Menarini A-Ret Gel for dry sensitive skin
Tretinoin
Propylene Glycol
Isopropanol
Carbomer
Butylated HydroxytolueneCaution
- CautionDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for dry sensitive skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, 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 exfoliation for your dry and flaky skin due to tretinoin promoting skin cell turnover, but Isopropanol and Propylene Glycol can increase dryness and sensitivity for your dry skin type.
- The presence of tretinoin in moderate concentrations helps reduce acne lesions and blemishes, which is a secondary benefit for your skin.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 11.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this product is highly effective for improving skin texture, clearing acne, and providing an anti-aging glow, especially for those with oily or acne-prone skin due to its lightweight, non-clogging formula. Users frequently mention its affordability. A significant number of reviews note a strong alcohol smell and potential for initial irritation or peeling, suggesting a need for a careful moisturizing routine.
Highlights
Highly effective results Mostly Mentioned
- “cleared up acne completely”
- “skin looks glass-like”
- “best anti-aging product”
Lightweight, non-clogging Often Mentioned
- “soaks in immediately”
- “doesn't clog pores”
- “much better than cream”
Very affordable Often Mentioned
- “unbeatable price”
- “saves me hundreds”
- “great value for money”
Alcohol smell and drying Often Mentioned
- “smells like vodka”
- “stings upon application”
- “very drying initially”
Noticeable skin radiance Sometimes Noted
- “gave me the tret glow”
- “faded dark spots”
- “skin looks radiant”
Availability and shipping Sometimes Noted
- “takes a month to arrive”
- “hard to find stock”
- “shipping delays”
Initial irritation and peeling Sometimes Noted
- “peeled like a snake”
- “burned my moisture barrier”
- “redness for weeks”
Texture inconsistency Rarely Noted
- “0.025% isn't a clear gel”
- “texture was runny”
- “thought it was expired”
Sources: lovi.care, reddit.com, reliablerxpharmacy.com, skinsort.com, incidecoder.com, wimj.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Menarini A-Ret Gel for dry sensitive skin?
Lovi advises caution because while tretinoin helps clear breakouts, ingredients like propylene glycol and isopropanol can increase dryness and sensitivity on your dry and delicate skin. A treatment for this skin type needs soothing, hydrating ingredients like ceramides and nourishing vitamins that lock in moisture and protect the skin barrier without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this gel a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
Isopropanol and propylene glycol make this gel a poor fit because they can increase dryness and sensitivity on your dry skin. A treatment of this type needs moisturizing ingredients that provide excellent hydration and skin barrier support without any risk of irritation.
What does Tretinoin do for dry sensitive skin?
Tretinoin is generally an average or weak fit for dry and sensitive skin because it frequently causes redness, flaking, and irritation. A product for this skin type needs gentle moisturizing ingredients and soothing agents to help calm dryness and protect the skin barrier while managing breakouts or signs of aging.
What does Propylene Glycol do for dry sensitive skin?
Propylene glycol is unlikely to irritate normal skin, but it may occasionally cause allergic reactions or sensitivity in some people. For dry skin, this type of product needs hydrating ingredients like glycerin and soothing elements to help lock in moisture and keep the skin soft and smooth.
Where does this gel go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Because this product is a poor fit for your dry skin, a safer option needs soothing ingredients and extra moisture to protect your skin barrier while treating it.
Can I use this gel with benzoyl peroxide, and in what order?
Using this gel with benzoyl peroxide may dry out and irritate your skin further, so it is best to avoid using them together. If you choose to use both, apply them on different nights or consult a professional to protect your skin barrier.
How often should I use this gel?
This gel should be used just once a week in the evening routine, because it can easily cause extra dryness and irritation for your dry sensitive skin. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients, gentle hydrators, and rich moisturizers to keep dry skin calm and comfortable.
Can this gel clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This gel is unlikely to clog pores, but the tretinoin inside may cause an initial phase of peeling and breakouts as it speeds up skin cell turnover. Because your skin is dry and sensitive, ingredients like propylene glycol and isopropanol can increase dryness and irritation, so a product for this skin type needs gentle hydrators and soothing, moisture-locking ingredients instead.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2020Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022
Is this gel fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A galenic compound containing essential oils and tretinoin demonstrated anti-acne efficacy and anti-inflammatory activity, significantly reducing papular erythema and retinoid-induced rashes compared to clindamycin-tretinoin gel in sixty volunteers over 30 days.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2020Tretinoin-loaded nano lipid carriers resulted in a significantly higher rate of decrease in acne lesions and greater reduction in porphyrin production compared to conventional tretinoin cream in patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022Topical tretinoin improves clinical appearance of photoaging in terms of wrinkling, mottled hyperpigmentation, sallowness, and lentigines and is safe and well tolerated.
International Journal of Women's Dermatology, 2022Topical tretinoin daily application for 10 to 12 months produced an 80 percent increase in collagen I formation in photodamaged human skin compared with a 14 percent decrease with vehicle alone.
The New England Journal of Medicine, 1993Topical tretinoin precursors and tretinoin showed no significant difference in efficacy for moderate to severe facial photodamage in 20 patients, while tretinoin precursors caused erythema six times less frequently.
JAMA Dermatology, 2022Treatment with a combination of propylene glycol, ethanol, water, and shampoo was found effective, easy to use, and cosmetically attractive with no observed side effects in patients with dandruff.
Cutis, 1988A moisturizer containing glycerol and propylene glycol reduced transepidermal water loss, decreased epidermal thickness, increased stratum corneum thickness, and reduced dermal inflammatory infiltrate compared to untreated disrupted skin in six healthy beagle dogs.
Veterinary Dermatology, 2020The use of 70% isopropyl alcohol in conjunction with scrubbing with a bristled brush significantly reduced positive bacterial cultures at the nail fold compared to povidone-iodine with soft sponges in volunteers.
The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume, 2005Friction with 70% ethyl or isopropyl alcohol immediately eliminates the heart-shaped pigmented lesion characteristic of terra firma-forme dermatosis in a 14-year-old boy.
Cureus, 2024Rubbing 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes cleared persistent reticulated brown patches in five patients with terra firma-forme dermatosis.
Skinmed, 2016Topical chloramphenicol-betamethasone combined with sodium hyaluronate/trehalose/carbomer gel compared to chloramphenicol-betamethasone alone reduced most subjective symptoms at 1 week but increased blurred vision at 4 weeks following strabismus surgery in 31 patients, with no significant differences in conjunctival inflammation between treatments.
Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2019Incorporating nanoemulsions into hydrogels with increasing Carbopol 934 proportions from 1% to 3% progressively decreased the percutaneous flux rates of terbinafine and citral, increased drug accumulation in the stratum corneum while decreasing it in the epidermis/dermis compared to nanoemulsions alone, and shifted delivery routes from skin appendages to intercellular paths.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2016Topical liquiritin carbomer gel treatment restored skin barrier function, increased barrier proteins and antioxidant enzymes, and decreased inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress in a mouse model of glucocorticoid-induced skin inflammation.
Pharmaceutics, 2024
Ingredients
Tretinoin, Propylene Glycol, Isopropanol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Butylated Hydroxytoluene, Methyl Hydroxybenzoate, Propyl Hydroxybenzoate
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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