Verified Beauty Data

Dupe report Nº 004 / Retinol creams

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni dupes, ranked by formula match

1% retinol is a commodity active. The $76 price tag was the brand, not the formula.

Some links earn us a commission. It never changes the verdict — the methodology is public.

02 / The scoreboard

Seven formulas, one number that matter

Read the actives column first — it is the apples-to-apples comparison. $ per gram of active is what the working ingredients cost you; the base-formula score is supporting evidence, not the verdict.

Product Actives vs original $ / g of active Price Base formula Verdict
Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream Disclosed by brand $253.33 $76.00 30 mL 100% the reference The original
Exact disclosed active the direct clones — same actives, same percentages
InnBeauty Project Retinol Remix 1% Retinol Serum Disclosed by brand $163.33 $49.00 30 mL 40% Skip price on Amazon
No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate Disclosed by brand $130.00 $39.00 30 mL 32% highest measured The winner Amazon →
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane Disclosed by brand $26.33 $7.90 30 mL 12% Best budget Amazon →
Partial overlap missing actives — different formula wearing the keywords
La Roche-Posay Pure Retinol Face Serum with Vitamin B3 Disclosed by brand $499.89 $44.99 30 mL 26% Skip price on Amazon
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum From retailer listing — not disclosed $21.99 30 mL 21% Skip price on Amazon
Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer Disclosed by brand — not disclosed $32.99 50 mL 16% Skip price on Amazon

✓ same % as original ≠ different % ? in formula, % undisclosed — not in formula

03 / The original

Why the original is the original

Retinol is a vitamin A derivative — a well-established, FDA-recognized anti-aging active with decades of clinical evidence. In skin, it converts to retinoic acid, which accelerates cell turnover, stimulates collagen synthesis, and reduces fine lines, uneven texture, and post-inflammatory marks. At 1%, A-Passioni sits at the ceiling of over-the-counter retinol without a prescription. The active itself is a commodity. Lab-grade 1% retinol is available to any competent formulator.

What A-Passioni adds around the retinol is a squalane base — squalane is a lightweight, non-comedogenic lipid that stabilizes retinol and cushions the skin barrier — plus a signal-peptide complex: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7. These peptides mimic collagen-stimulating signals in the skin, adding a second mechanism for texture and firmness beyond the retinol itself. Bisabolol (from chamomile) and tocopherol (vitamin E) round out the irritation-buffering system. The formula is well-constructed: ceramides, phytosphingosine, and cholesterol support the skin barrier while retinol does its work.

Drunk Elephant charged $76 for that construction. The brand was acquired by Shiseido in 2023 for $845 million; by 2025 it had declined approximately 65% — its social implosion preceded, and then accelerated, the brand's collapse. The formula was never secret. The peptides (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7), the squalane base, the 1% retinol ceiling — all of it appears in cheaper products. No7's Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate replicates the same signal peptides at 1% retinol for $39. This page exists because the brand story inflated the price, and the brand story is gone.

04 / The candidates

Every candidate, examined

01 / InnBeauty Project

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InnBeauty Project Retinol Remix 1% Retinol Serum bottle
$163.33 per g of active
$49.00 retail · 30 mL
40% base formula · highest of 6

InnBeauty Project Retinol Remix 1% Retinol Serum

Shared formula DNA 8 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Squalane Caprylic Cetyl Alcohol Glycerin Retinol Rosa Canina Fruit Oil Linoleic Acid Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Bisabolol Tocopherol Squalene Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil Ceramide NP Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Phytosphingosine Cholesterol Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Carbomer Xanthan Gum Hydroxyethylcellulose Sodium Hydroxide Hexylene Glycol Disodium EDTA Citric Acid Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
1% retinol — the same ceiling — plus Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, squalane, bisabolol, and Ceramide NP. 8 of the original's 32 ingredients shared, including the same preservative system.
What differs
Adds 1% tranexamic acid for brightening (not in the original) and niacinamide. At $49 it costs more than No7 with a lower formula-match score; the extra actives are a feature, not a flaw, if brightening is your goal.
Who it's for
Worth a look if you want 1% retinol plus a brightening layer: the tranexamic acid addition gives you two mechanisms (retinol for texture/turnover, tranexamic for pigment) at $49. Not the closest match to A-Passioni's formula, but a more feature-rich product at a lower price than the original.
Ships in
Airless pump bottle good light protection
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by InnBeauty Project on their product page.

