We considered non-prescription products only. As I researched retinoids, I read many academic studies spanning multiple decades. I also interviewed four dermatologists and three cosmetic chemists to determine how skin-care products’ various ingredients come into play and what the ideal concentration is for each one. For real-world insights, I dove deep into online reviews, aiming to find products that maintained high star ratings over hundreds — and often thousands — of reviews.
I synthesized my findings to establish a group of 28 products that I personally tested in late 2024. Most contained retinaldehyde, retinol, or adapalene, and a few also had retinyl palmitate (a combination of retinol and palmitic acid) or hydroxypinacolone retinoate (a version of retinoic acid). The dermatologists I spoke with recommended starting with lower concentrations: around 0.3% for retinol, 0.03% for retinal, and 0.1% for adapalene.
I ignored packaging claims, which mostly boiled down to “for aging skin” or “to improve tone and texture.” And I spent four months cycling through the contenders, trying them on my face, neck, upper chest, and the backs of my hands. I narrowed the list to 12 finalists, which were sorted by formula (serum, drops, and cream). These products were then tested by eight panelists, who had different skin tones, types, and textures, as well as various levels of retinoid experience.
For this guide’s update, I evaluated a larger group of over-the-counter adapalene gels. In late 2025 and early 2026, six testers (ranging in age from tween to 50s) tried seven different adapalene gels over a month. They mostly used the gels to treat acne and oily skin.
Panelists judged each product based on the following criteria:
- Overall experience and perceived benefits: We looked for products that truly made our skin look better and were also a pleasure to use.
- Skin reaction and sensitivity: When you are adopting a retinoid, a little initial redness, flakiness, or general irritation is to be expected. Testers made note of exceptional cases.
- Texture: We assessed how the products felt on our fingers and our faces, and we rejected those that were too gross and gloopy.
- Absorption: Panelists paid attention to how well each product absorbed into the skin. Then they noted how it felt longer-term, including whether it dried down tacky or made skin look oily.
- Fragrance and packaging: To minimize predisposition and bias, we obscured the name brands on all of the products we sent to panelists. Still, testers were able to assess how the packaging felt, how well it worked, and whether it was messy or tricky to handle in any way.
