The OrdinaryGranactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane, Advanced Anti-Aging Retinoid with Hydration Support for Dry and Mature Skin, 1 Fl Oz

I am not a beauty product aficionado. I don't like to spend a lot of time on my "routine." But, I am in my 40s, and I decided last year it was time to take better care of my skin. I quickly encountered an overwhelming amount of information and products that I had no idea whether they would work or what. I then found an article listing a few key things to include in your routine if you are a low-maintenance kind of gal. Retinol was one. This brand was the cheapest way I could find to to get high-quality, high-percentage retinol.If you have oily, blemish-prone skin like me, it may seem counter-intuitive to put oil on your face every night (which is what this product is), but I will tell you that when I am religious about washing with an SA product (I use Cereve), moisturizing with a gel moisturizer (I use Clinique), and putting this product on my face every night, it completely eliminates blemishes and improves the quality of my skin. It's kind of amazing. And you will have this little bottle for weeks, which is very nice for the price.I've never bought more expensive retinol products to compare, and as long as I can get this product, I never will!

This is an incredible product; I saw an improvement in my skin texture, color, and youthfulness after only three uses! Most retinols are too harsh for my hyper-sensitive skin with psoriasis and rosacea. This product is very gentle for fragile skin and very effective. After only a short time using it, several people have asked me what laser treatment I had done! I wish this has been available decades ago, it has taken years off my face! I let it work for a couple of hours on clean skin in the early evening, then put on The Ordinary’s Azelaic Acid Cream and their Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil. Great regimen! Wear with SPF 50 daily to preserve results. The Ordinary’s products are high-quality, effective, and reasonably priced. Best of all is that they tell you exactly what effective ingredients they contain, and at what concentrations. This works much better for me then products that just claim “anti-aging”, or other nearly meaningless adjectives.

Works as expected

I like it

Have been using for a couple months. I haven’t been using long enough to definitively say that their version of a retinoid has made a big difference on my wrinkles (can take several months), but within a few days I noticed very smooth skin from what I believe is the squalene. The silky serum kind of glides on and absorbs fairly quickly leaving behind a smooth and clear complexion in time. My 50 year old skin hasn’t felt or looked this smooth in a while and I have been using serums for a few years.My only suggestion is to order it directly from the manufacturer site. The squalene became rancid in the 1st couple weeks with almost a gasoline smell after ordering from Amazon. The seller told me to contact the manufacturer. I would imagine serums aging in a warehouse with temperature changes probably isn’t conducive to a fresh product. Have had no issues ordering directly from the company.

Miracle product! This is the fourth retinol product I have tried this year and it’s the only one that I have been very pleased with. I have very, very dry skin and the fact that this serum is oil based is exactly what I needed. I do my nightly skin routine in steps, allowing each product to sink into my skin for at least 15 minutes. I was a little worried that this oil based retinol would not allow my heavy, final product (a collagen cream) to sink in and be properly absorbed, but no worries here! I woke up to hydrated, beautiful skin with noticeably fewer fine lines - especially my pesky upper lip lines. I can’t wait to see the results after 12 weeks, which is the average amount of time it takes to see the full benefits of retinol. This is my first time using The Ordinary and I have to say I’m very impressed. They seem to really know what they are doing in terms of the science behind their products and the price point can’t be beat! I guess that’s why I always see their products on recommendation lists. I will continue to use this and I will probably try some more The Ordinary products in the future. Thank you The Ordinary!

I ended up purchasing a new one directly from the ordinary site bc this one really smelled like chemicals and it should more clearly indicate it has to be refrigerated after opening...didn't see that till a few days later. Regardless, even the new bottle straight from the ordinary doesn't do much at all. It gets in my eyes every night but otherwise it's just like using the plain squlaine. Just my experience after a few weeks and still trying.

The first time I tried this serum I could feel it working on my skin. It has not changed. It's been 3 weeks now and my makeup goes on better, my skin is hydrated, my lines are less visible. I even got a compliment on Monday morning after my first weekend of using it two days in a row. I'm now using it every day and loving my skin. I wake up with my skin hydrated and soft.