$49.00 for 30 mL → $163.33 per gram of active — 1.6× cheaper per active gram than the original's $253.33.

price on Amazon ($56.00) — not recommended as a dupe

02 / No7

The winner
No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate bottle
$130.00 per g of active
$39.00 retail · 30 mL
32% base formula · 2nd of 6

No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate

Shared formula DNA 8 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Squalane Caprylic Cetyl Alcohol Glycerin Retinol Rosa Canina Fruit Oil Linoleic Acid Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Bisabolol Tocopherol Squalene Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil Ceramide NP Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Phytosphingosine Cholesterol Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Carbomer Xanthan Gum Hydroxyethylcellulose Sodium Hydroxide Hexylene Glycol Disodium EDTA Citric Acid Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
The same 1% retinol disclosed, in a formula that specifically mirrors A-Passioni's signal-peptide stack: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 are both present, alongside squalane, bisabolol, and the same phenoxyethanol/ethylhexylglycerin preservative pair. 8 of the original's 32 ingredients shared.
What differs
No ceramide complex (A-Passioni includes Ceramide NP, AP, and EOP with phytosphingosine and cholesterol). Adds niacinamide and cetearyl alcohol as a texture modifier; slightly richer emollient base. Packaging is an opaque pump bottle rather than an airless jar.
Who it's for
The winner. Same 1% retinol at the same ceiling, the same two signal peptides, squalane base — for $39 against the original's $76. A 4.5-star average across 3,210 Amazon ratings. The formula argument for the Drunk Elephant version at more than double the price is gone.
Ships in
Serum pump bottle good light protection
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by No7 on their product page.

$39.00 for 30 mL → $130.00 per gram of active — 1.9× cheaper per active gram than the original's $253.33.

Buy on Amazon $33.99 Amazon price as of 2026-06-13; $39.00 direct retail.

03 / The Ordinary

Best budget
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane bottle
$26.33 per g of active
$7.90 retail · 30 mL
12% base formula · lowest of 6

The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane

Shared formula DNA 2 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Squalane Caprylic Cetyl Alcohol Glycerin Retinol Rosa Canina Fruit Oil Linoleic Acid Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Bisabolol Tocopherol Squalene Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil Ceramide NP Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Phytosphingosine Cholesterol Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Carbomer Xanthan Gum Hydroxyethylcellulose Sodium Hydroxide Hexylene Glycol Disodium EDTA Citric Acid Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
The closest conceptual match to A-Passioni's core premise: 1% retinol in squalane — retinol dissolved in squalane, exactly the same base-level concept. 2 of the original's 32 ingredients (retinol and squalane). At $26.33 per gram of active, the lowest cost-per-active on this page.
What differs
A three-ingredient formula (squalane, retinol, BHT) — no ceramides, no signal peptides, no bisabolol, no tocopherol. Stripped to the minimum: the same active at the same percentage, no irritation buffers. Score reflects shared-formula proximity, not clinical equivalence.
Who it's for
The best budget option if you want 1% retinol in squalane and nothing else — at $7.90. Understand what is missing: the peptides, ceramides, and irritation buffers that justify A-Passioni's formula are entirely absent. For experienced retinol users who want a pure single-active in squalane, this works. For retinol beginners, the lack of irritation buffering makes it a harder start. Pair it with a separate ceramide moisturizer if you go this route.
Ships in
Dropper bottle light protection unconfirmed
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by The Ordinary on their product page.

$7.90 for 30 mL → $26.33 per gram of active — 9.6× cheaper per active gram than the original's $253.33.

Buy on Amazon $9.90 Amazon price as of 2026-06-13; $7.90 direct retail.

04 / La Roche-Posay

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La Roche-Posay Pure Retinol Face Serum with Vitamin B3 bottle
$499.89 per g of active
$44.99 retail · 30 mL
26% base formula · 3rd of 6

