La Roche-Posay Adapalene Gel: a Guru Score of 89%

Every take, in full

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.

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Dr. Mamina

279k subs

✓Approved

"Derms are huge fans of retinoids, so starting an adapalene is also great too."

Dr. Daniel Sugai

718k subs

✓Approved

"Works better on acne than retinol even though they're both vitamin A derivatives. This newer synthetic adapalene actually works better on the receptors that control acne inflammation and the sebum or the pore lining. It keeps the pores clean more effectively than retinol. I would not layer adapalene with retinol. You can have adapalene and retinol but I would alternate them by the day. Use one night adapalene, a pea-size amount to the entire face, and then the next day you can do your retinol. Don't double up and do it either twice a day of the same product or layer the two. You're just going to run into trouble and cause a bad contact dermatitis."

All 2 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai

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"I'm going to use the Adapalene from La Roche-Posay. You get a pea-size amount of your retinoid, dab it on the back of your hand, and then start making your dots. I always start at the forehead, the cheeks, the nose for sure, you do not want to forget, and then you can lighten up around the mouth where yes you could have acne here but this is very sensitive skin. Then you can also bring it down to your neck. You can spread the love down to the neck, the chest, and then rub the excess to the back of your hands, bring it down to your forearms, and then connect the dots on your face. You don't have to break these up and do it different times of the day, just do it all when you're about to go to bed."

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"Works better on acne than retinol even though they're both vitamin A derivatives. This newer synthetic adapalene actually works better on the receptors that control acne inflammation and the sebum or the pore lining. It keeps the pores clean more effectively than retinol. I would not layer adapalene with retinol. You can have adapalene and retinol but I would alternate them by the day. Use one night adapalene, a pea-size amount to the entire face, and then the next day you can do your retinol. Don't double up and do it either twice a day of the same product or layer the two. You're just going to run into trouble and cause a bad contact dermatitis."

Kelly Driscoll

90k subs

✓Approved

"Adapalene, particularly good retinoid for acne prone skin. La Roche-Posay actually sells one that you can get without a prescription. Retinoids can be very beneficial here for brightness and smoothness of the skin, and they're particularly helpful for controlling acne and inflammation. I do suggest building at least one into your skincare routine."

Doctorly

3.57M subs

✓Approved

"Adapalene Gel is a phenomenal acne ingredient. It's probably the most powerful acne ingredient you can find over the counter. It's incredible for those open and closed comedones and it's going to really improve the texture of your skin, short of getting a prescription medication from your dermatologist. This is definitely on the best list, but I don't think that it is superior to any of the other options out there, so if you can find it for a good price I highly recommend it. The over-the-counter version is 0.1% adapalene, which is a lower concentration than the prescription strength 3% version that exists."

Top Pick: over-the-counter acne ingredient

Common questions

Frequently asked.

What is La Roche-Posay Adapalene Gel?

A topical gel containing 0.1% adapalene, a synthetic retinoid available over the counter, designed to treat acne, reduce inflammation, and improve skin texture.

Is La Roche-Posay Adapalene Gel worth it?

Yes. All 4 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 89%.

What is La Roche-Posay Adapalene Gel's Guru Score?

La Roche-Posay Adapalene Gel holds a Guru Score of 89%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 independent expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.