SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum on a warm cream background
SkinBetterScience AlphaRet Clearing Serum
SkinBetterScience AlphaRet Clearing Serum

Advanced treat

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum

An advanced evening formula combining AlphaRet technology with salicylic acid for blemish-prone or congested skin.

£142.00 £47.33/10ml

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Why I chose it

What makes this useful is that it combines a retinoid and salicylic acid in one product. For someone already using active skincare, that can simplify an evening routine and replace several overlapping treatment steps.

It’s an expensive product, so it offers the best value when both parts of the formula are relevant to your skin. If you only need help with mild congestion or you’re new to retinoids, a simpler and less expensive product may be a better place to start.

Dr Max GreenfieldMBBS, BSc, MRCS(Eng)

Where this fits

A broad guide to where this sits, without assuming how many steps your routine has.

Evening
Comes afterCleansing and lighter leave-on products
This product SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum
Comes beforeMoisturiser
Curate your full skincare routine
How to introduce it

Apply a thin layer over the face in the evening after cleansing, avoiding the eye area. Follow with moisturiser if needed.

If you haven’t used retinoids before, use it twice weekly for two weeks, then every other night. If you’re already using a topical retinoid, you can start using this every other night. Increase to nightly use if your skin continues to tolerate it well.

If irritation develops, reduce how often you use it or pause until it settles. Ask us for advice if it continues.

Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning.

Guidance continues after purchase. We can help you introduce, simplify or adjust this product.

The ingredients that make this special

A closer look at the ingredients doing the most meaningful work in this formula—and what the evidence can reasonably tell us.

AlphaRet®

A proprietary retinoid and AHA technology used in Skinbetter Science evening treatments.

Read the clinical context

AlphaRet® is Skinbetter Science’s patented technology, combining a retinoid and lactic acid in a double-conjugated molecule. In a 12-week study, AlphaRet Overnight Cream improved visible signs of photoageing and caused less irritation than 1% retinol or 0.025% tretinoin. Other AlphaRet formulas use the same technology but include different supporting ingredients, so suitability will still depend on the individual product.

Salicylic acid

An oil-soluble BHA that exfoliates inside the pore and can help with blackheads and congestion.

Read the clinical context

Salicylic acid is an oil-soluble BHA that helps loosen the mix of dead skin cells and oil that can collect inside pores. Over time it can help to reduce blackheads, congestion and oily shine. How strong it feels will depend on the concentration, the rest of the formulation and whether the product is rinsed off or left on.

Niacinamide

A form of vitamin B3 that supports the skin barrier and can help with uneven tone and visible redness.

Read the clinical context

Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that supports the skin barrier. Over time, it can help improve the appearance of uneven tone and redness. How much difference it makes depends on the concentration, the rest of the formula and whether the product is left on the skin or is rinsed off.

Hyaluronic Acid

A well-established humectant moisturiser that helps the skin hold onto water.

Read the clinical context

Hyaluronic acid is a well-established humectant moisturiser that draws water into the upper layers of the skin. It works best alongside emollient and occlusive ingredients, which help soften the skin and reduce moisture loss.

Zinc PCA

A zinc salt that helps manage excess oil and support blemish-prone skin.

Read the clinical context

Zinc PCA combines zinc with PCA, a component of the skin’s natural moisturising factor. It is used in skincare to help reduce excess oil while supporting hydration. This can make it a useful supporting ingredient if your skin is oily or blemish-prone, although the overall effect will depend on the complete formula.

View the complete ingredients list

Water/Aqua, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Sorbitan Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, PPG-3 Isostearyl Methyl Ether, Glycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Niacinamide, Zinc PCA, Steareth-2, Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate, Salicylic Acid, Oligopeptide-10, Sodium Hyaluronate, Decylene Glycol, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Honey Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Disodium EDTA, Pullulan, Ethylhexylglycerin, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate.

More about SkinBetter Science

SkinBetter Science was established in 2016 by a team with backgrounds in dermatologic and aesthetic medicine. The brand develops clinician-dispensed skincare around proprietary technologies, formulation work and brand-sponsored clinical testing; it is now part of L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty.

Its range includes AlphaRet products, which combine a retinoid with an alpha hydroxy acid, alongside peptide-led InterFuse products and supportive skincare. These are different product families with different roles, rather than one formula being representative of the whole brand.