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A313 Cream with Retinol & Vitamin A Versus The INKEY List Retinol Serum

A313 Cream with Retinol & Vitamin A Versus The INKEY List Retinol Serum This brightening treatment is formulated around Retinyl Palmitate to fade the look of dark spots. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinyl Acetate and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to

A313 Cream with Retinol & Vitamin A Versus The INKEY List Retinol Serum

This brightening treatment is formulated around Retinyl Palmitate to fade the look of dark spots.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinyl Acetate and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

PEG-8

PEG-75

Polysorbate 80

Retinyl Palmitate

Arachis Hypogaea Oil

Tocopherol

PEG-8, PEG-75, Polysorbate 80, Retinyl Palmitate, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Tocopherol

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Retinyl Acetate

Dimethicone

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Phospholipids

Squalane

Glycine Soja Oil

Carbomer

Polysorbate 60

Tocopheryl Acetate

Glycolipids

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Phytate

Sorbitan Isostearate

Glycine Soja Sterols

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Lactate

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Retinyl Acetate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Phospholipids, Squalane, Glycine Soja Oil, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycolipids, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

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Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
  4. 04The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure …
  5. 05Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
  6. 06Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  7. 07It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
  8. 08On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
  9. 09Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  10. 10You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
  11. 11Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  12. 12Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
  13. 13Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
  14. 14Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
  15. 15In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
  16. 16Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
  17. 17"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
  18. 18Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
  19. 19It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not kn…
  20. 20Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

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The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream ingredients explained: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Cetyl Alcoho…

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03

Comparison edit

Read side by side