Maelove Moonlight Retinal Super Serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Booster

Maelove Moonlight Retinal Super Serum Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Booster

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Water

Niacinamide

Cyclodextrin

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Gluconolactone

Squalane

Bisabolol

Ceramide NP

Michelia Alba Flower Oil

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract

Retinal

Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract

Pentylene Glycol

Maltodextrin

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Gluconate

Polysorbate 20

Citrus Grandis Peel Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Alcohol

Alcohol Denat.

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Niacinamide, Cyclodextrin, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Gluconolactone, Squalane, Bisabolol, Ceramide NP, Michelia Alba Flower Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Retinal, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Gluconate, Polysorbate 20, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Alcohol, Alcohol Denat.

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate

Butylene Glycol

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Retinol

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

Arctium Lappa Seed Oil

Salix Alba Extract

Allantoin

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Caprylyl Glycol

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate

Ethylhexyl Olivate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Glyceryl Ascorbate

Disodium EDTA

Sorbic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Polysorbate 20, Retinol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Arctium Lappa Seed Oil, Salix Alba Extract, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Ascorbate, Disodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, 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.

Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.

Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.

This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.

A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.

Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.

Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.

Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.

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.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace 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).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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