Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment

Augustinus Bader The Retinol Serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Retinol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycerin

Octyldodecanol

C12-16 Alcohols

Squalane

Propanediol

Glycine Soja Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Ectoin

Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil

Palmitic Acid

Myristyl Alcohol

PCA

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Xanthan Gum

Potassium Sorbate

Carbomer

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Sodium Benzoate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Tocopherol

Citric Acid

Zinc PCA

Maltodextrin

Retinol

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Panthenol

Totarol

Leptospermum Scoparium Branch/Leaf Oil

Niacinamide

Sodium Hydroxide

Calcium Pantothenate

Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate

Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract

Piper Nigrum Seed Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Pyridoxine Hcl

Alanyl Glutamine

Arginine

Oligopeptide-177

Phenylalanine

Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil

Sodium Chloride

Silica

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, C12-16 Alcohols, Squalane, Propanediol, Glycine Soja Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ectoin, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Palmitic Acid, Myristyl Alcohol, PCA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Carbomer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Zinc PCA, Maltodextrin, Retinol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Panthenol, Totarol, Leptospermum Scoparium Branch/Leaf Oil, Niacinamide, Sodium Hydroxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Piper Nigrum Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pyridoxine Hcl, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Oligopeptide-177, Phenylalanine, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil, Sodium Chloride, Silica

Dimethicone

Butylene Glycol

Isononyl Isononanoate

Castor Isostearate Succinate

Glyceryl Stearate

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

PEG-33

Polysorbate 20

Behenyl Alcohol

PEG-100 Stearate

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Ceramide Ng

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Sodium Hyaluronate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Arctium Lappa Seed Oil

Salix Alba Extract

Glycine Soja Sterols

Lecithin

Allantoin

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Sorbitan Laurate

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Disodium EDTA

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Tribehenin

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Pentylene Glycol

PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides

PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer

PEG-10 Phytosterol

PEG-8 Dimethicone

PEG-14

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Arachidyl Glucoside

Arachidyl Alcohol

Sclerotium Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Benzoic Acid

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Castor Isostearate Succinate, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-33, Polysorbate 20, Behenyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Retinol, Ceramide Ng, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Arctium Lappa Seed Oil, Salix Alba Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sorbitan Laurate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, PEG-10 Phytosterol, PEG-8 Dimethicone, PEG-14, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare (and for good reason!).

It's a form of vitamin A that your skin converts into Retinoic Acid, the active molecule that actually does the work in your cells.

That conversion happens in two steps: your skin first turns Retinol into Retinaldehyde (also called Retinal), then turns Retinaldehyde into Retinoic Acid.

Retinol is converted to biologically active retinoic acid via retinaldehyde by dehydrogenases in a two-step oxidation process.

Each step is a little "upgrade" toward the active form which is part of why Retinol is gentler than prescription Retinoic Acid; your skin does the work gradually. This also explains where Retinol sits in the retinoid family.

Here is the retinoid family ranked roughly by strength: Retinyl Esters (like Retinyl Palmitate) < Retinol < Retinaldehyde < Retinoic Acid.

Retinoid activity increases in that order, while tolerance runs in reverse; retinyl esters are the gentlest and retinoic acid the most irritating.

The more conversion steps an ingredient needs, the gentler (and slower) it tends to be, so Retinol lands in a nice middle spot. It's more effective than the esters, gentler than prescription options.

Once it becomes Retinoic Acid, it binds to receptors inside your cells' nuclei (called RARs and RXRs). These receptor pairs bind to specific DNA motifs called retinoic acid response elements and act like switches that turn certain genes on or off.

In practice, this means a few things happen in a formula. It:

That last two are worth a closer look.

A study that tested Retinol directly (not just prescription Retinoic Acid) found that four weeks of retinol thickened the epidermis and switched on the genes for Collagen I and Collagen III, with more procollagen I and III showing up in the skin. And after twelve weeks, facial wrinkles were visibly reduced.

Retinoids more broadly stimulate the skin's synthesis of hyaluronan and other glycosaminoglycans, part of what gives skin a plumper, more hydrated look over time.

So even the gentler OTC form is doing real structural work (not just sitting on the surface).

It's also worth knowing Retinol isn't only a wrinkle ingredient; it can help with uneven tone, dark spots, rough texture, and the look of pores as well because it speeds up turnover and influences pigment.

The research backs this up as well.

A pooled analysis of six clinical studies found that 0.1% stabilized retinol improved all signs of photoaging versus vehicle as early as week 4 and through 12 weeks, with only a few mild cases of irritation.

Another study comparing concentrations found that 0.3% and 1% Retinol were similarly effective at remodeling photodamaged skin, but 0.3% caused fewer adverse reactions when used daily (a useful reminder that more isn't always better).

Retinol is about tenfold less potent than Retinoic Acid. This is why it works as a gentler, non-prescription option that builds results over time.

Typical concentrations range from 0.1-1%, with 0.1% to 0.3% being a well-supported sweet spot for visible benefits with good tolerability.

One quirk worth mentioning: Retinol is famously unstable.

It's highly sensitive to light and oxygen, and UV exposure breaks it down into a range of degradation products.

Real-world testing bears this out, with retinoid content in some products dropping anywhere from 0% to 80% after six months at room temperature, and even more at higher temperatures.

This is why good formulations lean on opaque, air-tight packaging (think tubes and pumps, not clear jars) and often "encapsulate" the Retinol to shield it.

Signs of oxidation include your product turning yellow or smelling "off". Keeping it somewhere cool and dark, and using it up within a few months of opening helps it stay effective.

The most common side effects are mild and temporary: usually some dryness, redness, or light peeling as your skin adjusts. These tend to settle with consistent and lower-frequency use.

Like all retinoids, Retinol works best with nightly use, a good moisturizer, and daytime sunscreen.

The "ramp up" method works well: start with Retinol once a week to give your skin time to adjust, which keeps irritation low. Slowly add more nights until you reach your goal frequency once your skin feels comfortable.

Retinoids also make your skin more sensitive to the sun in the first few weeks, so wear sunscreen every morning and protect your skin from direct sun while you build up tolerance.

One safety note: topical Retinoids aren't recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Systemic absorption from creams is low but because high oral vitamin A is a known teratogen and topical safety data are limited, most clinicians recommend stopping retinoids when pregnant or trying to conceive.

Sodium 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.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your 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.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

Water. 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.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

Similar Comparisons