4Rank 04 of 8 · Best Retinol Serums
CeraVe CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Encapsulated retinol with ceramides and niacinamide, formulated for blemish-prone skin. The concentration is not disclosed anywhere — which is legal, and which is exactly the problem.
7.8BPR score
- €22Price
- Encapsulated retinol — concentration not disclosedRetinoid form and stated concentration
- 4 of 8in Best Retinol Serums
- 7.8BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
A well-supported formula and a clean illustration of the industry's biggest transparency failure.
What is disclosed: the retinol is encapsulated, and the formula contains ceramides, niacinamide and licorice root extract. That combination is sensibly built — ceramides support the skin barrier through the retinisation phase, niacinamide is well tolerated alongside retinoids, and the product is positioned for blemish-prone skin, where topical retinoids have the strongest evidence base of all. The 2024 American Academy of Dermatology acne guidelines give topical retinoids a strong recommendation for unclogging pores and reducing inflammation, though those guidelines concern prescription retinoids rather than cosmetic retinol.
What is not disclosed is the concentration. Not on the brand page, not at the retailer, nowhere. And the AAD confirms this is entirely lawful: there is no requirement that the percentage of retinol be disclosed on a label.
That matters more now than it did two years ago. Since 1 November 2025 a retinol product must be at or below 0.3% retinol equivalent to be placed on the EU market — so a compliant product's concentration is bounded, but you cannot tell whether it is 0.3% or 0.02%. And Stiftung Warentest's May 2026 laboratory analysis of 94 facial products found roughly one-third of 70 facial creams contained too little vitamin A to have an anti-ageing effect, citing 0.05% as a minimum threshold. Without a disclosed figure, you cannot know which side of that line you are buying.
At €21.95 for 30 ml — €0.73 per ml — this is reasonably priced, widely available across European pharmacies, and a sensible pick for someone who wants a gentle, barrier-supporting introduction and does not want to think about numbers. It is not the pick for anyone who wants to know what they are applying.
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- Retinoid form
- Retinol
- Stated concentration
- Not disclosed by the brand
- Covered by EU 0.3% cap
- Yes
- Encapsulated
- Yes
- Key supporting ingredients
- Ceramides, niacinamide, licorice root extract
- Positioning
- Blemish-prone skin
- Size
- 30 ml
- Price per ml
- approx. EUR 0.73
- Published clinical testing
- None found
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- Encapsulated retinol for stability and gentler release
- Ceramides and niacinamide support the barrier during retinisation
- Formulated for blemish-prone skin, where retinoids have the strongest evidence
- €0.73 per ml and very widely available in European pharmacies
- Licorice root extract as an additional soothing agent
Worth knowing
- Concentration not disclosed anywhere — you cannot know what you are applying
- One-third of facial creams tested by Stiftung Warentest had too little vitamin A to work
- No published clinical testing for this product
- Full ingredient list not readily obtainable
- Contains restricted-category retinol, so subject to the EU cap
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category Best Retinol Serums.
| Product | Score | Retinoid form and stated concentration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10Top score | 8.8 | Retinaldehyde 0.1% — not covered by the EU cap | €19 |
| CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol SerumThis product | 7.8 | Encapsulated retinol — concentration not disclosed | €22 |
| Category average8 products analysed | 7.9 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal not to state the retinol percentage?
Yes. The American Academy of Dermatology confirms there is no requirement that the percentage of retinol be disclosed on a label. EU cosmetics rules require the ingredient to appear in the INCI list, but not its concentration. Since 1 November 2025 a compliant product is capped at 0.3% retinol equivalent, so there is an upper bound — but no lower one, and Stiftung Warentest found roughly a third of facial creams fell below the level needed to work.
Can I use this if I get spots?
It is formulated for that, and topical retinoids have a strong recommendation in the 2024 AAD acne guidelines for unclogging pores and reducing inflammation. Note those guidelines concern prescription retinoids — adapalene, tretinoin, tazarotene — rather than cosmetic retinol, which is weaker. For persistent or inflammatory acne, a doctor can prescribe something considerably more effective than any serum in this ranking.
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