Hello, hello – welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

Today I’m reviewing the Retinol 1% in Squalane from The Ordinary. I’ve been using it for several weeks now, and I purchased this to replace Press Restart – Gentle Retinol Serum from Versed. [info in italics taken from Deciem’s website]

This water-free solution contains 1% pure Retinol, an ingredient that can reduce the appearances of fine lines, of photo damage and of general skin aging. While Retinol has been studied extensively, it is irritating to the skin and newer technologies exist that mimic the visible effects of Retinol without causing skin irritation.

Retinol can cause significant irritation, redness and peeling, especially around the eyes and mouth, in the early stages of treatment while skin builds tolerance. If you have not used high-strength retinol formulas in the past, we strongly recommend that you start your retinol regimen with our Retinol 0.2% in Squalane and adjust to higher strengths of Retinol 0.5% in Squalane and Retinol 1% in Squalane as your skin builds tolerance. You will achieve the same end results without the unpleasant redness and peeling along the way.

The Ordinary has several different Retinol based serums, ranging in strength and irritation risk levels. I’ve previously used and loved their Advanced Retinoid 2% Emulsion, which later became the Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion (moderate strength, low to no irritation). The Retinol 1% in Squalane is their highest retinol formula (high strength, and very high irritation risk)!

Wait a minute, high irritation risk? Don’t I have sensitive skin – I know, I know! I did my patch tests – first on my wrist, and then on my neck and chest, before trying it on my face. This retinol does not irritate my skin! I think that the squalane actually works to counteract the irritation risk, and my skin is quite used to retinoids / retinols.

I like this one, I feel that it does help with fine lines, and my skin has not been prone to redness, irritation or peeling after using several nights a week (for several weeks), I only skip using it if I’m using an acid formula. My skin seems to be far less sensitive these days – I guess that my current skincare routine is making my skin very happy!

If you are new to retinoids / retinol or have super sensitive skin – this is not the product for you, I’d recommend starting with either the Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion or the Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane, and using every couple of nights until your skin adjusts before moving onto the stronger Retinol formulas. As always, retinol should be used at night, and always followed by sunscreen in the daytime as retinol can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. You should be wearing SPF daily anyway!

Have you tried this one?

Thanks for reading

Disclosure: I purchased this!