What is the difference between retinol and retinal?

Both are forms of vitamin A. In the skin, retinol is turned into retinal and then into retinoic acid, so retinal is one step closer to the active form and is used at lower percentages. Medik8, The Ordinary and Geek & Gorgeous use retinal; La Roche-Posay uses retinol.

Which retinoid strength should a beginner use?

Start at the lowest strength a range offers and follow the brand’s build-up schedule. Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 and Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 are the low entry points in this guide; The Ordinary’s 0.2% retinal is for experienced users.

Can I use retinol during pregnancy?

The NHS says topical retinoids are not suitable during pregnancy, and the brands here advise avoiding vitamin A while pregnant. Speak to a GP, midwife or pharmacist.

Is retinol above 0.3% banned in the UK?

Not in Great Britain. The EU limits retinol and its esters to 0.3% retinol equivalent in most leave-on cosmetics under Regulation (EU) 2024/996, and Northern Ireland follows EU rules, but Great Britain had not adopted an equivalent limit as of September 2026.

Should I use retinol in the morning?

No. Every product in this guide is directed for evening use. Wear sunscreen the next morning.

Best of · Skin prep · 4 picks

The best retinol and retinal serums.

Four evening retinoids compared by type and stated strength, fragrance, build-up schedule and UK price — with what the EU’s new retinol limit means for shoppers in the UK.

By Kaiser Khan, Founder & Editor Updated 25 September 2026 Editorial policy

Quick answer

What is the best retinol serum in the UK?

Medik8 Crystal Retinal is the best overall: retinal in six strengths from 0.01% to 0.24%, so you can start low and move up, from £45. La Roche-Posay’s 0.3% Retinol + B3 suits a cautious first retinol; Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10 is the fragrance-free budget retinal; The Ordinary Retinal 0.2% is for experienced users.

Selection is editorial and never paid for. Prices are UK guide prices from official pages or named retailers when checked, and may have changed. How we chose.

Our top picks

The shortlist, by what each does best.

Best overall Crystal Retinal Medik8 · Retinal 0.01%–0.24% · six strengths · 30ml
Best first retinol 0.3% Retinol + Vitamin B3 Serum La Roche-Posay · 0.3% retinol · niacinamide · evening only
Best budget retinal A-Game 10 Geek & Gorgeous · 0.1% retinal · fragrance-free · 30ml
Best for experienced users Retinal 0.2% Emulsion The Ordinary · 0.2% retinal · 15ml · weekly start

Side by side

How the picks compare.

Specifications are summarised from each official product page. Read across a row to see where a product fits; the detailed notes below explain the trade-offs.

Best retinol & retinal serums: how the picks compare
Product	Award	Finish	Key spec	Guide price
Crystal RetinalMedik8 · Retinal night serum	Best overall	Serum	Retinal 0.01%–0.24% · six strengths · 30ml	from £45
0.3% Retinol + Vitamin B3 SerumLa Roche-Posay · Retinol serum	Best first retinol	Lightweight serum	0.3% retinol · niacinamide · evening only	£48
A-Game 10Geek & Gorgeous · Retinal serum	Best budget retinal	Silky emulsion	0.1% retinal · fragrance-free · 30ml	£17.95
Retinal 0.2% EmulsionThe Ordinary · Retinal serum emulsion	Best for experienced users	Light emulsion	0.2% retinal · 15ml · weekly start	£15.20

Specifications from official brand pages; prices are UK guide prices from the brand’s official page or a named UK retailer, checked 25 September 2026. Prices and formulas can change.

The picks in detail

Why each one earns its place.

Strengths and limitations are drawn from specifications — texture, finish, shade range, filters, fragrance, price and availability — not from wear testing.

Best overall

Crystal Retinal

Medik8

Crystal Retinal is built as a progression: six numbered strengths of retinaldehyde, a written build-up schedule and a rule to finish one tube before moving up. That structure makes it the clearest route from a first retinoid to an advanced one.

Format: Retinal night serum
Finish: Serum
Key spec: Retinal 0.01%–0.24% · six strengths · 30ml

What stands out

Six strengths from 0.01% to 0.24% retinaldehyde
Clear build-up schedule and a one-tube-per-strength rule
Vegan Society certified
A UK brand with its own UK store

Consider first

Not strictly fragrance-free: coumarin, tonka bean and vanilla extracts are listed
£45 to £114 depending on strength
Medik8 advises avoiding vitamin A in pregnancy and breastfeeding

Read the full product guide Medik8 official page Guide price: from £45

Best first retinol

0.3% Retinol + Vitamin B3 Serum

La Roche-Posay

La Roche-Posay labels this serum 0.3% retinol with niacinamide and writes a gradual schedule into its directions: once or twice a week, building to five to seven nights. It is a measured, well-signposted place to start.

Format: Retinol serum
Finish: Lightweight serum
Key spec: 0.3% retinol · niacinamide · evening only

What stands out

Stated 0.3% retinol with niacinamide
Gradual build-up schedule in the brand’s directions
Lightweight dropper serum
Sold by major UK beauty retailers

Consider first

Contains fragrance and denatured alcohol, despite its sensitive-skin positioning
£48 for 30ml
A single strength, so there is no step up within the product

Read the full product guide La Roche-Posay official page Guide price: £48

Best budget retinal

A-Game 10

Geek & Gorgeous

A-Game 10 delivers 0.1% retinal in a silky emulsion free from fragrance and essential oils for £17.95 — the lowest price per millilitre for retinal in this guide. A-Game 5, at 0.05%, is the lower-strength way in.

