Dupes for Starter Retinol Serum
by The Inkey List · Serum
3 products come close enough to call a dupe, best match first.
How the match is scored
A dupe is always the same kind of product — a serum is only compared with serums. Within that, two things are scored and blended.
Ingredient Match compares the two ingredient lists. Lists are ordered by concentration, so an ingredient near the top counts for more than one near the bottom; a dupe has to cover what matters most in the original. It weighs most of all.
Attribute Match compares what the two products are for: the benefits their ingredients are known for, such as hydrating or acne fighting. Those benefits come from the ingredients, not from tests of either product.
Only products scoring 60% or more are listed, at most 50. A match is about the formula on the label: it can't see concentrations the label doesn't print, texture, or how a product feels on your skin.
Dupe #1
They share 15 of this product's 36 ingredients (the dupe lists 24).
Both are
- Fragrance-free
- EU-allergen-free
- Alcohol-free
- Paraben-free
- Silicone-free
- Sulfate-free
- Reef-safe
- Cruelty-free
Both are likely good for
- Hydrating
- Barrier Repair
- Reduces Irritation
- Redness Reducing
- Smoothing
- Acne Fighting
- Oil Control
- Exfoliating
- Anti-Pollution
Brand price: USD 13.00 · checked 26 Sept 2026 · on the brand's site
Compare side by side →Dupe #2
They share 14 of this product's 36 ingredients (the dupe lists 43).
Both are
- Alcohol-free
- Paraben-free
- Silicone-free
- Sulfate-free
- Reef-safe
- Cruelty-free
Both are likely good for
- Hydrating
- Barrier Repair
- Reduces Irritation
- Anti-Aging
- Smoothing
- Acne Fighting
- Oil Control
- Exfoliating
- Antioxidant
- Anti-Pollution
Brand price: USD 109.00 · checked 8 Oct 2026 · on the brand's site
Compare side by side →Dupe #3
They share 13 of this product's 36 ingredients (the dupe lists 29).
Both are
- Fragrance-free
- EU-allergen-free
- Alcohol-free
- Paraben-free
- Silicone-free
- Sulfate-free
- Reef-safe
- Cruelty-free
Both are likely good for
- Hydrating
- Barrier Repair
- Reduces Irritation
- Redness Reducing
- Anti-Aging
- Smoothing
- Acne Fighting
- Oil Control
- Exfoliating
- Antioxidant
- Anti-Pollution
Brand price: USD 59.00 · checked 8 Oct 2026 · on the brand's site
Compare side by side →