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La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (+) Corrective Unclogging Care Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (+) Corrective Unclogging Care Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum This acne moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Re

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (+) Corrective Unclogging Care Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum

This acne moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Isocetyl Stearate

Niacinamide

Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Silica

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Sorbitan Oleate

Zinc PCA

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Isohexadecane

Sodium Hydroxide

Myristyl Myristate

2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Mannose

Poloxamer 338

Disodium EDTA

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Vitreoscilla Ferment

Xanthan Gum

Polysorbate 80

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Salicylic Acid

Piroctone Olamine

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearate, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Silica, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Oleate, Zinc PCA, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristyl Myristate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Mannose, Poloxamer 338, Disodium EDTA, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Salicylic Acid, Piroctone Olamine, Parfum

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Squalane

Cetearyl Alcohol

Retinol

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Benzyl Alcohol

Phospholipids

Tocopherol

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Glycine Soja Oil

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glycolipids

Dehydroacetic Acid

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Glycine Soja Sterols

T-Butyl Alcohol

Water, Glycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Retinol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycolipids, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Glycine Soja Sterols, T-Butyl Alcohol

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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.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.

As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.

Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  4. 04It 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.
  5. 05On 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.
  6. 06Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  7. 07You'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.
  8. 08Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  9. 09Safety-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.
  10. 10Adverse 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.
  11. 11Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
  12. 12It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
  13. 13The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
  14. 14Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
  15. 15True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
  16. 16Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
  17. 17Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
  18. 18It’s often used to:
  19. 19Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
  20. 20Sodium 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.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List Retinol

The Inkey List Retinol The Inkey List Retinol ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

The Inkey List Q10 Serum

The Inkey List Q10 Serum The Inkey List Q10 Serum ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyc…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

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