains Vitamin E, a great moisturizing ingredient. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect your skin against free-radical damage. This may help in anti-aging.
Jojoba seed oil is a humectant, meaning it helps draw moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
While jojoba has antibacterial properties, it is only able to kill some bacteria. It has also been shown to help in wound healing. Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns.
It is found to be similar to natural human skin sebum, so it has a great effect on dry skin. Jojoba oil may even help with regulating sebum production.
Although jojoba oil is non-comedogenic, we recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have any concerns.











Retinol, AKA Vitamin A. Unlike AHA's, retinol does not remove the top layer of old and dead skin cells. Instead, it travels directly to the middle layer and gets to work. It neutralizes free radicals, boosting elastin and collagen production. This in turn makes retinol effective in removing fine lines, wrinkles, and enlarged pores.
Retinol is sensitive to breakdown when exposed to sun and air. It will also make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so it is recommended to wear SPF after applying retinol.
It is not recommended to use any retinols while pregnant. Retinol may cause irritation in some people.
Read about Tretinoin

Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract is an antioxidant.
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
While Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil can be volatile due to its fragrant properties, this component is usually removed in the leaf extract.
Rosemary Leaf Extract can help protect your skin against damage from free-radical molecules. It contains many antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Rosemarinic acid has been found to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone is a synthetically created molecule made to mimic ginger extract.
Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and helps to soothe skin.
According to one study, it is an HA booster, antioxidant, and anti-irritant.
In this study, this ingredient was able to stimulate higher hyaluronic acid levels of the dermal and epidermal layers on a skin-like model. Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant, which means it helps attract moisture to your skin. Humectants help keep skin hydrated.
As an antioxidant, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone is able to fight off damage from free-radical molecules.

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant. As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
BHT also helps stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Many products are sensitive to air and light. BHT prevents them from breaking down when exposed.
Beautiful widgets for your website
Reviews (1)
Often Compared With
Here are some products that The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane is often compared with.
Want to compare it with a different product? Head on over to our comparisons tool and you can!
Compared 13,447 times
Compared 8,072 times
Compared 5,237 times
Compared 5,157 times
Compared 2,985 times