Index / The Inky List / 1% Retinol Serum
The Inky List

1% Retinol Serum.

The Inky List 1% Retinol Serum
Retinoids

About this product

A lightweight serum containing 1% retinol designed to reduce signs of aging and improve skin texture with nightly use.

Best for

Mature skin
Retinoids

The Guru Index verdict

68%

Mixed

~Mixed · 68%
4Reviewers
2Approved
2Mixed
0Skip

What the gurus are saying

Gurus praise this as an affordable, potent starter retinol that delivers solid results for the price point. The consensus is that it's a legitimate high-strength formula, though not exceptional compared to other options. The main caveat is strict nighttime-only use to avoid sun sensitivity; reviewers emphasize patience over a month or two to assess efficacy.
Synthesized from 4 expert reviews
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.

All takes Approved only Skip only Mixed only Hide sponsored
Approved
"This is the Inky List retinol serum, which is a good starter serum. I would always start with retinol rather than anything a little bit stronger. You can use this on the face quite nicely. I would not use this in the daytime because it can sensitize the skin, and if you sensitize the skin and then expose it to UV you could cause some damage to your skin. So if you're going to use retinol you want to use that at night."
~Mixed
"The 1% Retinol Serum from Inky List is a high strength formula. You don't get any additional peptides, but you do get a little bit of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. It's a good formula, it's not the best, but it is a high strength formula."
~Mixed
"I will always say yes to retinol. I haven't tried retinol from The Inky List so I cannot speak about their retinol specifically, but I think that retinol is good, always a good idea."
Approved
"This is another great one, the 1% Retinol Serum from The Inky List. I love The Inky List and The Ordinary because these are both like under 10, 15 bucks, so they're affordable. If you're going to spend your money on something, spend your money on a potent active ingredient and get it at an inexpensive price and try it long enough, like a month or two, to see if it works for you."
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