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Kiehl's Calendula Serum-Infused Water Cream Versus Origins Plantscription Multi-Powered Youth Serum

Kiehl's Calendula Serum-Infused Water Cream Versus Origins Plantscription Multi-Powered Youth Serum This calming moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract to calm redness and hydrate skin. This anti-aging serum is form

Kiehl's Calendula Serum-Infused Water Cream Versus Origins Plantscription Multi-Powered Youth Serum

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract to calm redness and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Propylene Glycol

Propanediol

Panthenol

Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer

Bisabolol

Diisopropyl Sebacate

Sodium Chloride

Phenoxyethanol

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Chlorphenesin

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Sodium Citrate

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Limonene

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Calendula Officinalis Flower

Citric Acid

Dipropylene Glycol

Geranium Maculatum Oil

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil

Citral

Citronellol

Geraniol

Farnesol

Linalool

Tocopherol

Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil

Artemisia Absinthium Extract

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Propanediol, Panthenol, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Bisabolol, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Chlorphenesin, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Sodium Citrate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Limonene, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Calendula Officinalis Flower, Citric Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Farnesol, Linalool, Tocopherol, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Artemisia Absinthium Extract

Butylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Heptyl Undecylenate

Octyldodecanol

Glycereth-26

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Algae Extract

Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil

Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil

Myristica Fragrans Kernel Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil

Rosa Damascena Flower Oil

Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Anogeissus Leiocarpus Bark Extract

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract

Commiphora Mukul Resin Extract

Laminaria Saccharina Extract

Glucosamine Hcl

Bambusa Vulgaris Extract

Caffeine

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Molasses Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Pisum Sativum Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Lecithin

Xanthan Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

Hexylene Glycol

PEG-8

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Sodium Metabisulfite

Sodium Sulfite

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Phytate

BHT

Potassium Sorbate

Essential Oils

Water, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Heptyl Undecylenate, Octyldodecanol, Glycereth-26, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Algae Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Myristica Fragrans Kernel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, Limonene, Anogeissus Leiocarpus Bark Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Commiphora Mukul Resin Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Glucosamine Hcl, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Caffeine, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Molasses Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Pisum Sativum Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, PEG-8, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Phytate, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Essential Oils

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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.

Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".

Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.

Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.

Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,

Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.

Citrus Limon Peel Oil is created from the peels of the lemon. It is used to add a lemon-scent to products. Lemon peel oil also has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. However, it may also cause phototoxicity and sensitize skin.

Lemon peel oil contains limonene, a skin sensitizing ingredient. Another component is furanocoumarin, which induces phototoxicity in skin.

Furanocoumarins bind and destabilize your DNA to increase the rate of sunburn.

Most reputable companies will remove furanocoumarins from their formulations.

Geraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.

Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.

Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.

Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.

Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.

Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.

2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-

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.

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.

This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.

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.

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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