Alpha-H: the honest verdict.
The Queensland-built acid-forward skincare brand that taught Australia how to exfoliate. Tested across four flagship formulas.
- Position
- Premium · Active-led
- Founded
- 1995 · Gold Coast, AU
- Available at
- Adore Beauty, Sephora AU, Mecca, Chemist Warehouse
Australia's strongest formulation brand.
Alpha-H is the most credible skincare formulation brand Australia has produced. The actives are well-dosed, the formulations are pharmaceutical-grade, the brand's founder (Michelle Doherty) has consistently been ahead of global category trends. Liquid Gold is an Australian skincare icon for reason. The Vitamin A serum is the best AU-made retinol on the shelf. Pricing is mid-premium ($60–90) for products that genuinely deserve it.
What they do right
- Best-in-AU retinol formula
- Liquid Gold category-defining
- Pharmaceutical-grade formulations
- Aussie-owned and Aussie-made
What to know
- Premium pricing relative to pharmacy alternatives
- Active-heavy range not for sensitive skin beginners
The lineup
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"The retinol ranking is the only skincare thing I've bookmarked. Every time I see a new product launch I check here first."