Serum comparison

Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum vs The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane

For acne-prone skin, Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum scores higher (100% vs 83% clean). Both are fungal-acne safe.

	Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum	The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane
Clean score	100%	83%
Pore-clogging	Acne-safe	Mild risk
Fungal acne	Fungal-acne safe	Fungal-acne safe
Ingredients rated 3+	0	0
Recognised ingredients	2 / 19	3 / 8
Type	leave-on	leave-on

Only in Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum

No extra flagged ingredients compared with the other product.

Which is better for acne-prone skin, Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum or The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane?

For acne-prone skin, Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum scores higher (100% vs 83% clean). Both are fungal-acne safe.

Do Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum and The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane 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.