The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion, High-Strength Retinoid Serum for Advanced Anti-Aging Support, 0.5 Fl Oz

I was a retinoid latecomer, in fact a latecomer to skincare as a whole, not doing anything special until I was 40. By then some damage had already appeared in the form of noticeably thinning skin (I saw capillaries scattered around my face, and this made me look older than any other sign of aging I was experiencing), fine lines, and discolored spots. I wanted to get on the strongest things I could as soon as possible. I began with The Ordinary's Granactive Retinoid 2% emulsion, because I'd read it was a beginner-friendly gentle option, but I had the goal of jumping to this retinaldehyde emulsion all along. I'm not 28, after all! (I need to emphasize that middle-aged and older women will see more benefits from strong retinoids like this than younger women, like under 35. Y'all have good enough skin that the changes you'll see are less extreme than what we'll see.) My skin is not sensitive, so I was able to upgrade to this retinal just 6 months after using the granactive. I now use it 6 nights out of 7 with no irritation. The 7th night is exfoliation. I'm not saying everyone will be able to do that, but this is gentle enough - in contrast with conventional retinol - that you might. I have somewhat oily skin, which helps; I expect it'd be drying otherwise, and I do have to put on extra moisturizer in the winter. (But don't we all?) I also apply sunscreen to my face every single day without exception. If you use retinoids and you don't do that, you'll regret it and you won't see the benefits of the retinaldehyde because the sun's radiation will undo them. Yes, the product is yellow. Yes, it leaves a faint cast behind. But that's another reason to apply it at night. It may stain your pillows; I haven't really looked at that, but they get stained with sebum, hair product, and sweat anyway... and they're pillows. You rest your head on them for 8 hours. They're not going to be pristine forever. ...In any case, I apply this directly after cleansing, and it takes about a minute to dry on my face. After that I can apply my moisturizer. I have not found that this retinal causes pimples for me at all. I've been a little afraid of TO's squalane retinoid formulations for that reason. This one doesn't cause breakouts for me. In fact, I had a pimple pop up more frequently with the granactive emulsion. I basically have none with this retinal. After not quite a year, it has begun to noticeably smooth the fine lines on my forehead and around my eyes. Honestly, I have to look to even see them now. My skin's texture is smoother, it's thickened enough that I no longer see capillaries scattered on my face, I have hardly any discoloration, it feels silkier, and I can tell the skin is turning over faster, as it should be. If I do develop a bump or blemish of some kind, it's gone within 24 hours, no exceptions. This selfie is what I look like without any makeup, filters, or photo retouching. Yes, I'm 42. Yes, I get unsolicited compliments, for the first time in years. This is a fantastic product, and if you're in the age group of needing it, you have the patience to wait for results, AND you use it correctly (SPF, people, SPF), you should see your face change markedly. I hope The Ordinary never discontinues this, unless it's to introduce a new retinal formula, because I don't want to shell out 5-10 times this price for someone else's retinal.

I've used The Ordinary products for years. Mostly just the basic skin care like for cleanser, serum and moisturizer, and Ive always loved it. Everything is great and its always reliable. And affordable! I am 39 with skin thats starting to show signs of aging but still a pretty prevalent acne issue. Its hard dealing with both because different areas of my face needed vastly different things. I was on trentinoin for years. While it worked excellent, its expensive. $65/m for just the trentinoin, not including all the other skincare. I have been trying to cut my budget down (who isnt?), and it had to go. Some retinol formulations I have tried are extremely expensive and really honestly not effective. I figured that The Ordinary has been a mainstay in my skincare for years now, so I may as well try it and if it doesnt work it's not like I wasted a ton of money. This stuff is AMAZING. I mean... I really want to say it's more effective than my trentinoin. I have been using retinol and trentinoin for about 12 years now. The formulation of this is excellent. It will purge your skin when you start. That's how you know its working. Once the initial phase works through, and with consistent application, you WILL see a massive difference. Even instantly after application it improve the look and feel of my skin, but the lasting effects come with consistent use. However they formulate this makes is so effective but also makes your skin look and feel great after just applying it. It isn't over-drying to my skin personally but like I said I suffer from a lot of breakouts still, and I also have been using very high rx levels of trentinoin amd retinol for over a decade. They also have a retinol in squalane oil and it's amazing for if your skin is feeling dry. I live in a very cold, windy and dry climate most of the year and was still able to use this and the retinol in squalane all winter without overdrying. But I do also follow with Orindays rich moisturizer and will use different serums for whether my skin feels dry or not. I am so wildly impressed by the results I got with this for the price!!!!! Even other drugstore brand retinol skincare costs much more and isn't a fraction of as effective as this. I never thought id find a replacement for trentinoin until I was able to afford ro restart my prescription again. Not only did I find it but it's unbelievably affordable and on Amazon. I cannot recommend this enough for acne prone or aging skin. If theres one skincare item I'd make sure everyone over 30-35 years old had access to, it would be this. I am SO grateful for The Ordinary for making excellent quality and reliable products for years that are so extremely affordable. They changed the game. Even when I am in the best spot financially, spending that much on luxury skincare can be incredibly hard. The Ordinary makes incredible skincare accessible to so many more people and I am genuinely grateful for them never having raised their prices dramatically, if at all.

