Skin science article
Guerlain Abeille Royale Advanced Youth Watery Oil Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide
Guerlain Abeille Royale Advanced Youth Watery Oil Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide This anti-aging oil is formulated around Royal Jelly and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging serum is formulat
Guerlain Abeille Royale Advanced Youth Watery Oil Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide
This anti-aging oil is formulated around Royal Jelly and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles.
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
Polyglycerin-3
1,2-Hexanediol
Alcohol
Polysorbate 20
Pentylene Glycol
Mel
Royal Jelly
Mannitol
Cellulose
Chlorphenesin
Parfum
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Propanediol
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Citrate
Citric Acid
Biosaccharide Gum-2
Tocopheryl Acetate
Maltodextrin
Adenosine
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Triethyl Citrate
CI 77891
Sodium Benzoate
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Sodium Metabisulfite
CI 77492
Potassium Sorbate
CI 77491
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Tin Oxide
Water, Glycerin, Polyglycerin-3, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Pentylene Glycol, Mel, Royal Jelly, Mannitol, Cellulose, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Propanediol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Tocopheryl Acetate, Maltodextrin, Adenosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Triethyl Citrate, CI 77891, Sodium Benzoate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Metabisulfite, CI 77492, Potassium Sorbate, CI 77491, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Tin Oxide
Butylene Glycol
Niacinamide
Cetyl Alcohol
Isohexadecane
Isononyl Isononanoate
Diisopropyl Sebacate
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Ceramide NP
Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Lauroyl Lysine
Octyldodecanol
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Sodium Chloride
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hydroxide
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
Phenoxyethanol
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.
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
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.
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It 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 known to be harmful.
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!