La Roche-Posay Pure Retinol Face Serum with Vitamin B3

Shared formula DNA 7 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Squalane Caprylic Cetyl Alcohol Glycerin Retinol Rosa Canina Fruit Oil Linoleic Acid Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Bisabolol Tocopherol Squalene Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil Ceramide NP Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Phytosphingosine Cholesterol Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Carbomer Xanthan Gum Hydroxyethylcellulose Sodium Hydroxide Hexylene Glycol Disodium EDTA Citric Acid Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Squalane base, ceramide NP, and the same phenoxyethanol/ethylhexylglycerin preservative pair. Shares 7 of the original's 32 ingredients. Well-proven brand track record for sensitive-skin tolerability.
What differs
0.3% retinol versus the original's 1% — a meaningful step down in concentration. No signal peptides. At $499.89 per gram of active it is the most expensive per active on this page after the original, for less retinol.
Who it's for
The sensitive-skin pick. 0.3% is appropriate for retinol beginners, and La Roche-Posay's dermatologist-tested formulation is purpose-built for reactive skin. If you have tried 1% and found it irritating, start here and step up. Not a dupe — a gentler entry point with a different clinical mandate.
Ships in
Airless pump bottle good light protection
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by La Roche-Posay on their product page.

$44.99 for 30 mL → $499.89 per gram of active — 0.5× cheaper per active gram than the original's $253.33.

price on Amazon ($44.97) — not recommended as a dupe

05 / CeraVe

Skip
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum bottle
— per g of active
$21.99 retail · 30 mL
21% base formula · 4th of 6

CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum

Shared formula DNA 8 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Squalane Caprylic Cetyl Alcohol Glycerin Retinol Rosa Canina Fruit Oil Linoleic Acid Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Bisabolol Tocopherol Squalene Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil Ceramide NP Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Phytosphingosine Cholesterol Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Carbomer Xanthan Gum Hydroxyethylcellulose Sodium Hydroxide Hexylene Glycol Disodium EDTA Citric Acid Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Shares the ceramide foundation with A-Passioni: Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, phytosphingosine, cholesterol, and Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate — the most ceramide overlap of any candidate here. 8 of the original's 32 ingredients shared.
What differs
Retinol percentage undisclosed. No signal peptides (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1/Tetrapeptide-7 absent). At $21.99 for ~30 mL, it is the most affordable option on this page — but you are buying retinol at an unknown concentration, which makes active-to-active comparison impossible.
Who it's for
Worth a look specifically for barrier-repair alongside retinol: if skin-barrier support (ceramides, niacinamide) matters as much as the retinol itself, CeraVe delivers that matrix at $21.99. Understand the trade-off: you cannot know if the retinol concentration is effective. If disclosed concentration matters, No7 is the pick.
Ships in
Pump bottle good light protection
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
From retailer listing Ingredients and percentages from the product's Ulta listing.

$21.99 for 30 mL → — not disclosed: the brand doesn't state active percentages, so this number cannot honestly exist.

price on Amazon ($18.68) — not recommended as a dupe

06 / Olay

Skip
Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer bottle
— per g of active
$32.99 retail · 50 mL
16% base formula · 5th of 6

Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer

Shared formula DNA 8 of 32 original ingredients present
Water Squalane Caprylic Cetyl Alcohol Glycerin Retinol Rosa Canina Fruit Oil Linoleic Acid Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Sodium Hyaluronate Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Bisabolol Tocopherol Squalene Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil Ceramide NP Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Phytosphingosine Cholesterol Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Carbomer Xanthan Gum Hydroxyethylcellulose Sodium Hydroxide Hexylene Glycol Disodium EDTA Citric Acid Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Retinol present, with 8 of the original's 32 base ingredients including cetyl alcohol, carbomer, sodium hydroxide, and disodium EDTA.
What differs
Retinol concentration undisclosed. A jar format — wide-mouth jar allows air exposure on opening, which degrades retinol faster than the original's airless pump or No7's opaque pump. No signal peptides. The formula is primarily a moisturizer with retinol added, not a retinol serum with a moisturizing base.
Who it's for
Skip as an A-Passioni dupe. The jar packaging is the single biggest strike — retinol is light- and air-sensitive, and a wide-mouth jar is the worst delivery vehicle for it. At $32.99 for 50 mL you are also buying a moisturizer format when A-Passioni is a serum. Olay Regenerist has an enormous, loyal following — but not because it is an A-Passioni dupe.
Ships in
Jar with spatula light protection unconfirmed
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Disclosed by brand Percentages published by Olay on their product page.

$32.99 for 50 mL → — not disclosed: the brand doesn't state active percentages, so this number cannot honestly exist.

price on Amazon ($29.94) — not recommended as a dupe

05 / Methodology

How we verified this

Verified 2026-06-13

Every formula on this page was tokenized — split into its individual INCI ingredients — and matched against the EU CosIng ingredient database, so "Aqua," "Water," and "Eau" all resolve to the same ingredient.

