In this post I’ll share the best retinoids for clogged pores and skin texture. If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ll know I’m a big believer in the power of retinoids. Here are some of the topics we’ll cover on retinoids:
- The difference between retinol, retinoids, tretinoin, differin and more
- Which retinoid product you should choose
- Which retinoid strength to choose
Retinol vs retinoid vs tretinoin
Full disclosure – some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning that should you choose to purchase an item via the link, I may make a small commission. However, all of the items are genuine recommendations and none are ‘sponsored’ by the brands.
The most common question I get is around the difference between retinol, retinoids, tretinoin and differin. Oftentimes people will ask me about ‘tretinoids‘ which… don’t actually exist! That’s just a made up word, sadly.
The difference between retinol and retinoids (etcetera) is actually quite simple. A retinoid is the category term, meaning retinol, retinal, tretinoin and differin are all types of the same thing. They are all types of retinoids.Therefore, if someone says ‘I use a retinoid’ that indicates they use a member of the retinoid family, but we don’t know which one exactly.
It’s a bit like saying you use shampoo, but you’re not telling someone which type of shampoo or which brand.
What is retinol?
Retinol is one of the weaker forms of retinoids. Let’s call it a ‘drugstore’ shampoo, for example. One that is widely available to everyone in most cosmetic stores. Because it’s widely available, it also can’t be too strong or potent, so that people can’t do too much damage with it at home.
It’s like the difference between drugstore and prescription anything, really.
There are subtypes of weaker retinols such as retinyl esters, but you don’t have to worry too much about these. Most people who read my blog or watch my videos on TikTok are looking for help with moderate acne or clogged pores, and so the products I recommend are usually retinol strength or higher, because they are faster acting.
Retinols come in a range of strengths and we’ll get into how to choose a retinoid strength later on.
What is retinaldehyde?
Retinaldehyde is the form of vitamin A (all retinoids are just forms of vitamin A) that I initially fell in love with. Retinaldehyde is also known as retinal, they are the same thing.
I recommend it a lot because it’s ‘in the middle’. Most people can tolerate this slightly ‘stronger’ form of retinoid, and because it’s a little stronger it generally gets you quicker results.
With retinoids, anything ‘stronger’ runs the risk of being more irritating. That’s pretty much how it works = the stronger it is the faster it works, but the more irritating it may be. This is why you might start using retinol to get used to it, then move up to retinal and then a prescription strength.
I find that retinaldehyde is often the sweet spot between retinol and prescription strength, meaning a lot of people can just start straight out using it.
Retinaldehydes come in a range of strengths and we’ll get into which retinaldehyde strength is best for you later on.
What are Tretinoin and Differin?
Tretinoin, differin (also known as adapalene) and tazarotene (also known as Tazorac) are all prescription strength forms of vitamin A. These are very strong, and come in a range of strengths, too.
One thing I always notice when people ask me about their experience using tretinoin, is that they often say ‘I’m only using 0.025%’ – they’re worried it isn’t strong enough. During my time using tretinoin I was actually using 0.015%. The fact is, is that tretinoin is one of, if not the, strongest retinoid available, and 0.1% is the strongest you can get. So in reality, even 0.025% and 0.015% are very strong.
It’s a little bit like saying ‘I used petrol on my face but it was only weak petrol’ … it’s still petrol! You can do a lot of damage with tretinoin in any strength and it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Tretinoin vs Differin
Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let’s talk about the difference between tretinoin and differin.
Tretinoin is quite old and we have a lot of studies about its efficacy. That means it’s incredibly safe and well studied, although not safe for use during pregnancy. It’s called a ‘first generation retinoid’ which just means it’s one of the original versions of a retinoid.
It’s very good at treating acne, fine lines and photo damage/discolouration. However, it’ll only do the latter two if you use it with sunscreen – nobody should be using retinoids without using sunscreen, too.
Differin (also known as adapalene) is a third generation retinoid (it’s newer, basically). Differin is also not safe for use during pregnancy (no retinoids are).
It is also very good at treating acne, and is often less irritating than tretinoin. If you’ve not had much luck with tretioin, for example, you may like differin.
The best retinoids for anti ageing
When it comes to anti ageing, all retinoids are effective – honestly! It’s all about your appetite for irritation and purging (acne getting worse before it gets better). Retinoids and SPF are basically the two proven actives to actually slow down and reverse signs of ageing.
