The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane: a Guru Score of 63%

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 Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

~Nay

"It's fragrance-free, no denatured alcohol, which I love, plus they try to protect the retinol with the darker glass. However, it is still a dropper, and that is still a problem when it comes to retinol. This is 0.5% retinol, which actually isn't even allowed in the UK anymore, 0.3% is the maximum, so I recommend if you want to go with The Ordinary, go with their 0.2%. They add in tomato fruit extract, a lycopene-rich antioxidant, and rosemary leaf extract with rosmarinic acid, which helps stabilize the formula. What lets it down is the packaging. Heat accelerates retinol degradation significantly, and being in a warm climate like India isn't really going to be suitable for this, and most of us don't have time to keep it in the fridge. So for India, I think this product is just a no. I love The Ordinary for so many other products, but this isn't going to be one of them. This one unfortunately gets a three out of 10."

All 3 takes from Dr. Vanita Rattan

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"The downside here is the packaging. It is nave safe. You know, even looks very similar, comes out the blends the same into the skin. However, this is 0.5%. So, this actually would now not be allowed in the UK and EU. 0.3% is going to be the max. So, they are going to have to reformulate this product. Again, not in Ella's palm. We just don't know how effective it is. So, for me, it's a no for skin of color."

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"So for me it's a no for skin of color"

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"It's fragrance-free, no denatured alcohol, which I love, plus they try to protect the retinol with the darker glass. However, it is still a dropper, and that is still a problem when it comes to retinol. This is 0.5% retinol, which actually isn't even allowed in the UK anymore, 0.3% is the maximum, so I recommend if you want to go with The Ordinary, go with their 0.2%. They add in tomato fruit extract, a lycopene-rich antioxidant, and rosemary leaf extract with rosmarinic acid, which helps stabilize the formula. What lets it down is the packaging. Heat accelerates retinol degradation significantly, and being in a warm climate like India isn't really going to be suitable for this, and most of us don't have time to keep it in the fridge. So for India, I think this product is just a no. I love The Ordinary for so many other products, but this isn't going to be one of them. This one unfortunately gets a three out of 10."

Mad About Skin

727k subs

~Nay

"Retinol is getting far too confusing, it's far too hard to formulate with, and consumers increasingly are not really wanting it as part of their skincare routine. This is why The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane no longer exists. It was discontinued and was replaced by their retinol emulsion, which is now one of the brand's best sellers."

All 2 takes from Mad About Skin

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"Retinol is getting far too confusing, it's far too hard to formulate with, and consumers increasingly are not really wanting it as part of their skincare routine. This is why The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane no longer exists. It was discontinued and was replaced by their retinol emulsion, which is now one of the brand's best sellers."

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"The Ordinary retinols in squalane there's 0.5 and the one percent will be gone again because it reaches that 0.3 concentration"

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

142k subs

~Yay

"The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane uses a moderate concentration of retinol to improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and boost collagen production. The addition of squalane will help hydrate and soothe, reducing the potential for irritation. The key ingredient is of course retinol 0.5%, which helps accelerate skin cell turnover, enhancing skin texture and reducing signs of aging. Squalane is a non-greasy oil that will hydrate the skin, improving its resilience while minimizing irritation often associated with retinol use."

April Basi

71k subs

~Yay

"For serum at night I'd choose a retinol or retinaldehyde serum. The Ordinary's Retinol 0.5% in Squalane is another option."

All 2 takes from April Basi

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"For serum, The Ordinary 0.5% Retinol Serum, I love this one because its dosage is super low so it doesn't cause irritation, especially for a first timer."

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"For serum at night I'd choose a retinol or retinaldehyde serum. The Ordinary's Retinol 0.5% in Squalane is another option."

Dr. Somji Skin

359k subs

~Yay

"You can probably afford to start with something maybe a little bit stronger like The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane."

All 3 takes from Dr. Somji Skin

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"This is a retinol in squalane. Squalane is an excellent occlusive and in fact one of the best occlusives around, and what that would do is provide that nice barrier and it would also encourage hydration of the skin. So whilst you're exfoliating the skin with the retinol, as part of what it does, you prevent the dehydration of the skin, which is a risk if you just use a retinol on its own. Furthermore, because you're using the same brand, even though we cannot really tell if the 0.2% or the 0.5% is as a concentration of the rest of the formulation, at least you standardize that range you're using."

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"You can probably afford to start with something maybe a little bit stronger like The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane."

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"This can be a little bit more irritating than the 0.2%. If you've got oily skin, you might use the 0.5% rather than 0.2% because it won't irritate you as much. But if you've got irritated skin or a compromised skin barrier, repair that first and then start on 0.2%. If you've gone up the ladder, this is a great thing, but still be careful. Don't just start using this every day. Start using it alternately or even three days a week, and then week on week increase. [...] If you've got very sensitive skin and want to start a higher strength retinol, use it once the first week, twice the second week, three times the third week, [...] and so on. Eventually your skin will get used to it. If you get to a point where your skin doesn't get used to it, just stay using the retinol at three times a week. You still get benefit from it."

The Budget Dermatologist

723k subs

~Yay

"This is another 20% option so now we're in the 20% let me first say you don't have to have a 20% vitamin C serum to get benefits"

Nipun Kapur

409k subs

~Mixed

"The Ordinary starts at 0.5% retinol, it's lovely but it's not absolute beginner friendly"

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"The Ordinary starts at 0.5% retinol, it's lovely but it's not absolute beginner friendly"

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"The Ordinary 0.5% in this is an oil based formula gentle is strong but gentle is not the ordinary 0.5% have never recommended that should be your first retinol because it is an strong formula"

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

~Yay

"If you don't want to spend a ton of money, the Ordinary also has a 0.5% retinol in squalane which is a wonderful oil. There are so many great oil products out there."

All 2 takes from Cassandra Bankson

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"If you don't want to spend a ton of money, the Ordinary also has a 0.5% retinol in squalane which is a wonderful oil. There are so many great oil products out there."

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"The Ordinary has retinol and squalane. Remember, retinol is the most basic thing that you can get and you don't need a prescription for it, but it's really not that potent and it needs to oxidize twice to become the active form. This is a zero point five percent and they also have a one percent, and you can kind of graduate up if that's something that you're looking for."

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

Frequently asked.

What is The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane?

A retinol treatment serum at 0.5% concentration suspended in squalane oil, designed to address signs of aging and support skin renewal.

Is The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane worth it?

The gurus are split. 5 of the 8 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 2 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 63%.

What is The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane's Guru Score?

The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane holds a Guru Score of 63%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 8 expert reviewers we have collected.