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Rtl5.0

Retinol

Moderate safety

Evidence

Evidence Score5/10

Studies: 8

Meta-analyses: 1

Dosage & timing

Dosage:

Topical cosmetic only. OTC retinol is formulated roughly 0.1-1% in leave-on serums or creams and applied to clean, dry facial skin at night, starting 2-3 nights per week and building to nightly as tolerated. There is no oral, injectable, or systemic dose — this is not ingested. Higher concentrations work somewhat better but irritate more; pair with a moisturizer and a morning sunscreen. This library does not provide an ingestion protocol.

Best Time:

Evening

Can take on empty stomach

Form:

Leave-on topical serum or cream (0.1-1% retinol)

What you'll notice

ℹ️ Cosmetic, appearance-only — not a health effectneutral

Throughout

💆 Reduced appearance of fine lines (vehicle-controlled trials)positive

8-24 weeks

✨ Modest improvement in tone, firmness, and pigmentationpositive

8-24 weeks

Safety

Moderate safety

Contraindications:

For topical (skin) use only — not for ingestion, not for injection
Pregnancy and breastfeeding — generally advised to avoid topical retinoids as a precaution
Active eczema, rosacea flares, or broken/irritated/sunburned skin until healed

Drug Interactions:

Strong leave-on exfoliating actives (AHAs/BHAs, benzoyl peroxide)
Other retinoids (prescription tretinoin, tazarotene, adapalene)

Side Effects:

Dryness, flaking, and peelingBurning, stinging, or redness (retinoid dermatitis)Increased sun sensitivity

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