Serum comparison

Minimalist Salicylic Acid 2% Face Serum vs The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane

Both score the same 83% on our pore-clog scan. For fungal acne, The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane is the safer pick.

	Minimalist Salicylic Acid 2% Face Serum	The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane
Clean score	83%	83%
Pore-clogging	Acne-safe	Mild risk
Fungal acne	Not fungal-acne safe	Fungal-acne safe
Ingredients rated 3+	0	0
Recognised ingredients	6 / 25	3 / 8
Type	leave-on	leave-on

Only in Minimalist Salicylic Acid 2% Face Serum

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

Both score the same 83% on our pore-clog scan. For fungal acne, The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane is the safer pick.

Do Minimalist Salicylic Acid 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.