If you’re wondering which is the best retinol from The Ordinary, you’re in the right place. In this blog post I’ll break down the differences between The Ordinary retinoid serums, with some advice on how best to use them, too.
PLUS, i’ll review the NEW retinaldehyde 0.2% that was released in March ’24.
I’ll also discuss the difference between retinoids, retinols, retinals and everything you need to know about the type of retinoid you’re buying.
So, what’s the difference between retinoid products?
If you find yourself getting stumped by the different retinoid names, allow me to explain.
The way I like to remember it is by likening it to other beauty categories. For example, haircare. The term ‘retinoid’ simply indicates the category term, such as haircare.
If someone says ‘I use haircare’ you don’t really know which type of haircare they’re using, such as shampoo or hair oil. Similarly, if someone says ‘I use retinoids’, you don’t know if they’re using a retinol, retinal, granactive retinoid and so on.
This is why The Ordinary’s website navigation says ‘retinoids’, because it encompasses all of the types of retinoids they have.
Again, it’s the same as ‘steroids’. If someone says they use a steroid, you don’t know which steroid they use. You just know it’s from the steroid family, similar to the retinoid family.
What is the best type of retinoid?
I am often asked which retinoid product is ‘the best’, or whether tretinoin is better than X or Y, for example.
Unfortunately there really is no one-size-fits-all answer. This is why The Ordinary retinol products range contains many different types, if there was a clear ‘best’ there’d be no point in having a range.
Which you choose depends on a few factors:
- Your skin type (oily skin, dry, skin texture, acne-prone skin, sensitive skin)
- Which product texture you prefer
- How quickly you want to see results
- Your budget
- How much skin irritation you are willing to tolerate
Generally speaking, the ‘stronger’ the retinoid, the faster it can generate results. BUT, the stronger it is also means you’re likely to have more irritation and a more dramatic purge. Otherwise we’d all choose stronger, but you can simply have too much of a good thing.
Here are some types of retinoids you might have heard of:
- Retinol
- Tretinoin – only available on prescription
- Differin or adapalene – OTC in some countries, prescription in others
- Retinal (short for retinaldehyde)
- Granactive retinoid
And there are many more, but there is no ‘best’ out of this list, because everyone is looking for slightly different things.
Anything you can get without a prescription is called a cosmetic retinoid or an OTC retinoid. Anything that requires a prescription is termed a prescription strength retinoid.
What are the benefits of retinol use?
I’m such a big fan of retinoids because they help so so many skin concerns:
- With time, they can stimulate collagen production which improves the look of fine lines
- It can also lessen dynamic lines over time, somewhat
- They can even out an uneven skin tone and fade dark spots
- The can massively reduce acne breakouts
- Improve skin texture and reduce closed comedones
- Give the skin a lovely glow
Just remember they, like any other active, can take some time to work. So if you do decide to use a retinoid, don’t judge your progress before using it consistently for a three-month period.
How does a retinoid work?
To understand what you’re getting when you buy a non-prescription retinoid, it’s helpful to understand how they work once they’re on the skin.
Prescription strength retinoids like tretinoin are a direct form of retinoic acid. Retinoic acid is the active ingredient, and as soon as it hits the skin it begins work. However, with OTC retinoids like The Ordinary’s retinol, they are not a direct form of vitamin A (retinoic acid).
The Ordinary retinoids are a range of retinoid derivatives, such as granactive retinoid, that require additional ‘conversion steps’ to reach retinoic acid once applied to the skin.
With each additional step, the effect of the product is diluted. Caroline Hirons likens the retinoid hierarchy to coffee: Tretinoin being a double espresso, then espresso all the way down to a latte.
Granactive retinoid is roughly the same level as retinaldehyde.
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid vs. Retinol in Squalane Base
As of March 2024, the Ordinary have three kinds of retinoid products available. The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid, a retinol and a retinaldehyde (new for 2024).
Because Granactive retinoid is more immediately bioavailable to the skin than retinol, this should be classed as ‘stronger’. I would like to say also that ‘stronger’ is the wrong term, because they are not different strengths of the same thing.
They are simply different things, but for simplicity let’s go with stronger.
How to choose a retinoid strength
If you’re wondering which you should go for, I would base your decision on your tolerance for irritation and desire for fast results.