The base-formula match score works like this: sharing a rare ingredient counts far more than sharing a common one. Almost every serum contains water and glycerin — that proves nothing. Almost nothing contains Ethoxydiglycol or Laureth-23, so when a candidate shares those with the original, it says something real about how the formula was built. (For the statisticians: it is an IDF-weighted Jaccard similarity over the normalized ingredient lists.)

Scores are computed, not opinions. The verdict tags are our editorial read of the actives, the scores, and the prices — and the methodology stays public so you can disagree with us precisely.

Where the ingredient lists come from

  1. Disclosed by brand

    Ingredient percentages published by the brand itself, on its own product page — the strongest provenance.

  2. From retailer listing

    Ingredients and percentages taken from a retailer product listing. Feeds can lag a reformulation, and we flag that wherever it applies.

Sources for this report

  • Brand DTC product pages (live crawl 2026-06)
  • Ulta.com product feed (crawled 2026-06)

06 / Questions

Frequently asked

What is the best Drunk Elephant A-Passioni dupe?
No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate ($39) is the strongest match: the same 1% retinol, the same two signal peptides (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7), a squalane-based formula with bisabolol — for $39 against A-Passioni's $76. It earns 4.5 stars across 3,210 Amazon ratings.
Is there a 1% retinol dupe for A-Passioni?
Yes — several. No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate ($39) and InnBeauty Project Retinol Remix ($49) both disclose 1% retinol. The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane ($7.90) also discloses 1% in the same squalane base concept — stripped to three ingredients. The key differentiator: No7 also includes A-Passioni's specific signal peptides.
Is Drunk Elephant A-Passioni worth it?
No — not at $76. The formula is 1% retinol in a squalane and peptide base. Every component of that formula is available in other products: 1% retinol is a commodity active, squalane is an inexpensive lipid, and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 / Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 appear in No7's $39 concentrate. Drunk Elephant's brand story drove the price; the brand has since declined approximately 65%. The formula argument for paying $76 is gone.
What percentage of retinol is in Drunk Elephant A-Passioni?
1% retinol — pure vitamin A, disclosed by Drunk Elephant on their product page. At 1%, A-Passioni sits at the ceiling of over-the-counter retinol available without a prescription. The retinol is derived from rosehip oil, suspended in a squalane base with signal peptides and a ceramide complex.
What is a good Drunk Elephant A-Passioni dupe for sensitive skin?
La Roche-Posay Pure Retinol Face Serum with Vitamin B3 ($44.99) runs 0.3% retinol — lower than A-Passioni's 1% — buffered with niacinamide and squalane for sensitive-skin tolerability. If you have tried 1% retinol and found it irritating, 0.3% is the appropriate step down. La Roche-Posay's dermatologist-tested formulation is specifically designed for reactive skin.
How does A-Passioni compare to The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane?
Both use 1% retinol in a squalane base — the core concept is the same. The Ordinary's formula has three ingredients (squalane, retinol, BHT) at $7.90. A-Passioni wraps the same retinol-in-squalane core with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, ceramides (NP, AP, EOP), phytosphingosine, cholesterol, and bisabolol — a full irritation-buffering and barrier-support system. For experienced retinol users, The Ordinary works. For beginners or barrier-compromised skin, the extra components matter — and No7 delivers most of them at $39.
What is retinol and what does it do for skin?
Retinol is a vitamin A derivative — a well-established, FDA-recognized anti-aging active. In skin, enzymes convert it to retinoic acid, which accelerates cell turnover, stimulates collagen synthesis, and reduces fine lines, uneven texture, and post-inflammatory marks. At 1%, A-Passioni is at the over-the-counter ceiling. Pure prescription retinoids (tretinoin) deliver retinoic acid directly and are more potent; OTC retinol requires conversion steps. The evidence base for retinol at 0.5–1% is solid — it is one of the best-studied anti-aging actives available without a prescription.
Why did Drunk Elephant A-Passioni get so popular?
Drunk Elephant built a cult following in the 2010s around a "clean" ingredient philosophy and a cohesive product ecosystem marketed as "Drunk Elephant-compatible." A-Passioni — a visually distinctive jar with a "1% vegan retinol" headline — became a status item. The formula is good but not unique. When Shiseido acquired Drunk Elephant in 2023 for $845 million and the brand subsequently declined approximately 65% in 2025, the premium lost its narrative support. The retinol itself never changed.

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