Retinol B3 Serum
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Updated July 2026
A sensibly dosed, disclosed 0.3% retinol backed by niacinamide from a pharmacy brand that knows sensitive skin. The alcohol and fragrance keep it from being for everyone, but the transparency and price make it fair value.
- Evidence22 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Retinol: strong evidence
- Niacinamide: moderate evidence
- Retinyl Palmitate: limited evidence
- Score is the average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency19 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Retinol (0.3%): dosed at a studied level
- Niacinamide: dosed at a studied level
- Retinyl Palmitate: below the 1% line, treated as fairy-dusted
- Potency tracks how strongly the actives are dosed, led by the strongest, not how many there are.
- Delivery & stability16 / 20
Delivery tech + packaging that protects fragile actives
- Delivery: standard
- Packaging: airless, opaque
- Air- or light-sensitive actives (Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate), so packaging is scored.
- Formulation4 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 1 of 3 actives disclose a concentration
- 3 key actives (breadth credit caps at 3)
- No current-generation or synergy bonus
- Value13 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $14 per month to use
- $45 for 30 ml, used about once a day (about 0.3 ml each time), so a bottle lasts about 3.3 months
- Frequency is set by Retinol, which is used no more than 7x a week, so a bottle stretches further
- Band: $6/month or less earns full marks, $60/month or more hits the floor.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Retinol | 0.3% | Studied |
| Niacinamide | n/a | Studied |
| Retinyl Palmitate | n/a | Below 1% line |
0.3% retinol (part pure, part gradual-release, disclosed as a total) with niacinamide high on the list and a trace of retinyl palmitate as a supporting ester, in an opaque pump. It is built around sensitive skin, though the formula does contain alcohol and fragrance, which reactive skin should note.
How it’s delivered
Air- and light-sensitive actives (vitamin C, copper peptides) lose potency fast in the wrong packaging, so delivery and the bottle are scored, not just what’s on the label.
The actives, explained
Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. The SerumProof score reflects our reading of publicly available research and formulation disclosures. See how scoring works.