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Retinoic Acid in skincare
Prescription-only; identical to tretinoin; the most potent retinoid. Requires dermatologist supervision.
PM use ONLY. Identical to tretinoin (same molecule). Rapidly photodegraded by UV and severely photosensitizing. Never apply in AM. Apply to dry skin at night (wait 20–30 minutes after washing face). Mandatory SPF 30+ every morning during treatment. Buffering with a moisturizer before application ('sandwich method') reduces irritation for beginners.
What it is
Retinoic Acid (all-trans retinoic acid, ATRA) is the pure, active form of Vitamin A. It directly activates retinoic acid receptors (RARα, RARβ, RARγ) in skin cells without requiring any enzymatic conversion, making it the most powerful and fastest-acting topical retinoid available. As a prescription-only medication, it requires dermatologist supervision due to significant and near-universal retinoid dermatitis (irritation, peeling, dryness, erythema) and extreme sun sensitivity, but delivers unmatched, decades-validated clinical results for wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne, and photodamage reversal. Scientifically synonymous with tretinoin. Same molecule, same mechanism, same contraindications. Prescription concentrations range from 0.025–0.1% (some compounded formulas up to 0.5%). Strict night-only use with mandatory daily broad-spectrum SPF 30+ is non-negotiable. Absolutely contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to confirmed teratogenic effects (Category X in the US). Not regulated under the EU Cosmetics Regulation. Only available via prescription as a medicinal product.
The facts
| Category | Vitamin A (Prescription Retinoid) |
| Typical use | Evening |
| Concentration YARAI treats as a full dose | 0.1% |
| EU Cosmetics Regulation annex | II |
| EU status | prohibited |
| EU and US differ | FDA also classifies tretinoin as prescription-only. Convergence on restriction, but US OTC 'cosmetic' retinoids at <0.025% occupy a grey area not seen in EU. |
Why the amount matters, not just the presence
Most ingredient checkers tell you whether something is in the bottle. That is a smaller question than it sounds. Retinoic Acid at 0.1% and retinoic acid at a trace level are not the same ingredient in any way that affects your skin.
An ingredient list is ordered by quantity, so position carries real information. YARAI reads that position and scores accordingly, which is why the same ingredient can land differently in two different products.
The honest limit: a list gives order, not percentages. Estimating concentration from position is an estimate. It is a better estimate than ignoring position, and it is still an estimate. We would rather tell you that than let a number look more certain than it is.
Regulatory status
Retinoic acid is banned in EU cosmetics (Annex II) and classified as a prescription drug. Only available via dermatologist prescription.
Common questions
What does retinoic acid do in a skincare product?
Prescription-only; identical to tretinoin; the most potent retinoid. Requires dermatologist supervision.
How much retinoic acid should a product contain?
YARAI treats 0.1% as a full dose for this ingredient. Below that, the ingredient is present but is scored as contributing less. An ingredient list gives you the order of ingredients, not their percentages, so this is an estimate read from position rather than a measurement.
When should I use retinoic acid?
PM use ONLY. Identical to tretinoin (same molecule). Rapidly photodegraded by UV and severely photosensitizing. Never apply in AM. Apply to dry skin at night (wait 20–30 minutes after washing face). Mandatory SPF 30+ every morning during treatment. Buffering with a moisturizer before application ('sandwich method') reduces irritation for beginners.
Check your own products
Point your camera at a product. YARAI identifies it from the label, finds that product's full ingredient list from published sources, and scores it. No barcode and no box needed, which is how it handles imported and small-brand products.
Concern level, category and thresholds on this page are read directly from the same data the YARAI app scores with, so this page and the app cannot disagree. EU figures cite Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Last built 2026-09-09. Nothing here is medical advice.