8Rank 08 of 8 · Best Retinol Serums
The Ordinary The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane
The cheapest product here at €10.40, and included as a caution. At 0.5% it exceeds the EU limit for retinol, and it ships in a dropper bottle the brand tells you to refrigerate and finish within three months.
7.0BPR score
- €10Price
- Retinol 0.5% — above the EU 0.3% limitRetinoid form and stated concentration
- 8 of 8in Best Retinol Serums
- 7.0BPR 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.
We have included this deliberately rather than quietly omitting it, because it is one of the best-selling retinol products in Europe and buyers deserve to understand what they are buying.
At 0.5%, this exceeds the EU limit for retinol. Regulation (EU) 2024/996 caps retinol at 0.3% retinol equivalent, and for pure retinol that conversion is one to one — so 0.5% is above the limit, and the 1% version in the same range is more than three times over it. Products placed on the EU market before 1 November 2025 may legally be sold through until 1 May 2027, so this is not a warning that you are buying something unlawful. It is a warning that this formulation has a fixed end date and will not be reformulated at this strength.
The packaging is the other problem, and the brand effectively admits it. This is an anhydrous squalane suspension in a dropper bottle — a format that draws fresh air into the bottle every use, on a molecule that oxidises. The Ordinary's own advice is to refrigerate after opening and use within three months. That is not normal cosmetic guidance; it is a workaround for a packaging choice.
The formula is otherwise minimal and clean: squalane, caprylic/capric triglyceride, jojoba seed oil, retinol, tomato fruit extract, rosemary leaf extract, hydroxymethoxyphenyl decanone and BHT as an antioxidant. There is no encapsulation.
At €10.40 for 30 ml — €0.35 per ml — it is by far the cheapest option in the ranking. If you already use it and it suits your skin, there is no reason to stop before your bottle runs out. If you are choosing now, buy something that will still exist in 2028: the Paula's Choice at 0.3% for retinol, or one of the retinaldehyde products, which the cap does not touch at all.
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
- 0.5%
- Covered by EU 0.3% cap
- Yes - and above the limit
- Sell-through deadline
- 1 May 2027
- Encapsulated
- No
- Packaging
- Dropper bottle
- Key ingredients
- Squalane, caprylic/capric triglyceride, jojoba seed oil, retinol, tomato fruit extract, rosemary leaf extract, BHT
- Brand storage advice
- Refrigerate after opening, use within three months
- Size
- 30 ml
- Price per ml
- approx. EUR 0.35
- Also available
- 1% in Squalane at EUR 10.60 - more than three times the EU limit
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
- €10.40 for 30 ml — €0.35 per ml, the cheapest here by a wide margin
- Simple, clean anhydrous formula with BHT antioxidant
- Squalane and jojoba base is well tolerated by dry skin
- 0.5% is close to the 0.4% used in the best-evidenced retinol trial
- Legal to sell and use through the transition period
Worth knowing
- 0.5% exceeds the EU 0.3% retinol limit — this formulation ends by 1 May 2027
- Dropper bottle reintroduces air on every use
- Brand advises refrigerating after opening and using within three months
- No encapsulation and no time-release system
- No published clinical testing
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 |
| The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in SqualaneThis product | 7.0 | Retinol 0.5% — above the EU 0.3% limit | €10 |
| Category average8 products analysed | 7.9 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal for me to buy or use this?
No. The restriction governs placing products on the market and making them available on the market — it regulates suppliers, not consumers. Products placed on the EU market before 1 November 2025 may lawfully be sold through until 1 May 2027. Using a product you already own is not restricted at all. What the rule means for you is that this formulation is being phased out and will not return at this strength.
Should I stockpile it before the deadline?
No, and the packaging is the reason. This product ships in a dropper bottle and the brand itself advises refrigerating after opening and using within three months. Retinol degrades through light, oxygen and heat whether or not the bottle is open. Buying several years' supply would mean applying oxidised retinol, which is both less effective and more irritating than fresh.
From the same ranking
Other products in Best Retinol Serums.
The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
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No. 018.8/ 10
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