Retinol Expert 0.5% Ultimate Concentrate
The IOPE Retinol Expert 0.5% Ultimate Concentrate is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 40 ingredients (31 low-risk) rates it Excellent (98/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
The IOPE Retinol Expert 0.5% Ultimate Concentrate is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 40 ingredients (31 low-risk) rates it Excellent (98/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
Dry Skin
13/6
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin
1/1
Sensitive Skin
3/6
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
1
|
|
Water
(Solvent) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
2
|
A
|
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
|
Glycine Soja Oil
(Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient) |
|
|
3
|
A
|
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
Silicone
|
|
1
|
A
|
Diisostearyl Malate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Surfactant) |
|
|
1
|
|
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
1,2-Hexanediol
(Solvent) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
(Binding Agent, Skin Conditioning Agent Occlusive, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient) |
|
|
1
|
|
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
9
|
A
|
Retinol
(Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
|
1
|
A
|
Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
1
|
A
|
Cetearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasingagent Aqueous, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
1
|
B
|
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
|
1
|
A
|
Panthenol
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
|
|
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Decyl Esters
(Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Hair Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
B
|
Betaine
(Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Antistatic Agent, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
1
|
|
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
|
|
PARFUM
(Fragrance, Perfuming) |
|
|
|
|
daucus carota sativa root extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
2
|
A
|
Tromethamine
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Glyceryl Caprylate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
|
Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
1
|
B
|
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Cleansingagent, Emulsifying) |
|
|
1
|
B
|
Sodium Metaphosphate
(Buffering Agent, Chelating Agent, Oral Care Agent) |
|
|
|
|
Kojyl Methylenedioxycinnamate
(Antioxidant) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Sorbitan Isostearate
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
|
|
1
|
|
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
|
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent) |
|
|
1
|
|
Ectoin
(Buffering Agent, Skin Conditioning, Emollient) |
|
|
2
|
|
Beta-Carotene
(Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
|
1
|
A
|
Beta-Glucan
(Bulking Agent, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
|
|
Sh-Pentapeptide-12 Sp
(Skin Conditioning) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Pentylene Glycol
(Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Carbomer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
|
|
3
|
A
|
Acacia Senegal Gum
(Adhesive, Fragrance, Film Forming, Masking) |
|
|
1
|
A
|
Propylene Glycol Alginate
(Binding Agent, Fragrance, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Viscosity Controlling) |
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.
This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.
Retinol
INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.
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