Bargain vs Bougie: The Difference Between Our 4 Best-Selling Retinol Serums

Hi, I’m a Dermal Therapist and I don’t think I'll ever love another skincare ingredient more than I love retinoids.

(OK, maybe niacinamide comes a close second, but my heart does predominantly beat for retinoids.) 

Retinoids are a group of compounds - including retinol - derived from vitamin A.

Vitamin A is the gold standard of anti-ageing skincare ingredients, but I find a lot of people are confused by it.

Just a few common vitamin A questions I hear often include: What's the best retinol serum? Do gentle retinol serums exist? Why does retinol irritate my face? Is more expensive better?

I hear you. Thankfully, Adore stocks a lot of great retinol products, so let's break them down to find out which one's right for your skin type (and budget).

Firstly, What Is Vitamin A for Skin?

Vitamin A is a vitamin that has repeatedly proven anti-ageing benefits in scientific studies.

It’s known to increase cellular turnover, even out pigmentation, minimise fine lines, help with acne and improve overall skin appearance, texture and collagen production.

In short, it has a magical way of transforming skin. But did you know there are different types of vitamin A? The most common one you might've heard of is called retinol.

You can learn more about vitamin A in our retinol YouTube video below.

Which Type of Vitamin A (Retinoids) Is Right for You?

There are two main groups of vitamin A in skin care:

• Prescription retinoids like tretinoin and isotretinoin.

• Non-prescription retinoids like retinaldehyde, retinol, granactive retinoid and retinol esters.

The main difference is prescription retinoids aren't available over the counter, only with a prescription from your medical professional. When applied to the skin, these products already contain retinoic acids.

Retinoic acid is bio-available to the skin, which means your skin can use what's in the product as is, to get all the clinically-proven skin benefits.

Non-prescription retinoids need to be converted into retinoic acids by the skin before it can use them. This means there's an extra step - or several steps - involved at a cellular level to get to where you want to go.

Still lost? Here are the most common retinoids found in skin care ranked from gentlest to strongest:

1. Retinol esters (like retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate) are the gentlest retinoids, but it takes several steps to convert them into retinoic acid.

2. Granactive Retinoid is the next step up. It's a newer, gentle retinoid.

3. Retinol is a strong retinoid and becomes retinoic acid after a couple of steps.

4. Retinaldehyde or Retinal is a very strong retinoid, and is the closest thing to prescription retinoids you can get over the counter.

5. Prescription vitamin A is already retinoic acid.

The stronger the retinoid product, the more irritating it becomes to certain skin types. This is why some people experience irritation or skin purging when they first start incorporating vitamin A into their routines.

If you want to start using vitamin A, start with a gentle retinoid and go slow by applying once a week to start with.

Listen to this episode of the Skincare School podcast for more detail on the different types of vitamin A.

The Best Retinol Serums.

As you can see from the list above, retinol (not to be confused with ‘retinal’ which is often abbreviated for retinaldehyde) is like a halfway point.

It's not too gentle but not too strong, which is why retinol serums tend to be quite popular. Plus, even small percentages from 0.01% of retinol have proven to be effective in clinical evidence.

Stronger does not always = better. Most products should have the percentage listed on the packaging.

The right retinol serum for you depends on your skin type, skin concerns and budget.

So, here is the difference between four of our top-selling retinol serums to help you choose which product to add to your next Adore order.

You can also watch a breakdown of a few of our best-selling retinol serums in the YouTube video below...

1. The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane.

What: The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane

• $12.70 and rated 4.4 stars by Adore customers.

• Very minimalist formula.

• Contains a fairly strong 1% of retinol, but formulated in a hydrating base of squalane, meaning you shouldn’t have a reaction if you’re a newbie.

• Feels like a light oil and melts into the skin.

• Comes in two lower percentage versions: The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane and The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane.

• The packaging isn’t that great for stability (vitamin A is a very unstable ingredient) so don’t just leave this product in your skincare stash unused.

Best for: Normal, dry, combination and oily skin types who want the most affordable option to manage the appearance of ageing.

2. Skinstitut Retinol.

What: Skinstitut Retinol

• $34.30 and rated 4.6 stars by Adore customers.

• A very affordable introductory retinol serum to help to improve tone, fade the appearance of pigment and scarring, soften skin texture and increase radiance.

• Contains peptides and 0.25% of retinol, so it's a very gentle yet effective option for beginners to use sans irritation.

• Lightweight gel texture is easy to apply and doesn't pill, and a little goes a long way.

• Most skin types shouldn’t have an issue with this product.

Best for: If you want a non-irritating yet effective introductory cosmeceutical retinol serum that's still affordable.

3. SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3%.

What: SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3%

• $97 and rated 4.8 stars by Adore customers.

• An effective retinol serum that's suitable for more sensitised skin types or anyone who finds vitamin A irritating.

• Contains .3% retinol, a great retinol product to start with if you haven't used one before.

• Formula also features calming chamomile and encapsulated retinol to release the retinol slowly and minimise the risk of inflammation in the skin.

• Comes in gradually higher percentages (SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 and SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0) so you can work your way up to the next strength when your skin feels ready.

• The sophisticated gel texture means it's easy to overdo it - remember to use only a pea-sized amount and introduce on alternate nights.

Best for: This product is especially suited for beginners who are looking to start using a cosmeceutical retinol product, or those with easily-irritated skin. Also if you want to be able to feel confident moving up to higher strengths within the same brand and formula.

4. Aspect Retinol Brulee.

What: Aspect Retinol Brulee

• $135 and rated 4.8 stars by Adore customers.

• A very powerful vitamin A product suitable to experienced retinol users of all skin types - if you have sensitive skin, I would avoid it.

• This formula contains retinol as a molecular film and retinyl palmitate complex (a gentler retinoid) at 0.5%, so the overall formulation is quite strong.

• Also jam packed with Kakadu Plum, Davidson Plum, Desert Lime, Mountain (Tasman) Pepper Berry, Lemon Myrtle and Lanablue algae to protect against environmental aggressors, which can contribute to the appearance of ageing.

• It sinks right into the skin and you will barely feel like you have anything on, which again, means it's even more important to use sparingly.

Best for: Anyone who's finished their first (or several) cosmeceutical retinol serums and is ready to graduate to the next level. Not suitable for beginners.

How to Use Retinol Serums.

Here are a few other tips for using vitamin A skincare products:

• Retinol is a long-term game. There are no shortcuts to healthy skin.

• It can take six to eight weeks minimum for your skin to turnover, and while retinol can speed things up, it's still going to take a long time before you see results.

• Slow is the way to go when it comes to retinol. Some skin types can use a product every night, while others may only be able to use it once a week.

• Retinol serums are best used in the evening after cleansing and before your moisturiser.

• If you are finding it irritating, try the sandwich technique where you apply moisturiser on the skin first, then follow with retinol and moisturiser on top. This won't dilute the effectiveness, but it acts like a buffer to reduce irritation. 

• Also never forget to use *sunscreen because retinol will make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so this is a non-negotiable step.

• If you can't commit to applying sunscreen correctly every single day, don't use a retinol serum until you can.

Moral of the story: Regardless of price or skin type, there's a retinol option out there to suit you. Praise be!

Want more bargain vs bougie reviews? Check out these stories below:

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*SPF is only one part of sun protection! Always seek shade, and wear sunnies, a hat and protective clothing. Use sufficient sunscreen for all unprotected areas and reapply sunscreen as directed. Always read the label.