Dupe report / Retinol
SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 dupes, ranked by strength and ingredient list
The closest SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 dupe on paper is No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate: $26.97 vs $102.00 for the same 1 oz. It has the same 1% retinol, no fragrance, and the same calming bisabolol. The cheapest 1% is The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane at $9.90, but it is an oil, not a cream.
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Buy on Amazon $26.97Closest 1% on paper
No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate $26.97 Amazon, Nov 3, 2026
1% retinol with bisabolol, niacinamide and centella. No fragrance. 1 oz.
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Buy on Amazon $9.90Lowest price for 1%
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane $9.90 Amazon, Nov 3, 2026
1% retinol in squalane oil. Use moisturizer after. 1 oz.
Quick answers
- Is any dupe the same formula?
- No. Every 1% option here has the same strength, but none copies SkinCeuticals' base. No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate shares the most: 8 of its 26 ingredients.
- What about SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3?
- The 0.3 is nearly the same base at a lower strength ($80 at Dermstore). For the same 0.3% for less, L'Oreal Paris Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum is $29.88; like SkinCeuticals it has alcohol and the same thickener.
- Should I start at 1%?
- SkinCeuticals says the 1.0 is for skin already used to a 0.5% retinol. Start 1 to 2 nights a week and wear sunscreen in the day. The same goes for every 1% dupe.
- Is a 1% retinol OK for sensitive skin or pregnancy?
- Retinol is not advised during pregnancy or breastfeeding; ask your doctor. If your skin is sensitive or new to retinol, start with a 0.3% such as the L'Oreal below, a few nights a week.
- What is the cheapest 1% retinol?
- The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane, $9.90 for 1 oz, about 90% less than SkinCeuticals. It is a squalane oil, so use a moisturizer after it.
01 / The ranking
The 4 SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 dupes, ranked
How we rank: products with the same stated 1% retinol come first. Then we count how many of SkinCeuticals' 26 listed ingredients each one shares. If two tie, the cheaper one per ounce ranks higher. The 0.3% pick is last because it is weaker.
How SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream feels: A smooth, light cream used a few drops at a time. It is not greasy and has no scent. At 1% it often causes peeling at first, so the brand says to start 1 to 2 nights a week.
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1. No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate
Retinol 1% · shares 8 of 26 · $26.97 for 1 oz
How it feels: A light serum that dries fast and is not greasy. It can be drying at first, so most people build up from a few nights a week.
Best for the closest 1% on paper. Same 1% retinol and no fragrance. It shares more of SkinCeuticals' ingredients than the other 1% options (mostly the base and preservatives), plus the same calming bisabolol, and adds niacinamide, panthenol and centella.
Trade-off: It has no denatured alcohol, which SkinCeuticals has, and adds glycerin and light oils, so it feels a little richer. On Amazon it is sold by Front Row, No7's authorized seller.
Buy on Amazon $26.97 -
2. Paula's Choice CLINICAL 1% Retinol Treatment
Retinol 1% · shares 6 of 26 · $48.75 for 1 oz
How it feels: A sheer, light cream that is not greasy and sinks in fast, though it can feel a little tacky for a few minutes. No fragrance.
Best for the same strength with more skin support. Same 1% retinol in a light silicone cream, plus things SkinCeuticals lacks: a ceramide, peptides, a vitamin C form, licorice and oat to calm skin.
Trade-off: Its base is different from SkinCeuticals' (no alcohol, many more extras), so it is an upgrade, not a copy. It costs the most of the dupes.
Buy on Amazon $48.75 -
3. The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane
Retinol 1% · shares 2 of 26 · $9.90 for 1 oz
How it feels: A water-free oil that goes on like a light face oil. Follow it with moisturizer. The brand says to keep it cool and use it within 3 months of opening.
Best for the lowest price. The same stated 1% retinol for about a tenth of the price, in a simple squalane and jojoba oil.
Trade-off: It is an oil, not a cream, and shares almost nothing else with SkinCeuticals: no bisabolol, no boswellia. It goes off fast once opened.
Buy on Amazon $9.90 -
4. L'Oreal Paris Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum
Retinol 0.3% · shares 8 of 26 · $29.88 for 1 oz
How it feels: A light serum that absorbs quickly. Like any retinol it can cause some dryness and peeling at first.
Best for anyone who wants SkinCeuticals' 0.3 strength. If you were looking at SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3, this is the same stated strength, and like SkinCeuticals it has alcohol and the same thickener (ammonium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate).
Trade-off: It is 0.3%, not 1%, so it is much milder than the Retinol 1.0.
