Day 1. My skin is a little oily, a little dull. I have a faint forehead wrinkle that drives me nuts in Zoom meetings.
I committed to using this every single night. No excuses. Even after that 3am doomscroll.
It’s The Ordinary’s Retinol 0.5% in Squalane. $7.80. The claim? Professional-level results without the pro price tag.
Concentration
0.5% retinol is a serious starter dose — not a gentle intro.
Format
Suspended in squalane, a moisturizing oil. This is key.
Packaging
An amber glass dropper bottle. It feels clinical, not luxurious.
Photo: Victor Meza / Unsplash
It’s a short, focused list. Retinol is the star — it speeds up cell turnover. The squalane is the calming bodyguard.
- Retinol: The gold-standard for smoothing texture and lines
- Squalane: A hydrating oil that mimics your skin’s own lipids
- Bisabolol: A gentle anti-irritant from chamomile
- Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate: A fancy cousin of retinol for extra support
Texture is an oily slip. It absorbs in about 90 seconds, leaving a faint sheen. Smells like… nothing. Literally.
Week 2: The purge was real. Three new, stubborn chin cysts. Almost quit. Week 3: They vanished. Skin felt smoother to the touch — like someone used a fine-grit sandpaper.
My forehead line? Visibly softer. Pores look tighter. But my hormonal breakouts didn’t care — this isn’t a blemish fighter.
It delivers on its core promise — for the right person. This is a potent, no-frills workhorse, not a magic potion.