The ingredient, explained

Tretinoin

A controlled trial examined topical tretinoin for facial photoaging.

Retinoid

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Ingredient guide

What it is and what it does

All-trans retinoic acid, a topical retinoid.

About this ingredient: EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗

Retinoid: Vitamin A or a vitamin A-like compound. This is a compound category; individual retinoids have different research and uses.

Function definitions: National Cancer Institute: Retinoid definition ↗

Registry functions describe possible formulation roles, not results for a finished product. A dictionary entry is not an approval or a safety assessment.

A closer look

What the research shows

Human topical research

The tested 0.05% cream improved fine wrinkles, pigmentation and texture more than vehicle over twenty-four weeks.

What this does not tell us

Results concern that formulation. Redness, peeling and stinging occurred, and evidence cannot be transferred to another retinoid.

Sources for this summary. PubMed 2024983 ↗

Research review checked Oct 1, 2026

Read exact local candidate abstracts first; select identity-relevant papers; targeted primary PubMed/publisher searches. This is not an exhaustive systematic review.

Review source 1 ↗

Ingredient research is not proof that a product containing this ingredient works.

Read the 1 selected study

Human topical research · n=251
Topical tretinoin for treatment of photodamaged skin. A multicenter study. ↗
Archives of dermatology · 1991

Follow the formula

Products containing this ingredient

All 0 products ↗

From the wider catalogue. Linked by the ingredient list, without an efficacy ranking.

No published products are linked yet.

Names and identifiers

Registry identity