The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion for dry skin
Retinaldehyde
Bisabolol
Ergothioneine
Lactic Acid
HydroxyapatiteLow
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate treatment for fine lines and wrinkles due to retinal, which promotes skin renewal but may indirectly worsen dryness for your dry skin.
- While propanediol and biosaccharide gum-1 offer some hydration, the potential for irritation from retinal can be a concern for dry or flaky skin.
How to apply
- Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 2.4k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this high-strength retinoid is favored by experienced users for its rapid ability to smooth uneven texture and fade dark spots, particularly acne scars and hyperpigmentation. While highly effective for firming skin and reducing fine lines, it frequently causes dryness or irritation in beginners and leaves a temporary yellow tint on the skin.
Highlights
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels smoother to the touch”
- “sloughed away dead skin cells”
- “refines overall texture”
- “softening the wrinkles”
Yellow staining Often Mentioned
- “stains pillowcases yellow”
- “leaves yellow tint on face”
- “bright neon yellow color”
- “transfers to light fabrics”
Fades dark spots Sometimes Noted
- “fading pesky acne scars”
- “complexion is far more unified”
- “noticeably reducing dark spots”
- “sped up fading process”
Fast absorption Sometimes Noted
- “sinks into skin instantly”
- “lightweight formula absorbs quickly”
- “doesn't sit on skin”
- “silky consistency”
Good value Sometimes Noted
- “affordable price tag”
- “cheaper than competitors”
- “great results for the price”
- “reasonable for a retinal”
Irritation and dryness Sometimes Noted
- “caused burning and stinging”
- “experienced peeling on jawline”
- “too intense for sensitive skin”
- “dried out my skin barrier”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump stopped working”
- “hard to dispense product”
- “pump mechanism is faulty”
- “struggled to get product out”
Small product size Rarely Noted
- “bottle is very tiny (15ml)”
- “finished it very quickly”
- “expensive for the amount”
- “wish it came in bigger size”
Sources: lovi.care, theordinary.com, sephora.co.uk, ulta.com, spacenk.com, cultbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion a weak match for dry skin?
This product is a weak match for your dry skin because retinal promotes skin renewal, which may indirectly worsen dryness and cause irritation. Dry skin needs a product rich in soothing, highly hydrating ingredients like propolis, niacinamide, ceramides, and peptides that provide deep nourishment and support the skin barrier without any risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this emulsion a poor fit for dry skin?
Retinal is the main reason this emulsion is a weak match for your dry skin because it promotes skin renewal in a way that may worsen dryness and cause irritation. To fit dry skin well, a product of this type needs rich hydrating and barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, propolis, or bifida fermentation along with powerful soothing elements to nourish the skin without any risk of irritation.
What does Retinal do for dry skin?
Retinal helps smooth dry skin and is unlikely to cause severe dryness when used properly, though it may occasionally lead to mild scaling or irritation as the skin adjusts. This ingredient works best when paired with gentle moisturizers to keep the face feeling soft and comfortable.
What does Bisabolol do for dry skin?
Alpha-bisabolol helps calm dry skin by soothing irritation and reducing inflammation. To properly care for dry skin, this type of product also needs rich moisturizing ingredients that lock in hydration and repair the skin barrier.
Where does this emulsion go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, but it is a weak match that may worsen dryness for dry skin. Dry skin needs a product of this type that offers gentle hydration and soothing ingredients to prevent flaking and irritation.
Can I use it with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this product with niacinamide by applying niacinamide first to keep your skin calm and hydrated, followed by this treatment. Because your skin is dry, this type of product needs soothing and deeply moisturizing ingredients like ceramides or hyaluronic acid to prevent extra dryness and flaking.
How often should I use this emulsion?
This treatment is put in the evening routine, and a product of this type for dry skin needs to start just once a week to lower the chance of irritation. A dry skin type needs soothing ingredients like bisabolol and extra hydration to keep the skin comfortable.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This retinal treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry skin, but it may cause dryness and peeling as it speeds up skin renewal. To care for dry skin properly, this type of product needs extra hydrating ingredients like glycerin and soothing agents to keep the face soft and calm.
Is this emulsion fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.
Dermatology, 2002Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.
Dermatology, 1999Application of an alpha-bisabolol-containing cream produced a significant skin-lightening effect in pigmented skin compared to a vehicle control in the majority of female subjects after 8 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010The combination of allantoin, bisabolol, D-panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate reduces UVB-induced PGE2, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial superoxide in human epidermal keratinocytes.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A targeted skincare regimen containing active ingredients such as rhodophyceae extract, ergothioneine, and L-carnosine significantly reduced transepidermal water loss by 24.09%, improved skin elasticity, and decreased redness, dryness, and desquamation in thirty-five female Chinese participants over 4 weeks following advanced optimal pulse technology treatment.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025A triple combination of ergothioneine, collagen peptides, and sodium hyaluronate attenuated UV-induced skin damage ex vivo and improved facial skin hydration, elasticity, barrier function, and wrinkles in Chinese women.
Frontiers in Nutrition, 2026Ergothioneine at nanomolar concentrations ameliorated UVA-induced skin damage, reactive oxygen species, and apoptosis in human keratinocyte-derived HaCaT cells by upregulating Nrf2/ARE-mediated antioxidant genes.
Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2015Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020The combination of botulinum toxin and calcium hydroxylapatite applied together produced higher and earlier satisfaction rates and improved hydration in the lower face and neck region compared to calcium hydroxylapatite alone in 15 participants.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023Topically applied calcium hydroxylapatite successfully penetrated fractional laser-induced skin defects and remained in the healing skin for at least six weeks, inducing collagen production around the microspheres in a human volunteer.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2025Calcium ions from nanophased hydroxyapatite embedded in collagen nanofibers significantly enhanced human dermal fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and hMSCs growth and proliferation, prevented pathogenic bacteria adhesion, enabled hMSCs differentiation, and caused no adverse reaction in rat subcutaneous implantation.
Nanomedicine, 2021
Ingredients
Water, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyapatite, Retinal, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Ergothioneine, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Bisabolol, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Isohexadecane, Hexyldecanol, Maltodextrin, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 60, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.