Format: Retinal serum
Finish: Silky emulsion
Key spec: 0.1% retinal · fragrance-free · 30ml

What stands out

0.1% retinal for £17.95 (30ml)
Free from fragrance and essential oils, per the brand
A lower-strength A-Game 5 is available
A written build-up schedule

Consider first

Sold mainly through the brand’s UK shop, run by its distributor
Positioned for experienced users; beginners should start with A-Game 5
The brand says not to use it during pregnancy

Read the full product guide Geek & Gorgeous official page Guide price: £17.95

Best for experienced users

Retinal 0.2% Emulsion

The Ordinary

The Ordinary puts 0.2% retinaldehyde — a high strength — into a £15.20 emulsion, with directions that start once a week and build only to twice a week. It is for people who already tolerate retinoids and want a stronger step.

Format: Retinal serum emulsion
Finish: Light emulsion
Key spec: 0.2% retinal · 15ml · weekly start

What stands out

0.2% retinaldehyde
No fragrance on the ingredient list; vegan
£15.20
Clear, low-frequency directions

Consider first

Not for beginners
15ml — half the size of the other picks
Must not be combined with other retinoids
The brand notes its products have not been tested in pregnancy or breastfeeding

Read the full product guide The Ordinary official page Guide price: £15.20

What to look for

Read the label before the award.

Retinol or retinal?

In the skin, retinol is turned into retinal and then into retinoic acid. Retinal is one step closer, so it is used at lower percentages. Compare strengths within the same retinoid, not across them.

A stated strength

Choose a product that tells you its percentage. It makes starting low — and moving up later — a deliberate decision rather than a guess.

Start slowly

The American Academy of Dermatology suggests starting every other night and building up, with moisturiser to limit irritation. Every brand here writes its own schedule into the directions; follow the one on your pack.

Night use, daytime SPF

All four picks are evening products. Wear sunscreen every morning while you use a retinoid.

Pregnancy

The NHS says topical retinoids are not suitable during pregnancy. The brands here advise avoiding vitamin A while pregnant; speak to a GP, midwife or pharmacist.

The new EU limit

Since 1 November 2025, new cosmetics placed on the EU market must keep retinol and its esters to 0.3% retinol equivalent in most leave-on products and 0.05% in body lotion. The rule does not cover retinal. Great Britain had not adopted it by September 2026; Northern Ireland follows EU rules.

How we chose

Desk research, stated plainly.

This guide is desk research. We compared retinol and retinal serums sold in the UK using the brands’ published formulas, ingredient lists, specifications and directions, together with UK prices from official pages or named retailers on 25 September 2026. None of the products was tested in a laboratory or worn by our editors for this guide.

We prioritised products that state their retinoid type and strength and publish a build-up schedule, and we recorded fragrance, pregnancy guidance and UK price for each.

Awards describe fit — the job a product is best suited to — rather than a single overall score. Brand claims are reported as brand claims. No brand paid for inclusion, and shopping links elsewhere on the site do not influence which products appear here.

Questions

Best retinol & retinal serums, answered

What is the difference between retinol and retinal?: Both are forms of vitamin A. In the skin, retinol is turned into retinal and then into retinoic acid, so retinal is one step closer to the active form and is used at lower percentages. Medik8, The Ordinary and Geek & Gorgeous use retinal; La Roche-Posay uses retinol.
Which retinoid strength should a beginner use?: Start at the lowest strength a range offers and follow the brand’s build-up schedule. Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 and Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 5 are the low entry points in this guide; The Ordinary’s 0.2% retinal is for experienced users.
Can I use retinol during pregnancy?: The NHS says topical retinoids are not suitable during pregnancy, and the brands here advise avoiding vitamin A while pregnant. Speak to a GP, midwife or pharmacist.
Is retinol above 0.3% banned in the UK?: Not in Great Britain. The EU limits retinol and its esters to 0.3% retinol equivalent in most leave-on cosmetics under Regulation (EU) 2024/996, and Northern Ireland follows EU rules, but Great Britain had not adopted an equivalent limit as of September 2026.
Should I use retinol in the morning?: No. Every product in this guide is directed for evening use. Wear sunscreen the next morning.

Sources

Where the facts come from.

All sources checked 25 September 2026. Spotted an error? Email desk@thecastindex.com or read our corrections policy.

Head to head

Deciding between two?

Side-by-side comparisons of products in this guide, with a specification table and a “choose this if” verdict.

Medik8 vs The Ordinary Crystal Retinal vs The Ordinary Retinal 0.2%

Keep exploring

What is the best retinol serum in the UK?

The shortlist, by what each does best.

How the picks compare.

Why each one earns its place.

Crystal Retinal

What stands out

Consider first

0.3% Retinol + Vitamin B3 Serum

What stands out

Consider first

A-Game 10

What stands out

Consider first

Retinal 0.2% Emulsion

What stands out

Consider first

Read the label before the award.

Retinol or retinal?

A stated strength

Start slowly

Night use, daytime SPF

Pregnancy

The new EU limit

Desk research, stated plainly.

Best retinol & retinal serums, answered

What is the difference between retinol and retinal?

Which retinoid strength should a beginner use?

Can I use retinol during pregnancy?

Is retinol above 0.3% banned in the UK?

Should I use retinol in the morning?

Where the facts come from.

Deciding between two?

More best-of guides.