Retinol Serum
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Updated July 2026
A lot of disclosed, sensibly delivered retinol for under twenty dollars, packaged the way retinol should be. 1% is not a beginner strength, so ramp up slowly. As a low-cost way into a well-evidenced active, it is very easy to recommend.
- Evidence30 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Encapsulated Retinol: strong evidence
- Score is the average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency25 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Encapsulated Retinol (1%): dosed at a clinical, high-end level for its category
- Potency tracks how strongly the actives are dosed, led by the strongest, not how many there are.
- Delivery & stability18 / 20
Delivery tech + packaging that protects fragile actives
- Delivery: encapsulated (protects and time-releases the active)
- Packaging: opaque tube
- Air- or light-sensitive actives (Encapsulated Retinol), so packaging is scored.
- Formulation8 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 1 of 1 actives disclose a concentration
- 1 key active (breadth credit caps at 3)
- Current-generation or synergistic: Encapsulated Retinol
- Value15 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $5 per month to use
- $16 for 30 ml, used about once a day (about 0.3 ml each time), so a bottle lasts about 3.3 months
- Frequency is set by Encapsulated Retinol, which is used no more than 7x a week, so a bottle stretches further
- Band: $6/month or less earns full marks, $60/month or more hits the floor.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Encapsulated Retinol | 1% | Clinical |
A 1% stabilised retinol blend combining fast- and slow-release forms, encapsulated and cushioned to keep the flaking down, in an opaque squeeze tube. The disclosed strength is assertive for an over-the-counter retinol, so it is a build-up product rather than a starter. The tube keeps air and light off a molecule that degrades quickly.
How it’s delivered
Air- and light-sensitive actives (vitamin C, copper peptides) lose potency fast in the wrong packaging, so delivery and the bottle are scored, not just what’s on the label.
The actives, explained
Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. The SerumProof score reflects our reading of publicly available research and formulation disclosures. See how scoring works.