Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Ubiquinone to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Ethylhexyl Cocoate

Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides

Stearyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Cetyl Alcohol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Octyldodecanol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ubiquinone

Biotin

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Zea Mays Oil

Beta-Carotene

Tocopherol

1,2-Hexanediol

Carbomer

Sodium Hydroxide

Trisodium EDTA

Dehydroacetic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Stearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Octyldodecanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ubiquinone, Biotin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Zea Mays Oil, Beta-Carotene, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol

Pentylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Isohexadecane

Isononyl Isononanoate

Diisopropyl Sebacate

2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol

4-T-Butylcyclohexanol

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Adenosine

Ceramide NP

Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine

Lauroyl Lysine

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Hyaluronate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Retinol

Dicaprylyl Ether

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Behenyl Alcohol

Caprylyl Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Glucoside

Glycine Soja Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Lecithin

Phenethyl Alcohol

Poloxamer 188

Polycaprolactone

Sorbitan Laurate

Steareth-100

CI 40800

Chlorphenesin

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Isohexadecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Lauroyl Lysine, Octyldodecanol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Retinol, Tocopherol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Poloxamer 188, Polycaprolactone, Sorbitan Laurate, Steareth-100, CI 40800, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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.

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

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.

Octyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).

It is:

You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.

This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.

Regarding fungal acne: In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It 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.

On 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.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'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.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-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.

Adverse 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.

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.

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.

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!

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