First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate Versus Farmacy Coconut Gel Sheet Mask - Hydrating

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate Versus Farmacy Coconut Gel Sheet Mask - Hydrating

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

This hydrating sheet mask is formulated around Cocos Nucifera Water and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Polysorbate 80

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Polysorbate 20

Butylene Glycol

Persea Gratissima Oil

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Retinol

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Colloidal Oatmeal

Tocopherol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Ceramide NP

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Linoleic Acid

Allantoin

Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides

Palmitic Acid

Oleic Acid

Glycine Soja Oil

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Triolein

Caprylyl Glycol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Xanthan Gum

Lecithin

Stearic Acid

Maltodextrin

BHT

BHA

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Hydroxide

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Polysorbate 80, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Retinol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Colloidal Oatmeal, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Linoleic Acid, Allantoin, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Palmitic Acid, Oleic Acid, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Triolein, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Stearic Acid, Maltodextrin, BHT, BHA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate

Propanediol

Methylpropanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Polyglycerin-3

Cocos Nucifera Water

Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Collagen

Panthenol

Betaine

Beta-Glucan

Saccharide Isomerate

Citrus Aurantifolia Oil

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract

Artemisia Vulgaris Extract

Cananga Odorata Flower Oil

Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract

Zingiber Officinale Root Oil

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Trehalose

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Diethoxyethyl Succinate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Carbomer

Arginine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

T-Butyl Alcohol

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglycerin-3, Cocos Nucifera Water, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Collagen, Panthenol, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Saccharide Isomerate, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Olivate, Trehalose, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Carbomer, Arginine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

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.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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