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The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion for acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion

Average

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for acne-prone skin; other serums fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 benefits for your combination skin, as retinal helps regulate cell turnover and bisabolol provides anti-inflammatory effects, which can support acne and breakouts.
  • The formula also includes ingredients like ergothioneine and tocopherol that offer antioxidant protection, contributing to overall skin health.
  • The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Use your serum as part of your PM routine and start 3x/week before working up to daily use.
  • Apply this treatment after cleansing and toner, and before your moisturizer.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
  • Apply the product on clean, dry skin to help manage your breakouts safely.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.3Overall rating based on 2.4k+ reviews

Based 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

How well does The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion work for acne-prone skin?

This product works moderately well for acne-prone skin, as retinal helps regulate cell turnover and bisabolol calms breakouts. To fit this skin type best, a treatment of this type needs soothing and balancing ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or zinc PCA that control excess oil without causing dryness.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Frontiers in Nutrition, 2026

Which ingredients make this emulsion a good fit for acne-prone skin?

This emulsion fits acne-prone skin because retinal helps regulate cell turnover and bisabolol provides calming effects to support breakouts. To work even better for this skin, a treatment of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or zinc PCA that provide excellent benefits and control oiliness without causing excess dryness.

What does Retinal do for acne-prone skin?

Retinal helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing blemishes, clogged pores, and redness while improving overall skin texture. Side effects are very uncommon when using this ingredient.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1999

What does Bisabolol do for acne-prone skin?

Bisabolol is unlikely to treat acne directly, but it may help calm redness and soothe irritated skin. Acne-prone skin often needs ingredients that soothe inflammation and keep pores clear without feeling heavy.

Where does this emulsion go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This treatment goes in your evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that features ingredients like retinoids to help regulate cell turnover, along with calming ingredients like bisabolol to support breakouts.

Can I use this emulsion with niacinamide, and in what order?

You can use this emulsion with niacinamide, applying the niacinamide first and letting it absorb before you put on this treatment. Using them together helps calm breakouts and keeps your skin smooth, and niacinamide is very unlikely to cause irritation when paired with this formula.

How often should I use this emulsion?

This emulsion works best when used in the evening routine. Acne-prone skin needs a product of this type to include ingredients that help clear breakouts while keeping the skin calm and balanced.

Can this emulsion clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This emulsion can help support acne and breakouts because retinal helps regulate cell turnover, but acne-prone skin may still need a product with stronger oil-balancing and pore-clearing ingredients to get the best fit. It is unlikely to cause severe irritation or breakouts from harsh ingredients, though reviewers occasionally mention dryness.

Is this emulsion fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • A 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, 2025

  • A 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, 2026

  • Ergothioneine 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, 2015

  • 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, 2018

  • Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.

    Dermatology, 2002

  • Topical 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, 1999

  • Application 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, 2010

  • The 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, 2024

  • Ergothioneine at submicromolar concentrations ameliorated UVA-induced skin aging in human dermal fibroblasts by inhibiting the AP-1 pathway and activating Nrf2-mediated antioxidant genes.

    Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2020

  • Ergothioneine protected against UV-induced oxidative stress and cell damage in mouse skin and cell models by activating the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2024

  • Ergothioneine decreased hyaluronan radical degradation in a dose-dependent manner, and its addition along with hercynine or histidine to chitosan/hyaluronan membranes improved the treatment of ischemic skin wounds in rabbits compared to controls.

    Polymers, 2020

  • Application 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, 2004

  • Topical 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, 1992

  • A 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, 2020

  • The 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, 2023

  • Topically 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, 2025

  • Calcium 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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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QR code: get the Lovi app
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