The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane On your shelf ✓
Maya's readThe Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane is a serum built around Retinol, Squalane and Jojoba Oil. It leans strongest on barrier repair, anti-aging. Best suited to normal, oily and combo skin. One caveat: it's best skipped during pregnancy.
Skip it if you're pregnant or breastfeeding — it contains retinol, best paused until after.
What it delivers
How it feels A light, fast-absorbing texture that layers cleanly under the rest of your routine, with no greasy film. — estimated from the formula
What's in it that matters
Gold-standard over-the-counter retinoid with strong anti-aging data; can easily irritate and requires careful introduction and good barrier support.
Stable, lightweight emollient that mimics skin’s natural lipids and supports barrier without heavy greasiness for most skin types.
Liquid wax ester closely resembling human sebum that helps balance oil, soften skin and support barrier without heavy greasiness for most.
Light emollient ester that improves slip and reduces transepidermal water loss; may be problematic for some fungal-acne-prone users.
Key facts
- Type
- Serum
- Key actives
- Retinol 0.5%, Squalane, Jojoba Oil
- Fragrance
- None detected
- Fungal-acne (Malassezia) safe
- Not likely — has oils or esters it can feed on
- Pregnancy
- Caution — contains retinol
- Ingredients
- 6 listed
- Typical price
- ~€8
How to use it
Night only. Start 2–3 nights a week and build up as your skin adjusts — and always wear sunscreen the next morning, because retinoids make skin more sun-sensitive.
Keep it away from
- Exfoliating acids (AHA / BHA)
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Strong vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid)
Free from
- Fragrance-free
- Alcohol-free
- Silicone-free
- Paraben-free
Best for
- Normal
- Oily
- Combo
- Dry
Worth knowing
- Avoid in pregnancy: Retinol
Common questions
Is The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane good for normal skin?
By our read of the formula, it suits normal, oily, combo skin. The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane is a serum built around Retinol, Squalane and Jojoba Oil. It leans strongest on barrier repair, anti-aging. Best suited to normal, oily and combo skin. One caveat: it's best skipped during pregnancy.
How do you use The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane?
Night only. Start 2–3 nights a week and build up as your skin adjusts — and always wear sunscreen the next morning, because retinoids make skin more sun-sensitive.
What are the key ingredients in The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane?
The actives that do the work are Retinol, Squalane, Jojoba Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. The rest of the list is texture, preservatives and emulsifiers that hold the formula together.
Is The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane safe during pregnancy?
Avoid in pregnancy: Retinol. When in doubt, check with your doctor before using it.
The full formula, decoded
Every ingredient on the label, in the order it appears (highest amount first). We link the 4 our library knows, name what each one does, and flag anything that can irritate or clog. The rest we leave plain, nothing is hidden.
- SqualaneEmollient
- Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideEmollient
- RetinolRetinoidpregnancy: avoidcan irritate
- Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit ExtractBotanical extract
- BHTAntioxidant (stabiliser)
Copy the raw INCI list
Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Retinol, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, BHT
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We don't make or sell skincare of our own. So there's nothing here we're trying to push, just an honest read of whether this formula suits your skin.