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

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.

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.

The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion is a game changer for my skin! It’s gentle enough for nightly use, yet I’ve noticed smoother texture, brighter skin, and fewer fine lines after a few weeks. The emulsion feels lightweight, absorbs quickly, and doesn’t leave a sticky residue. I love that it’s a lower strength retinal, so it’s perfect for beginners who want the benefits of retinoids without irritation. My skin feels healthier, more even, and radiant. Definitely a must try for anyone looking to improve texture and prevent early signs of aging!

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 🥰

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 safe for skin and reduced the fine lines around my mouth. It is affordable and I really trust the products from this company!

This is a strong retinal formula, so I started slowly (2–3 times per week) and built up from there. The texture is lightweight and absorbs well without feeling heavy. After a few weeks, my skin looks smoother and more refined. It’s definitely effective, but I recommend introducing it gradually and always using sunscreen during the day. Great option if you’re ready for a stronger retinoid.

Sehr gutes Produkt, zieht schnell ein und fühlt sich angenehm auf der Haut an. Hautbild wirkt gleichmäßiger und frischer. Gut verträglich und sparsam im Gebrauch. Klare Empfehlung.

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

Ottimo prodotto soprattutto per il rapporto qualità -prezzo. Usato con costanza migliora moltissimo l'aspetto della pelle. Non ho avuto irritazione

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.