Compound library / Skin, hair & topicals / Topical / Skincare

Retinol (OTC)

Over-the-counter retinoid that converts to retinoic acid in the skin; milder and slower than tretinoin but with far less irritation for beginners.

Compiled by the BioHack Track team · Last updated · Where these figures come from

CategoryTopical / Skincare
Regulatory standingNo approved product cited
Typical routeTopical
Half-lifeN/A — topical, minimal systemic absorption
Common dose rangePea-sized amount, 2-3x/week initially, building up as tolerated (0.25-1% strength)
Typical cycle lengthOngoing — visible results typically take 8-12 weeks

BioHack Track models Retinol (OTC) at a half-life of 4 hours, so every dose you log is decayed against that curve and the app shows estimated active levels — not just what you typed.

No approved product cited

No FDA-approved product for this compound is cited on this page, and no approved human dose is quoted. Treat the range below as research and community practice rather than a prescribed dose.

Reconstitution

Topical cream/serum; no reconstitution needed.

Storage

Store in an opaque, airtight container away from light — retinol degrades quickly with air/light exposure.

Cautions

Can cause dryness, peeling, and increased sun sensitivity; daily SPF strongly recommended. Avoid combining with other strong actives (e.g. AHA/BHA) on the same night when starting.

Track Retinol (OTC) in BioHack Track. Half-life, dose range and route come pre-filled from this library — log a dose and the app counts your vial down, models what is in your system, and puts it on the same chart as your labs and body composition.

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Others in Topical / Skincare

Tretinoin (Retin-A)Vitamin C Serum (L-Ascorbic Acid)NiacinamideAzelaic AcidCopper Peptide Serum (GHK-Cu)Tranexamic Acid (Topical)BakuchiolHyaluronic Acid Serum

What the evidence says

Evidence Check asks 10 questions about every compound. For Retinol (OTC) it can answer 2 of them, from the papers we hold — graded by how strong the study design is, not by whether the findings are flattering. These are the same verdicts the app gives.

Some Clinical EvidenceLongevity

Clinical trials in humans have looked at this.

  • Novel Cyclized Hexapeptide-9 Outperforms Retinol Against Skin Aging: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Active- and Vehicle-Controlled Clinical TrialRandomized Controlled Trial · J Cosmet Dermatol · 2025 · PMID 40586182
  • A Clinical Anti-Ageing Comparative Study of 0.3 and 0.5% Retinol Serums: A Clinically Controlled TrialRandomized Controlled Trial · Skin Pharmacol Physiol · 2020 · PMID 32428912
  • Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageingRandomized Controlled Trial · Br J Dermatol · 2019 · PMID 29947134
Some Clinical EvidenceSkin & collagen

Clinical trials in humans have looked at this.

  • Novel Cyclized Hexapeptide-9 Outperforms Retinol Against Skin Aging: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Active- and Vehicle-Controlled Clinical TrialRandomized Controlled Trial · J Cosmet Dermatol · 2025 · PMID 40586182
  • A double-blind randomized study comparing the association of Retinol and LR2412 with tretinoin 0.025% in photoaged skinRandomized Controlled Trial · J Cosmet Dermatol · 2015 · PMID 25603890
  • Improvement of photoaged facial skin in middle-aged Japanese females by topical retinol (vitamin A alcohol): a vehicle-controlled, double-blind studyRandomized Controlled Trial · J Dermatolog Treat · 2009 · PMID 20078381

Research references only. Not medical advice, and not a recommendation to take anything.

Look up the research

These open a search of each database for Retinol (OTC) — they are not citations, and nothing here is evidence for any particular dose. The same links are in the app.

PubMed Peer-reviewed literatureClinicalTrials.gov Registered human trialsEurope PMC Full text and preprints

Work it out

Reconstitution calculator What a vial costs Unit converter All 208 compounds

Selected published studies

10 papers naming Retinol (OTC) in the title, drawn from PubMed and limited to reviews, meta-analyses and trials. Each was checked against PubMed’s own record for its title, journal and year. This is a starting point, not an evidence review — nothing here is offered as support for the dose range above, and the list is not exhaustive. See the editorial policy.

Where these figures come from

The half-life, route and dose range on this page are compiled from published pharmacokinetic literature, manufacturer and product monographs where one exists, and the ranges commonly reported in clinical and research use. They are kept as a range rather than a single figure because that is what the sources actually support — a half-life varies with route, formulation and the person.

These are not citations, and this page is not a review of the evidence. Where a number matters to you, follow the database links above and read the source. We say so plainly rather than dressing a compiled reference up as one.

Nothing on this page has been reviewed by a named clinician. It is a reference for people already tracking a protocol, not a recommendation to start one.

Published by Creative Images LLC · Last updated · Corrections: support

General reference compiled for use inside the app, not medical advice and not a recommendation to take anything. Dose ranges are what is commonly discussed, not a prescription. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional.