Serum comparison

Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum vs The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution

For acne-prone skin, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution scores higher (63% vs 100% clean). For fungal acne, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution is the safer pick.

	Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum	The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
Clean score	63%	100%
Pore-clogging	Mild risk	Acne-safe
Fungal acne	Not fungal-acne safe	Fungal-acne safe
Ingredients rated 3+	0	0
Recognised ingredients	4 / 11	3 / 12
Type	leave-on	leave-on

Only in Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum

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

Only in The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution

No extra flagged ingredients compared with the other product.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for acne-prone skin, Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum or The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution?

For acne-prone skin, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution scores higher (63% vs 100% clean). For fungal acne, The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution is the safer pick.

Do Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum and The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution 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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