Putting retinol on in the morning is like wearing a cashmere sweater to the beach. Pointless and a little damaging.
The real reason? Sunlight deactivates retinol’s potency on contact. You’re literally wasting the product and exposing fresh skin to UV rays. A double sabotage.
This is The Ordinary‘s Retinol 0.5% in Squalane. $7.80. The claim that made me try it? “Mid-strength retinoid support.” No fluff.
Water-Free Formula
Oil-based so the retinol stays stable – no need for sketchy preservatives.
Squalane Vehicle
A dry oil that absorbs in 90 seconds – you won’t feel like a glazed donut.
Dropper Bottle
Glass with a tight seal. Light and air are retinol’s enemies.
Two ingredients. Seriously. The press release would hype a “complex,” but it’s just retinol and squalane.
Retinol converts to retinoic acid in skin – that’s the gold standard for speeding cell turnover. Squalane is just there to slip it in without irritation.
- Retinol 0.5%: The active workhorse – encourages newer skin to surface
- Squalane: A biocompatible oil – mimics your skin’s own lipids to soothe
Texture is a light amber oil. Sinks in fast – leaves a satin finish, not grease. Smells vaguely like a chemistry lab. In a good way.
Week 3: The purge is real. A few tiny whiteheads appeared exactly where I usually get congestion. Annoying, but a sign it’s actually working deep down.
After 6 weeks, my pores look vacuumed. Skin texture is smoother – like I used a fine-grit sandpaper. Zero effect on deep wrinkles. That’s a tretinoin job.
A brutally effective intro to retinol. Use it at night, be patient through the purge, and you’ll get glassier skin.