A313 Pommade

The cult ointment people call "tretinoin without a prescription." It is not. It is retinyl palmitate, the weakest retinoid there is, and costs €2.63 in France.

Reviewed by Dr. Schwarz, MD · Dermatologist

Retinoid

Ointmenttexture / format

Retinyl Palmitate, ~0.06% Retinol-Equivalentmain ingredient

Dry Skin, Damaged Skin Barrierbest for

$28.41 / ozprice per ounce

A dermatologist’s take

Eh.

A good, greasy ointment sold on a comparison it does not earn. Its retinyl palmitate has to convert several times before it acts, so it is far milder than tretinoin. Check the label for peanut oil. If you want tretinoin's results, ask for tretinoin.

Pros

Good fit for dry skin
Good fit for damaged skin barrier

Cons

Greasy finish can transfer onto bedding
Does not layer easily under makeup

Skin fit

Who is it best for?

The front of one shin on pale skin. The surface is pink with fine white flaking and a few shallow cracks, and the skin around it is even in tone.

Dry Skin

Good fit

Most of what people notice is the base, not the vitamin A. It is an occlusive — it seals the surface so water cannot evaporate.

That alone smooths texture and softens flaking, and it is the honest reason it works.

a very close view of irritated dry skin with fine flaking and no identifiable body part on light skin.

Damaged Skin Barrier

Good fit

Sealing a compromised barrier gives it the conditions to repair, and this is a heavy seal.

The French label's approved use is adjunct treatment of irritant dermatitis — closer to the truth than the wrinkle claims online. It warns against prolonged use over large areas.

Sensitive Skin

Okay fit

Retinyl palmitate sits at the bottom of the vitamin A ladder and converts three times before skin cells respond, so very little arrives and very little stings.

If stronger retinoids have defeated you, this is mild because it is weak, not because it is cleverly buffered.

Acne

Poor fit

Sold as a cheap prescription-strength retinoid. It is retinyl palmitate, one of the weakest, in a thick ointment base — a poor fit for breakout-prone skin.

Visible sebum shine and natural pores on the nose and cheek.

Oily Skin

Poor fit

An occlusive pommade. Oily skin finds it heavy and shiny by morning.

Feel & smell

What does it feel like?

HeaviestLightest

Ointment

A thick, greasy ointment that does not sink in. It sits on the surface, which is the point.

Skin stays shiny for hours and it will mark a pillowcase. A very small amount covers the whole face. Faint waxy smell, no added fragrance. It does not layer under sunscreen or makeup, so it is a night-only product.

Inside the formula

What do the main ingredients do?

How this formula works.

Two things are happening here, and the internet credits the wrong one. Skin cells respond to retinoic acid and nothing else in the vitamin A family. Retinal is one step away, retinol two, retinyl esters like the palmitate in A313 three, and each conversion loses potency. So an ester at roughly 0.06 percent retinol-equivalent delivers less than a drugstore 0.3 percent retinol.

Full clinical explanation

The other thing is occlusion, and that is the part that works. A heavy polyethylene-glycol ointment seals the surface so water cannot leave, and skin that stays hydrated looks smoother. That is most of what people see.

So it is a good occlusive carrying a little weak vitamin A — fine to own, but not tretinoin without a prescription, and the US price is a large markup on a French pharmacy staple.

Full ingredient list · 6 ingredients

Retinyl Acetate, Retinyl Propionate, Retinyl Palmitate, PEG-4000, PEG-400, Polysorbate 80 Note: French/EU version of the pommade.

All ingredient roles

Retinyl Acetate, Retinyl Propionate And Retinyl Palmitate

Retinyl esters require conversion in skin before they act. They are not equivalent to prescription tretinoin.

PEG-400 And PEG-4000

Form the ointment base and help carry the retinyl esters.

Use & results

In your routine

How to use it.

01 / EVERY DAY

How much

A pea-sized amount for the whole face, warmed between the fingers. More just transfers to your pillow.

Careful

Wear sunscreen every morning — vitamin A of any kind leaves skin more sensitive to sun. The French label warns against prolonged use and large-area application, citing vitamin A build-up, so nightly full-face use for years is what the label says not to do. Skip it if you have a peanut allergy; the US version contains peanut oil.

02 / OVER TIME

What to expect

Smoother, softer skin within days, mostly from the occlusion. Irritation is usually mild, because the vitamin A here is weak. Do not expect the flaking tretinoin causes. This is not that drug.

Price spectrum

Where does the price fall?

Paying more doesn’t guarantee better results. A good buy is a formula with the right ingredients, strength and texture for your skin. Use price per ounce to compare cost, then weigh it against the pros and cons above.