Tretinoin does have a little more evidence than differin for anti-ageing, but this may just be because it’s been around decades longer and has way more studies.
The bottom line is, if you’re using any retinoid and any SPF daily, you will slow down premature ageing.
Retinoid products for acne and clogged pores
Let’s get into the best retinoid products!
Before we start I have one thing to say: people will get so overwhelmed by which retinoid to choose, the best retinoid brand, which retinoid strength.. in reality, they waste time by not just starting.
You just need to pick one and start! That’s why my retinoid product suggestions are short, sweet and don’t change all too much.
Below is a screenshot from my retinoid guide.
I’m working on getting the text resized so that it’s easier to read on a mobile, bear with me! Below are the best retinoid product options for clogged pores, acne and fine lines. I’ve sorted them from strength low to high.
1. Geek & Gorgeous A-Game Retinaldehyde
Geek & Gorgeous are a fail safe, simple and affordable skincare brand. Their retinaldehyde is called A-Game and can be bought in 0.05% and 0.1%.
- It is around £15
- Easy to purchase off Amazon, but unfortunately not in any store (that I’ve seen)
- A bottle should last you up to 6 months (from my experience)
- This retinoid is a great starter product if you’re concerned about the side effects of stronger retinoids
2. Avene A-Oxitive Night Peeling Cream
This product from Avene is the closest I can find to the product I first began using to see my initial results.
That product was called Avene Triacneal Expert and is now quite hard to get ahold of, after being discontinued. These are both 0.1% retinaldehyde.
- Outside of the UK this product is called RetrinAL
- It is around £35 and not particularly easy to get ahold of, but still possible online or in certain countries
3. Medik8 Crystal Retinal
Medik8 Crystal Retinal is one of the original retinaldehyde formulas available and it is loved by so many people. It’s also very versatile and reassuring to use, because it comes in so many strengths: from 0.01% to 0.2% retinal.
- This one is a little bit more expensive but it does last a while
- It is quite easy to purchase online and in stores (I keep mentioning this as a factor because I personally don’t love getting used to a product I may not be able to buy again easily)
- If you’re wondering which strength to start with, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. Most people will be fine on strength 3 or 6 (0.03% and 0.06%).
You can shop the Medik8 Crystal Retinal here.
4. The Ordinary 0.2% Retinaldehyde
I jumped for joy when I saw this new release for 2024 and I feel like this product is going to EAT. It’s 0.2% retinaldehyde which is the same as Medik8 crystal 20. This is much ‘stronger’ than a retinol, but weaker than prescription strength.
Shop the Ordinary 0.2% retinaldehyde
5. Prescription strength retinoids from Dermatica or Skin&Me
I often get asked what I think about both of these brands, as well as Curology vs Apostrophe. The honest truth is that they are all quite similar.
They both make it much easier to use prescription strength retinoids, as typically you’d need a prescription from your doctor. In my experience, doctors don’t tend to hand them out too easily.
Where to buy prescription retinoids
If you’re in certain places such as Mexico (I believe) I think you can more easily purchase them in pharmacies without a prescription, but in the UK and US they’re prescription only.
The only exception is Differin (adapalene) which can sometimes be bought online in the UK and US without a prescription.
If you’re thinking of using a service like Dermatica (Skin&Me, Apostrophe etc) here’s what you should know:
- You pay monthly to receive a small amount of the retinoid. Don’t worry, you will rarely use it all up.
- Some people believe it’s expensive, and it kind of is, but the whole point of the service is to make prescription strength skincare accessible without a prescription
- You’ll complete a quiz and get access to a dermatologist who’ll select a medication for you
- 99% of the time you’ll receive a retinoid. Try not to be disappointed if it’s not the one you had hoped for, although you can ask. Retinoids all work very similarly and so you will likely get great results from the one they do give you.
How to create a retinoid routine
Now that you’ve (hopefully) chosen your retinoid, it’s time to put it all together.
You’ll want to make sure you’re introducing it slowly, applying it correctly and not mixing it with the wrong active ingredients.
Alongside the wealth of info I put on my blog and on TikTok, I created a downloadable guide which tells you:
- Where to fit the retinoid into your routine
- How to apply a retinoid
- What to expect and side effects of retinoids
- How long results might take
- Tips on purging
And tonnes more. Click here if you’d like to check out the guide.
