Retin-A
Retin-A Cream 0.025%Differin
Adapalene Gel 0.1%An acne treatment built around Tretinoin, for barrier repair and smoothing.
An acne treatment built around Adapalene, for hydration and barrier repair.
Brand price
Not recorded
Brand price
Not recorded
At a Glance

They come out differently on Paraben-free, Fungal-acne-safe and Pore-clogger-free; those rows are shaded. Tap any answer to see why.
Key Ingredients

Fatty alcohol1
Waxy fatty alcohols used as emollients and thickeners; unrelated to drying alcohol.
Benefits

Barrier Repair3
Strengthens and restores the skin's natural barrier.
Concerns

May Trigger Acne3
Can clog pores or trigger breakouts.
May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis4
May feed the yeast involved in seborrheic dermatitis.
Isopropyl Myristate, PEG-40 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol
May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris3
May clog follicles or strip skin prone to keratosis pilaris.
May Worsen Irritation2
May cause stinging, redness or sensitivity.
No concerns found
Ingredients Side-by-side

- Tretinoin
- Acne Fighting
- Anti-Aging
- Dark Spots
- Smoothing
Cleansing
2-3 / 0
- Fatty acids (stearic, oleic, lauric)
- Fatty alcohols (Malassezia)
- Possibly animal-derived
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Emollient
5 / 3
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Irritation
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Cleansing
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Emollient
2 / 2
- Fatty alcohol
- Fatty alcohols (Malassezia)
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Irritation
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Preservative
Antioxidant
Water (in both products)
Skin Conditioning
- Adapalene
- Acne Fighting
- Smoothing
Cleansing
Water (in both products)
Skin Conditioning
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water
Antiplaque, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Aqua (EU),Deionized Water,Distilled Water,Micromatrix Fractile AN,Onsen-Sui (JPN),Purified Water
Learn more about Water →
Similar Comparisons
Each product against its closest dupes.
- View the comparisonNo product image
Retin-A
Retin-A Cream 0.025%
No product imageAlembic
Tretinoin Cream USP 0.1%
- View the comparison

Differin
Adapalene Gel 0.1%

Differin
Adapalene Gel 0.3%
- View the comparisonNo product image
Retin-A
Retin-A Cream 0.025%

Encube
Tretinoin Cream USP 0.025%
- View the comparison

Differin
Adapalene Gel 0.1%

PanOxyl
Adapalene Gel 0.1%