I have been very pleased with this retinal emulsion so far. It has made a noticeable difference in my skin’s overall texture and has especially helped with cell turnover, leaving my complexion looking smoother and more refined. One area where I have seen the biggest improvement is the tiny milia under my eyes, which appear less prominent with continued use. This is definitely a stronger formula, so a little goes a long way. I have noticed it can create a temporary tightening or slightly dry feeling after application, so following with a rich moisturizer is essential. Layering moisturizer on top also helps offset the slight yellow tint this product can leave on the skin immediately after use. Thankfully my skin seems to tolerate it very well with no major irritation, but as with any retinal product, daily SPF is non-negotiable while using it. Overall, this is an effective anti-aging and resurfacing treatment at a very reasonable price point. If you are looking to improve texture, encourage faster skin renewal, and target small stubborn bumps like milia, this is a great addition to a nighttime routine.

I had tried a retinol in the past, but I am not sure if it was too strong, if I was overusing it, or if I just didn't know what I was doing, I ended up irritating my skin quite badly. With this one, I have had no issues at all. It is gentle, doesn't dry me out too much, and was a great way to get back into using retinol. It is also lasting a long time (you really only need a pea-sized amount each time). I am not sure I am seeing major results yet, so I might try a higher concentration in the future. That said, I think this is a perfect starting point if you are new to retinol.

This is a good starter retinal. It is bright yellow which should be its purest form. It is lightweight and fragrance-free. It drys instantly while also moisturizes.

I have been highly impressed with the ordinary brand of products. I recently have been beefing up my skincare routine and getting the more higher end brands now that I'm beginning to age and am getting closer to 40. Now normally the adage "You get what your pay for" is quite true, but this brand is definitely the exception to this rule. This is a very strong and effective retinol and I'm astonished that it is as accessible as it is and the amazing price point with it being so well done and effective. This is definitely not for beginners of retinol, this is for the seasoned retinol users, and those that have no sensitivity issues whatsoever with harsher skincare products. I started out with using the retinol in squalene with the serum dropper method of transfer until my skin became slowly transitioned well enough to begin the highest dose available with The Ordinary. This process comes in a tube bottle almost like a skinny cigar in size. I love the compact form, especially with so many products being serum based and in dropper vials, this is a welcomed change. This has a cap like a marker on top, and a small pump to dispense the product. The product is neon yellow in color, which is the color of retinol product. It has the consistency of the paint that would be used with finger painting. A little goes a long way. It is recommended and advised to only use a pea sized amount, but lets be real a pea sized amount is barely getting my whole face lol. I use two pea size drops to cover both halves of my face, one on the left and one on the right. This container will last you a long time, so the price point is phenomenal. Remember to start out slow and only use every few nights and work your way to every other day then nightly. Dont use this for morning/day skincare routine, only use this at night. Make sure to moisturize on top and absolutely definitely wear sunscreen the next day when going out in the sun because if not, you will burn and your skin will be very sensitive. I will be continuing to purchase this everytime I run out 🥰

This is the best OTC retinal you will get before needing an rx for tretinoin. It’s my third time buying this product and I love it. It’s very effective. There’s no scent and it dries down quickly. I’ve seen a couple of reviews saying it’s good for beginners, but this is not a beginner formulation. I don’t have sensitive skin and I’ve been using retinol/retinal for several years now, but the concentration of retinal is not for beginners. I would work your way up to this.

I have been using this product for around 3 weeks, and I do see an improvement in my skin discoloration. I am giving it 3 stars because #1 the tube is so small, so I doubt this will last me another week, and #2 the product stains my pillow cases yellow.

Ottima emulsione al Retinolo, da usare gradualmente per fare abituare la pelle e soltanto la sera. La pelle appare distesa e il colorito più sano.

Its such good value. I use it twice a week and it does remove little lines and bumps/ issues. Just promise to use sunscreen with all retinol products. I'm sure there's better ones, but for price point, if youre just trying retinol or on a budget, its fabulous. I like skincare but im not obsessed so i think its really good. It has no odour and goes on well and is easily absorbed. I have sensitive skin and as long as i use spf 50 everyday, im not irritated. Try it!

I really like this product it seems to be very effective. However it is extremely small so you literally should buy x2 at least

This is my favourite retinal. I’m so sad that the ordinary doesn’t sell this in Canada anymore. The price on it fluctuates, which is expected I’m glad that I can still get it here. I use this three times a week and I have been using it since October and it’s now February. I have no idea how much is left in the bottle because I can’t see, but it doesn’t feel empty and the pumps still pumping a normal amount of product without spitting. I have a very intense skincare routine, but this helped me get rid of my fine lines and texture. The fine lines aren’t 100% gone hydration also had something to do with it but it did really help. This is my ride or die. I’m really sad. I can’t get in Canada anymore outside of Amazon.

All the sheets, pyjama are yellow after the use. Horrible. Never happened with any other retinal before.