Buy on Amazon $29.88
02 / Side by side
Strength, base and price
Retinol % is what each brand states. "Yes" means the ingredient is on the printed list.
| Product | Retinol | Shared | Alcohol | Silicone | Bisabolol | Fragrance | Price (1 oz) | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream | 1% | — | yes | yes | yes | no | $102.00Dermstore | |
| No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night ConcentrateClosest match | 1% | 8 of 26 | no | yes | yes | no | $26.97 | View on Amazon |
| Paula's Choice CLINICAL 1% Retinol Treatment | 1% | 6 of 26 | no | yes | no | no | $48.75 | View on Amazon |
| The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane | 1% | 2 of 26 | no | no | no | no | $9.90 | View on Amazon |
| L'Oreal Paris Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum | 0.3% | 8 of 26 | yes | no | no | no | $29.88 | View on Amazon |
SkinCeuticals price is Dermstore's. Amazon prices checked Nov 3, 2026.
03 / The original
What is in SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0
- The active: 1% pure retinol, 10th on the list.
- The base: water, propanediol, dimethicone (a silicone), an emollient and denatured alcohol, which helps it feel light and dry fast.
- Calming extras: bisabolol (from chamomile) and boswellia (frankincense) gum.
- No fragrance. No ceramides, peptides or vitamin C are listed.
04 / Full lists
Every ingredient list, as printed
Highlighted ingredients are also on the SkinCeuticals list.
SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream (26 ingredients)
Aqua/Water/Eau, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Alcohol Denat, Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Retinol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polysorbate 20, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Isopropyl Myristate, Sodium Citrate, Boswellia Serrata Gum, Polysorbate 80, BHT, Dimethiconol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Bisabolol, Sorbitan Oleate, Citric Acid, Propyl Gallate
Read from dermstore.com
No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate (31 ingredients)
Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Butylene glycol, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Dimethicone, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, Polysorbate 20, Niacinamide, Retinol, Phenoxyethanol, Inulin lauryl carbamate, Panthenol, Xanthan gum, Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Bisabolol, Caprylyl glycol, Behentrimonium chloride, Sucrose laurate, Sorbitan laurate, Potassium hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Centella asiatica leaf extract, Acetyl dipeptide-1 cetyl ester, Benzoic acid, Palmitoyl tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, Benzyl alcohol
Read from boots.com
Paula's Choice CLINICAL 1% Retinol Treatment (53 ingredients)
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Castor Isostearate Succinate, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-33, Polysorbate 20, Behenyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Retinol, Ceramide NG, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Arctium Lappa, Salix Alba Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sorbitan Laurate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, PPG-12/SMDI Copolymer, PEG-10 Phytosterol, PEG-8 Dimethicone, PEG-14, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid
Read from dermstore.com
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane (8 ingredients)
Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Retinol, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, BHT
Read from theordinary.com
L'Oreal Paris Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum (23 ingredients)
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol denat, Glycine soja oil / soybean oil, Isononyl isononanoate, Pentylene glycol, Dicaprylyl ether, Propylene glycol, Peg-6 caprylic/capric glycerides, Ppg-6-decyltetradeceth-30, Dicaprylyl carbonate, Glyceryl isostearate, Sodium hyaluronate, Retinol, Ammonium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate, Caprylyl glycol, Citric acid, Trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate, Xanthan gum, Butylene glycol, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenoxyethanol
Read from lorealparisusa.com
05 / Questions
Frequently asked
- What is the best dupe for SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0?
- No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate. It has the same 1% retinol and shares 8 of SkinCeuticals' 26 ingredients, more than the other 1% options, including bisabolol. It costs $26.97 for 1 oz, about 74% less.
- Is Paula's Choice 1% Retinol better than SkinCeuticals?
- It is the same strength with more skin support: a ceramide, peptides, a vitamin C form, licorice and oat. It costs $48.75 for 1 oz. It is not a copy of SkinCeuticals' formula.
06 / Sources
Where the facts come from
- Ingredient lists: SkinCeuticals and Paula's Choice via Dermstore (the brand sites block reading), No7 via Boots, The Ordinary and L'Oreal from their stores. Read 2026-10-25.
- SkinCeuticals also sells Retinol 0.3 ($80 at Dermstore) on nearly the same base; the 1.0 adds a few thickeners (Dermstore lists, 2026-10-25).
- Amazon prices, sellers and photos: Amazon product data (Creators API), read the date shown.
- How each one feels, from reviews: Dermstore: SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0; LovelySkin: SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 reviews; Dermstore: Paula's Choice CLINICAL 1% Retinol Treatment; Skin Rocks: Paula's Choice CLINICAL 1% Retinol; Ulta: No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate reviews; Skinsort: No7 Pure Retinol 1% Night Concentrate; The Ordinary: Retinol 1% in Squalane; DermFND: The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane; Skinsort: L'Oreal Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum; DermFND: L'Oreal Revitalift 0.3% Pure Retinol Night Serum.