Serum comparison

Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum vs Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum

For acne-prone skin, Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum scores higher (100% vs 63% clean). For fungal acne, Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum is the safer pick.

	Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum	Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum
Clean score	100%	63%
Pore-clogging	Acne-safe	Mild risk
Fungal acne	Fungal-acne safe	Not fungal-acne safe
Ingredients rated 3+	0	0
Recognised ingredients	2 / 19	4 / 11
Type	leave-on	leave-on

Only in Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum

No extra flagged ingredients compared with the other product.

Only in Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum

Tocopherol: rated 2/5
Polysorbate 20: rated 0/5, fungal-acne trigger

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for acne-prone skin, Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum or Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum?

For acne-prone skin, Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum scores higher (100% vs 63% clean). For fungal acne, Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum is the safer pick.

Do Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum and Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum have similar ingredients?

They have very different formulas.

Both scans use each brand's official ingredient list. See the product pages for sources and dates.

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