Skin science article
Mad Hippie Vitamin A serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment
Mad Hippie Vitamin A serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment This anti-aging serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Acetyl Glucosamine to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging treatment is formulated
Mad Hippie Vitamin A serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Acetyl Glucosamine to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
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
Water
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Glycerin
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Beta-Glucan
Hydrolyzed Soybean Palmitate
Acetyl Glucosamine
Sodium Hyaluronate
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Dimethyl Isosorbide
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Phenethyl Alcohol
Caprylyl Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Stearyl Alcohol
Xanthan Gum
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Citric Acid
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Soybean Palmitate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citric Acid
Dimethicone
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
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root 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
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
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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.
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract is is derived from colloidal oatmeal. Besides being a healthy breakfast, oats have many benefits in skincare too.
This ingredient helps sooth, hydrate, and protect the skin. The starches in colloidal oatmeal are able to bind water, keeping the skin hydrated.
The cellulose and fiber in colloidal oatmeal help reduce inflammation. This can also help the skin feel softer.
Colloidal Oatmeal is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect our skin from free-radical damage.
Oatmeal also contains beneficial compounds:
This ingredient is created by mixing grounded oatmeal and a liquid base.
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).
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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!