L'Oreal

Pure Retinol.

Retinoids

About this product

A retinol treatment from L'Oreal that combines pure retinol with B3.

Full ingredients

Aqua/Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat, Glycine Soja Oil / Soybean Oil, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Propylene Glycol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenoxyethanol

Guru Score

68%

Mixed

5 experts · Moderate agreement

5Gurus

3Approved

1Mixed

1Skip

What the gurus are saying

Experts split on whether this pure retinol deserves a regular place in your routine. L'Oreal's established track record with retinol products comes through in the formula, including B3, which some reviewers specifically highlight, though opinions differ on whether it's truly essential for most skin types. It's worth trying if you already favor the brand, but it doesn't earn universal praise as an outright standout.

Synthesized from 5 expert reviews · most recent take September 2025

Type

Retinoids

Key actives

Retinoid Hyaluronic acidVitamin E

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeContains drying alcohol

Where to buy

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

April Basi

71k subs

~Approved

"This one from L'Oreal is one that I really love. It's really gentle on the skin and super functional. A lot of people have used it and said it has great benefits: it's good at turning over your skin cells, good at increasing collagen levels in your skin so your skin doesn't start to sag and get fine lines and wrinkles, and it's good at preserving the skin cells. But it can only do so much, it's still a relatively mild retinol with limited strength, so it might just not be the right one for you."

The Budget Dermatologist

722k subs

~Approved

"One by L'Oreal I love"

Dr. Somji Skin

359k subs

~Skip

"But I do not like the L Oreal Rush P ones um and I mean a lot of people love this and therefore if you look over here you see you've got B3 which is fantastic"

Dr. Shereene Idriss

1.72M subs

~Mixed

"I do hate the fact that it comes in a dropper and it is quite runny"

Dr Dray

2.68M subs

~Approved

"L'Oreal is a good brand with really good retinol products, so the L'Oreal Pure Retinol looks like a good option."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Retinoids

Retinoids are among the best studied ingredients in dermatology, with solid evidence for acne and for the fine lines and rough texture that come from sun exposure. Dryness and flaking in the first few weeks are common and usually settle.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is L'Oreal Pure Retinol?

A retinol treatment from L'Oreal that combines pure retinol with B3.

Is L'Oreal Pure Retinol worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 68%.

What is L'Oreal Pure Retinol's Guru Score?

L'Oreal Pure Retinol holds a Guru Score of 68%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 5 expert reviewers we have collected.