Dr. Vanita Rattan has reviewed at least 30 retinoids, and she is not easily impressed. Her approval rate sits at 39%, so about four in ten made the cut. The products she does recommend tend to share a clear logic, and the ones she skips usually fail for a reason she spells out.
What does Dr. Vanita Rattan recommend in retinoids?
What she keeps coming back to is the formula around the vitamin A, not just the vitamin A itself. She praises products that pair retinoids with ingredients that calm and protect the skin barrier, things like niacinamide, allantoin, glycerin, and panthenol. Those ingredients matter because retinoids are irritating by nature, and something that steadies the barrier helps people actually stick with the product. She also pays attention to pH and packaging. A retinoid in the wrong packaging, or at the wrong pH, can degrade before it even reaches the skin. The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% Emulsion earned her approval partly because of its anti-inflammatory babassu oil and its simple, non-irritating formula. She said the same about Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10, calling it ideal for people with a damaged or recently recovered skin barrier. Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum got a nod too, for its niacinamide and adenosine pairing, though she flagged the £72 price as steep.
Dr. Vanita Rattan's retinoid picks, in her words
"The Ordinary is 0.2% retinaldehyde which is excellent. Very good price point at $20. It's got babassu oil in it so that's your anti-inflammatory but really not much else. It is a beautiful formula and I would recommend it. It's actually very similar to the Geek & Gorgeous in terms of very basic formula and non-irritating. Both are great for sensitive skin."
"Don't forget, vitamin A is very drying to the skin. Allantoin, which is your anti-inflammatory, which is excellent, plus panthenol, so this is really made for sensitive skin. There are no other actives in this, but I really love this, actually, for people who are looking to treat their fine lines but maybe have a damaged skin barrier or have just recovered from a damaged skin barrier. This one I love. Well done, Geek & Gorgeous. Not much smell either."
"This is going to be very hydrating. The next ingredient is niacinamide, which is a lovely combination because it strengthens the skin barrier, which is exactly what you want to do when you're using an irritating ingredient. [...] Plus, they added adenosine, which is anti-inflammatory. [...] I actually don't like a lot of products from Kiehl's, but they got it right with this particular product. I would say it's great for beginners to intermediate, but it is quite expensive at £72."
"This is a non-irritating form of retinol, it is encapsulated and it's an anti-inflammatory formula, so it's one that I highly recommend. I love this. If you want to upgrade to a stronger retinol, then this is the one that I love. This is 0.3% Retinol, and it's non-irritating. It's 0.3% plus she's actually added 2% bakuchiol, which I love as well. If you're pregnant, avoid retinol and you want to actually stick with bakuchiol on its own."
"This one is 0.05%, and I like it. It's retinaldehyde plus allantoin, which is anti-inflammatory, and it's safe at a pH of six, which I like."
"This is 2% Granactive Retinoid. It's an airless pump. It's a new form of vitamin A, it's actually good for more sensitive skin. Doesn't have as much data behind it as retinol, of course retinol has been around for a lot longer, but it is one that I would recommend probably over the other two because of the packaging. I think they did a really good job with this product. This one is Dr V approved."
How many retinoids has Dr. Vanita Rattan reviewed?
Dr. Vanita Rattan has reviewed 31 retinoids, for an approval rate of 39%. 12 approved, 3 mixed, and 16 skipped.
What has Dr. Vanita Rattan skipped in retinoids?
About half the retinoids she reviewed got a skip, and the reasons follow a pattern. Fragrance is a firm line for her. She called out RoC Retinol Correction for adding fragrance to an already irritating formula, with no anti-inflammatories to offset it, and said the chemistry of the retinol was right but the vehicle around it was wrong. Weak or misleading vitamin A forms bother her just as much. She found the Plum 1% Retinol Face Serum with Bakuchiol disappointing because the active is retinol palmitate, one of the weakest forms, requiring extra conversion steps before it can do anything. And on price, she is direct. Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 she described as no longer worth what it costs, saying the market has caught up and better options now exist at lower prices. Murad Retinal she called simply not worth the money.
"Retinol palmitate is one step removed, it has to be converted to retinol, and it's one of the weakest forms of vitamin A. [...] They add in an apple stem cell extract, but the clinical evidence on actual cosmetic formulas in human skin is thin. They did add in bakuchiol oil, which is a genuine ingredient, but it's after the preservative system in the ingredient list, so it's almost certainly less than 1%. I really don't like this formula. This is a 3.5 out of 10."
"That creates exactly the dark circles that you're trying to get rid of. And then for some wild reason they thought let's add in fragrance into the Inkey. So you basically just stacked the irritation risk further. The chemistry of the retinol is right, but the vehicle around it is wrong. This formula unfortunately gets a two out of 10. It's got fragrance in it, retinol which is irritating, no anti-inflammatories, wrong packaging, should be in an airless pump, and £25 at Target."
"My impression is this price tag is very unfair and it's just not worth your money"
"On top of that, when I investigated further, it only contained 0.3% [retinaldehyde]. I think they just had first-mover advantage. They were one of the first in the industry to use retinaldehyde, which is why they did so well with it, but I just think that the market's caught up. We've got better products at better prices and this is just a little bit out of date. It penetrates nicely, it's just not worth it now."
What should you take from Dr. Vanita Rattan's picks?
Dr. Vanita Rattan's retinoid record is a useful filter for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the category. She is looking for a retinoid at an honest concentration, in stable packaging, surrounded by ingredients that protect the skin rather than stress it further. Products that check those boxes earn her approval. Those that rely on a weak vitamin A form, add fragrance, or charge a premium without justifying it, do not.
Watch Dr. Vanita Rattan say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%Named a winnerWatch at 9:19
- Plum 1% Retinol Face Serum with BakuchiolSkipped itWatch at 5:02
- RoC Retinol CorrectionSkipped itWatch at 8:05
- Murad RetinalSkipped itWatch at 11:10
- Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6Skipped itWatch at 8:38
- Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night MoisturizerSkipped itWatch at 9:27
- Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol CreamSkipped itWatch at 5:49
- Paula's Choice Pro Retinal SerumSkipped itWatch at 17:11
- Anua Retinol 0.3% Niacinamide Renewing SerumSkipped itWatch at 29:08
- Roche Retinol Deep Wrinkle SerumSkipped itWatch at 6:54
- Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10Skipped itWatch at 10:07
- Pilgrim Retinol Hyaluronic AcidSkipped itWatch at 6:14
- The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in SqualaneSkipped itWatch at 9:52
- Minimalist 0.6% Anti-Aging RetinolSkipped itWatch at 13:22
- The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in SqualaneSkipped itWatch at 2:49
- Foxtail Retinol Night Serum 0.15%Skipped itWatch at 15:05
- Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol TreatmentSkipped itWatch at 9:35
- The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% EmulsionRated itWatch at 15:52
- Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10 Retinal Serum (0.1%)Rated itWatch at 15:29
- Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose SerumRated itWatch at 11:52
- Paula's Choice 0.3% RetinolRated itWatch at 3:06
- Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 Retinal Serum (0.05%)Rated itWatch at 8:02
- Minimalist Granactive Retinoid 2%Rated itWatch at 24:12
- First Aid Beauty FAB Skin Lab Retinol Serum 0.25%Rated itWatch at 16:32
About this expert
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This guide reflects what Dr. Vanita Rattan said across her videos about 31 products in retinoids, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.