Skin science article
Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment
Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin. This anti-aging treatment is for
Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
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
Propylene Glycol
Dimethicone
Glycerin
Ascorbic Acid
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Cyclohexasiloxane
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
Lauroyl Lysine
Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer
Polysilicone-11
Adenosine
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Limonene
Isobutane
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Citral
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer, Polysilicone-11, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Limonene, Isobutane, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citral, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Water
Butylene Glycol
Isononyl Isononanoate
Castor Isostearate Succinate
Glyceryl Stearate
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
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
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
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
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.