AliceintheRabbitHole has worked through more than 10 retinoids, and she brings a sharp personal frame to all of them: she uses adapalene herself for acne, so she knows exactly what she is comparing everything else against. Most products made her approvals list, a handful got mixed takes, and she skipped a couple outright. Her clear winner is Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10.
What does AliceintheRabbitHole recommend in retinoids?
What she keeps coming back to is value for what you actually get. She praised La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% for proving that 0.1% is plenty, calling it the best thing she ever did for her skin. She liked it enough to switch to the Walgreens Adapalene Gel 0.1% store brand to save money without losing a thing. She was impressed by the Anua Retinol 0.3% Niacinamide Renewing Serum for listing exactly what percentage of niacinamide is in it, a level of honesty she clearly values, and her skin did well on it. The Prequel Retinal Renew Retinaldehyde Gel 0.2% also caught her eye: she watched a close partner's skin transform on it, though she flagged that 0.2% is a strong starting point. Anyone new to retinoids may want to try the 0.1% version first. That practical caution runs through most of her approving takes.
In her words
"It flies in the face of the mentality that more is more, it all comes down to every ingredient individually, and adapalene at 0.1% is a fantastic level. I still to this day only use it every other day, so it took me a long time to finish it, this lasts for so long and it is not expensive. I switched to the Walgreens store brand version and I'm saving even more money. Best thing I ever did for my skin, a strong retinoid."
"They're telling you the niacinamide percentage, 5%, a great well studied level for evening out skin tone, and the retinol complex is [...] 11% retinol, which is a fantastic beginner level. I'm shocked how well this went for me, I do actually feel my skin did great with this, and I love the disclosure. Because it has a lot of plant extracts you might want to proceed with caution if you have a more reactive skin type."
"If you told me you want the best over-the-counter affordable retinoid for anti-aging, hands down it is the Geek and Gorgeous retinaldehyde options, they have it in different levels, brilliant. The reason I do not use that myself is because I have acne and there is a specific retinoid for acne, so that is what I use instead."
"I don't personally use this because I already use adapalene, but my partner started using the 0.2% [...] and it's been absolutely amazing to watch her skin transform. [...] She's tested other retinoid products since and isn't liking them as much as this, this one was the best she has tried. [...] 0.2% is a strong level, so if you're new to the ingredient you might want to start with the 0.1% instead."
"I saw it sitting next to Differin at Walgreens and the box compared itself to Differin, so I compared the two and it held up just as well, so I saved myself some money and went with the Walgreens brand instead. Nothing has ever changed my skin as much as adapalene products, regardless of who makes them, I find them all to be quite similar. It's the retinoid recommended for acne prone skin, and [...] I think it's [...] one of the best things you could add to your routine."
"You could buy this product if you want to simplify your routine, it does have some fragrance but it's probably a nice option."
How many retinoids has AliceintheRabbitHole reviewed?
AliceintheRabbitHole has reviewed 15 retinoids, for an approval rate of 67%. 10 approved, 3 mixed, and 2 skipped.
What has AliceintheRabbitHole skipped in retinoids?
She skipped the Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum, saying she did not love HPR and felt the ingredient needed more research behind it. She also noted it contains essential oils alongside retinol, which is worth knowing for anyone with sensitive skin. The Peace Out Retinol Eye Stick was the other skip: she found it tugged a little too much on application, though she was kind enough to add that stick formats do work for some people who like the convenience.
"The Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum uses a blend of HPR, which is supposedly one of the newer generation retinoids. I didn't love it, I didn't love HPR, and I feel like more research would be nice. This product also has retinol and a lot of essential oils, so heads up to my fellow sensitive skin types."
"I didn't personally love the Peace Out Retinol Eye Stick. [...] It tugged just a little bit too much for me. That said, I know some people do enjoy stick products for convenience, so to each their own."
What should you take from AliceintheRabbitHole's picks?
AliceintheRabbitHole's record on retinoids rewards people who want honest, grounded guidance. She does not chase novelty, she praises clear labelling, and she is vocal about the difference between a retinoid that works for acne and one that works for ageing. An approval rate of 67% tells you she does not hand out approvals freely, which makes the ones she gives worth paying attention to.
Watch AliceintheRabbitHole say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10 Retinal Serum (0.1%)Named a winnerWatch at 7:34
- Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol SerumSkipped itWatch at 10:14
- Peace Out Retinol Eye StickSkipped itWatch at 3:18
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1%Rated itWatch at 22:14
- Anua Retinol 0.3% Niacinamide Renewing SerumRated itWatch at 12:47
- Prequel Retinal Renew Retinaldehyde Gel 0.2%Rated itWatch at 12:08
- Walgreens Adapalene Gel 0.1%Rated itWatch at 3:09
- StriVectin Super C RetinolRated itWatch at 2:08
- Kinship Dreamwave 2% Bio-Retinoid Complex Renewal SerumRated itWatch at 12:48
- Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10 Retinal Serum (0.1%)Rated itWatch at 14:01
- Paula's Choice Retinal Renew Retinaldehyde Gel 0.1%Rated itWatch at 16:12
- Isntree Hyper Retinol EX 1.0 SerumRated itWatch at 3:14
About this expert
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This guide reflects what AliceintheRabbitHole said across her videos about 15 products in retinoids, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.