skinceuticals Retinol 0.5
skinceuticals SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 lists 26 ingredients on its label, 25 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Aqua/Water/Eau
- Propanediol
- Dimethicone
- Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
- Alcohol Denat
- Dipropylene Glycol
- Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
- Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer
- Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
- Hydrogenated Lecithin
- Isohexadecane
- Retinol
- Phenoxyethanol
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Polysorbate 20
- Isopropyl Myristate
- Sodium Citrate
- Boswellia Serrata Gum
- Polysorbate 80
- Dimethiconol
- Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
- Bisabolol
- BHT
- Sorbitan Oleate
- Citric Acid
- Propyl Gallate
Highlights
Free of fragranceFree of sulfatesFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains siliconesContains alcoholContains animal-derivedContains mineral oilContains PEGContains parabens
Formulation view Water and polyol base with silicone for slip. 0.5% retinol is the hero, supported by bisabolol for soothing. Preserved with phenoxyethanol. Suitable for neutral to combination skin seeking anti-aging, requiring strict light protection. Factory note: High alcohol content aids penetration but increases volatility, balancing freshness with hydration.
Key ingredients
- 溶剂
- Aqua/Water/EauAlcohol Denat
- SOLVENT
- Propanediol
- ANTIFOAMING
- Dimethicone
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
- FRAGRANCE
- Dipropylene Glycol
- EMULSION STABILISING
- Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl TaurateAllyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer
Other ingredients
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate CopolymerHydrogenated LecithinIsohexadecaneRetinolPhenoxyethanolCaprylyl GlycolPolysorbate 20Isopropyl MyristateSodium CitrateBoswellia Serrata GumPolysorbate 80DimethiconolTrisodium Ethylenediamine DisuccinateBisabololBHTSorbitan OleateCitric AcidPropyl Gallate
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua/Water/Eau | 溶剂 | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Propanediol | SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Dimethicone | ANTIFOAMING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN PROTECTING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 1 | Green |
| Alcohol Denat | 溶剂,皮肤调理剂 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Dipropylene Glycol | FRAGRANCE, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate | EMULSION STABILISING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer | EMULSION STABILISING, OPACIFYING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer | EMULSION STABILISING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING · 限制 III/66 | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Hydrogenated Lecithin | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Isohexadecane | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Retinol | SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS · 限制 III/376 | 3 · 0 | Yellow |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Caprylyl Glycol | DEODORANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Polysorbate 20 | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Isopropyl Myristate | BINDING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, FRAGRANCE, PERFUMING | 0 · 5 | Green |
| Sodium Citrate | BUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Boswellia Serrata Gum | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Polysorbate 80 | DENATURANT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Dimethiconol | ANTIFOAMING, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, MOISTURISING | 0 · 3 | Green |
| Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate | CHELATING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Bisabolol | FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOOTHING | 0 · – | Green |
| BHT | ANTIOXIDANT, FRAGRANCE · 限制 III / 325 | 0 · 0 | Yellow |
| Sorbitan Oleate | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Citric Acid | BUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE | 1 · 0 | Green |
| Propyl Gallate | ANTIOXIDANT, PERFUMING | 1 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Aqua/Water/Eau
- Water as solvent/base; main ingredient, microbial control needed, paired with preservatives.
- Propanediol
- Polyol solvent at 1–5%; light feel, aids solubilization, propylene glycol alternative
- Dimethicone
- Silicone occlusive at 1–5%; provides smooth feel, non-penetrating, suitable for sensitive skin
- Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
- Cetearyl ester for emollience/stabilizing; light texture, low comedogenicity, suitable for oily skin.
- Alcohol Denat
- Denatured ethanol; solvent, penetration enhancer, and quick-dry agent; high % may compromise barrier in dry skin.
- Dipropylene Glycol
- Solvent for essential oils; better humectancy than PEG
- Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
- Cationic water-soluble polymer; stabilizer and conditioner, test compatibility with anions
- Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer
- Film-forming and thickening polymer for emulsion stabilization; watch double bond residue and crosslinker reaction.
- Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
- Polyacrylamide-based thickener with strong emulsion stabilizing power; strict control of residual monomer levels is required.
- Hydrogenated Lecithin
- Emulsifier from lecithin; stable, used in powder emulsions
- Isohexadecane
- Lightweight mineral-oil-derived emollient and solvent; low viscosity, non-comedogenic, improves texture
- Retinol
- Highly active and unstable, needs robust antioxidant encapsulation; 0.1-1.0%, pregnancy contraindicated
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Polyol conditioner and preservative booster at 0.5–3%; emollient feel, often paired with 1,2-hexanediol
- Polysorbate 20
- Non-ionic emulsifier and cleansing surfactant; contains PEG, control microbial load.
- Isopropyl Myristate
- Light synthetic ester, fast-drying and non-greasy; high comedogenic risk, limit in acne-prone skin
- Sodium Citrate
- Sodium citrate for buffering and chelating; adjust pH, careful with strong acid reactions.
- Boswellia Serrata Gum
- Not decoded yet
- Polysorbate 80
- Non-ionic emulsifier and solubilizer; watch for interaction with parabens
- Dimethiconol
- Dimethiconol; silicone emollient providing silky feel and reducing friction; moderate comedogenicity, avoid excess.
- Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
- Mild chelator replacing EDTA; water-soluble, very low irritation, stabilizes metal ions
- Bisabolol
- Soothing and anti-inflammatory agent, 0.01–0.1%; low irritation, good for sensitive skin.
- BHT
- Lipophilic antioxidant at 0.01-0.05%; ineffective with acidic systems, label-sensitive, check regulatory limits as preservative alternative.
- Sorbitan Oleate
- Non-ionic emulsifier for oil-in-water systems; plant-derived, check oxidative stability
- Citric Acid
- Buffer and chelator at 0.1–2%; adjusts pH, may irritate sensitive skin at low pH
- Propyl Gallate
- Oil-soluble antioxidant for oil stability; mild skin irritant.
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-18. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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