Week one and my chin erupted. Not cute little bumps—full-blown, under-the-skin volcanoes.
The “purge” is real, and it’s personal. My pillowcase became a casualty.
The Ordinary‘s Retinol 0.5% in Squalane. $7.90 for 30ml. The claim? Real results without the luxury markup.
Concentration
0.5% retinol—a solid middle strength for beginners.
Format
Suspended in squalane oil, which sounds greasy but isn’t.
Packaging
A dropper bottle that, frankly, feels a bit cheap. You get what you pay for.
It’s a two-ingredient show. Retinol to speed up cell turnover. Squalane to cushion the blow.
No fragrance, no fluff. Just the actives and a vehicle.
- Retinol 0.5%: The star player that tells your skin to get its act together
- Squalane: A moisturizing oil that mimics your skin’s own lipids
- That’s it. Seriously.
Texture is a golden oil—absorbs in 30 seconds, leaves a satin finish. No pilling under moisturizer.
Week 3, the purge stopped overnight. Woke up to skin that looked…polished. Like I’d gotten a full night’s sleep for once.
Fine lines on my forehead softened—didn’t vanish, but look blurred. Texture is the real win: pores look smaller, skin feels like silk. Zero change to dark spots.
It delivers exactly what it promises: a straightforward, effective retinol experience. The purge is the price of admission.