Product record / Serums, retinaldehyde
SerumThe Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
- $14.90
- retail price
- 0.2%
- retinaldehyde
- $0.99
- per mL
- Data source
- Concentration disclosed in product name 0.2% retinaldehyde (Retinal in INCI, INCIDecoder-verified); ASIN+price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14.
- Best for
- Anti-aging & firmness
- How it feels
- Lightweight, fast-absorbing serum
- Value
- $14.90 for 15 mL · $0.99/mL
Bottom line The value benchmark for retinal — 0.2% disclosed, $14.90, the lowest cost per unit of active of the verified serums.
Editorial verdict / Social intelligence
The value benchmark for retinal — 0.2% disclosed, $14.90, the lowest cost per unit of active of the verified serums. 1
- Beauty benefit
- The Ordinary's Retinal 0.2% Emulsion delivers 0.2% retinaldehyde — the most potent over-the-counter retinoid, one enzymatic step from active retinoic acid — in a lightweight emulsion with soothing ergothioneine and bisabolol, at the lowest cost-per-active of the verified retinal serums.
- Does it work
- Yes, with the usual retinoid caveats. Retinaldehyde is the strongest OTC retinoid and The Ordinary discloses its exact concentration (0.2%, the highest of the three verified picks) — a transparency win that lets you compare potency and cost honestly. At $14.90 it is the value benchmark. Caveats: 0.2% is a high strength, so a retinization period (dryness, flaking, redness) is likely for retinoid beginners — start 2–3 nights a week; retinal is unstable, so the opaque packaging and fresh stock matter; and like all retinoids it should be avoided in pregnancy. See the verified data below →
Consensus strength
ModerateRetinaldehyde's position as the most potent OTC retinoid is well established in derm and editorial sources; The Ordinary's full concentration disclosure (0.2%) and price make it the transparent value pick. Long-term retinal-vs-retinol head-to-head trial data remains thinner than the retinol/tretinoin literature.
01 / The key active
retinaldehyde at 0.2%
This product discloses 0.2% retinaldehyde — concentration disclosed in product name.
Concentration disclosed in product name. 0.2% retinaldehyde (Retinal in INCI, INCIDecoder-verified); ASIN+price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14.
Other products with retinaldehyde:
02 / The full ingredient list
Every ingredient, in label order
Exactly as printed, each token matched to the EU CosIng register and flagged where a CIR safety assessment exists. Highlighted rows are the key actives.
| # | Ingredient, as printed | CosIng functions | CIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Aqua |
| — |
| 02 | Coco-Caprylate/Caprate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 03 | Propanediol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 04 | Pentylene Glycol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 05 | Hydroxyapatite |
| — |
| 06 | Retinal |
| — |
| 07 | Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide |
| — |
| 08 | 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol |
| — |
| 09 | Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid |
| — |
| 10 | Ergothioneine |
| — |
| 11 | Biosaccharide Gum-1 |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 12 | Bisabolol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 13 | Brassica Campestris Sterols |
| — |
| 14 | Zingiber Officinale Root Extract |
| — |
| 15 | Butylene Glycol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 16 | Isohexadecane |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 17 | Hexyldecanol |
| — |
| 18 | Maltodextrin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 19 | Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 20 | Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 21 | Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 22 | Stearic Acid |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 23 | Isoceteth-20 |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 24 | Polysorbate 60 |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 25 | Ascorbyl Palmitate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 26 | Tocopherol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 27 | Lactic Acid |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 28 | Sodium Lactate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 29 | Sodium Hydroxide |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 30 | Ethylhexylglycerin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 31 | Phenoxyethanol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 32 | Chlorphenesin |
| ✓ reviewed |
32 ingredients as printed · 32 exact CosIng matches · source: concentration disclosed in product name
03 / Where to buy
Where to buy Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
Some links on this page earn us a commission. It never changes our analysis — the methodology is public.
04 / What people say
What buyers actually say
What works
-
Retinal, on the other hand, only requires 1 conversion step to become retinoic acid, making it the strongest over-the-counter retinoid. Editorial
-
retinaldehyde was far better tolerated, causing far less irritation and dryness. Around 3 less irritation to be specific. Editorial
What to know
- Common 0.2% is a high strength — a retinization period (dryness, flaking, redness) is likely for retinoid beginners 5
If your skin is new to retinal, you may experience some mild irritation, redness or dryness. Editorial
- Some Retinal degrades with light and air — the opaque packaging and using it fresh genuinely matter 3
Retinal is notoriously unstable and quickly breaks down when exposed to light, air, or water. Editorial
What you'd only know from the reviews
-
Beyond anti-aging, retinaldehyde uniquely kills Cutibacterium acnes directly via its aldehyde group — so this doubles as an acne-fighting active in a way retinol does not. 6
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05 / Questions
Frequently asked
- What's in The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion?
- The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion lists 32 ingredients. Key active: 0.2% retinaldehyde. 0.2% retinaldehyde (Retinal in INCI, INCIDecoder-verified); ASIN+price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14. The full ingredient list, matched to EU CosIng, is on this page.
- Does The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion work?
- Yes, with the usual retinoid caveats. Retinaldehyde is the strongest OTC retinoid and The Ordinary discloses its exact concentration (0.2%, the highest of the three verified picks) — a transparency win that lets you compare potency and cost honestly. At $14.90 it is the value benchmark. Caveats: 0.2% is a high strength, so a retinization period (dryness, flaking, redness) is likely for retinoid beginners — start 2–3 nights a week; retinal is unstable, so the opaque packaging and fresh stock matter; and like all retinoids it should be avoided in pregnancy.
- How much retinaldehyde is in The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion?
- 0.2% retinaldehyde. 0.2% retinaldehyde (Retinal in INCI, INCIDecoder-verified); ASIN+price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14.
- Where can I buy The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion?
- $14.90 on Amazon (price recorded as of the date shown). 0.2% retinaldehyde (Retinal in INCI, INCIDecoder-verified); ASIN+price PA-API-verified 2026-06-14.