Granactive retinoid may get you slightly faster results, but retinol is likely to be tolerated a little better.
Let’s call retinol a beginner formula, and Granactive retinoid a more intermediate formula. Much like beginners and intermediates, a beginner might want to start at a higher strength if they’re feeling ballsy and want some faster results.
This is what I did, because it was covid and I didn’t have to see people at work! I’m glad I did that, but of course my skin isn’t representative of everyone else’s.
Do beginners need to start at the lowest strength?
The answer is no. You can start using whichever retinoid you want, but you will probably have a better time if you start somewhere between retinol and retinaldehyde.
To give further context, lots of acne medications are just topical retinoids – take Differin, for example. This is at the stronger end of the scale, but many teenagers receive it from their GP and use it without problems.
In most cases they’ve never used a retinoid before and, while it can be uncomfortable to adjust, it usually works out just fine.
Differin is a next-generation retinoid (third generation to be precise) which has been developed to specifically focus on acne. It is also shown to be much less irritating, which is a nice benefit for sensitive skin.
It really is just about what you’re willing to tolerate, irritation and purge-wise. If in doubt, I’d say start with retinaldehyde or granactive.
What about The Ordinary Retinaldehyde 0.2% Emulsion?
Retinaldehyde is the active ingredient I used to get the results you see in my before and after photos. For this reason, it’ll always have a special place in my heart.
I used the 0.1% formula from Avene, although sadly it’s now discontinued. This makes The Ordinary’s retinaldehyde formula twice as strong as Avene. Personally I find this very attractive, as someone who currently uses Differin (0.1% adapalene).
I think if you’re willing to put up with a little bit more of a purge and you want to make a serious change, I’d go for the retinal. If you just want a ‘spruce up’ of your complexion, go for the retinol.
Emulsion vs squalane
The next choice to make is whether you prefer a base of emulsion or squalane. If I had to make a blind guess, I think most people will prefer emulsion. Squalane is not to everyone’s taste, purely because it feels oily.
Emulsion just feels like any other regular, creamy serum. Acne prone skin types might not like the oily feeling of the squalane, but squalane isn’t inherently problematic for acne-prone skin.
Really, it’s just down to personal preference!
Which retinol is best for which skin types?
Realistically, I think all skin types can handle any of The Ordinary retinol serums strength-wise. This is with the exception of rosacea, which is very unique to the individual and requires trial and error to find out.
Remember that it is not only the Ordinary products themselves that’ll impact your results, but also the rest of your skin care routine.
For example, twins might use the same retinoid, but if one of them has a routine that’s quite drying, their response to the retinoid might be less favourable.
I recommend finding a solid routine that focuses on hydration, getting used to it, then introducing the retinoid. Check out my product recommendations pages to create a routine with my skincare products for clog prone skin.
If you have acne-prone skin and want to be on the safe side, you can pick an emulsion based retinoid product.
So, which is the best retinol from the Ordinary?
I’ve got to say my favourite would be the retinaldehyde – especially because it’s in 0.2% which is quite uncommon elsewhere. I also prefer the cream base it comes in, and the pump packaging vs the pipette dropper.
The best retinol from the Ordinary will always be subjective, since there is no ‘best’, but this would be my preference if I had to start again.
How do I use my retinoid with other skincare products?
No matter which retinoid you choose, the same rules apply for using it safely and effectively.
Always use sun protection during the day, and avoid trying to tan your face. Check out my list of the best sunscreens for clog prone skin.
- Retinoids can cause skin that’s more sensitive to UV radiation, and impede the retinoid’s anti-aging effects if you’re constantly exposed to the sun, unprotected. Also remember that UV exposure results in a loss of collagen, so staying out of the sun is really advisable.
- Be careful which active ingredients you use with your retinoid. You may want to stop using them entirely when you first introduce the retinoid.
- Remember that vitamin C can also be quite irritating, so consider using it less when you first introduce a retinoid, or be on the look out for irritation.
- If side effects occur that are painful or feel like a burn, stop using the retinoid for a couple weeks until the symptoms die down.
- Don’t feel obliged to move up to higher strengths unless you’re unhappy with the current results, and it’s been 6-9 months.
