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Murad InvisiScar Resurfacing Treatment Versus The INKEY List Retinol Serum

Murad InvisiScar Resurfacing Treatment Versus The INKEY List Retinol Serum This brightening treatment is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Asiaticoside to fade the look of dark spots and refine skin texture. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinyl

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Murad InvisiScar Resurfacing Treatment Versus The INKEY List Retinol Serum

This brightening treatment is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Asiaticoside to fade the look of dark spots and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinyl Acetate and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Dimethicone

Polysilicone-11

Ascorbic Acid

Silica

Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Asiaticoside

Madecassic Acid

Asiatic Acid

Hexylresorcinol

Salicylic Acid

Acetyl Glucosamine

Hydroxytyrosol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Trimethylsiloxysilicate

Parfum

Limonene

Linalool

CI 77891

Dimethicone, Polysilicone-11, Ascorbic Acid, Silica, Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Hexylresorcinol, Salicylic Acid, Acetyl Glucosamine, Hydroxytyrosol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, CI 77891

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Retinyl Acetate

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Phospholipids

Squalane

Glycine Soja Oil

Carbomer

Polysorbate 60

Glycolipids

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Phytate

Sorbitan Isostearate

Glycine Soja Sterols

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Lactate

Tocopherol

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Retinyl Acetate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Phospholipids, Squalane, Glycine Soja Oil, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycolipids, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

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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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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. 03Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
  4. 04You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
  5. 05These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
  6. 06This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
  7. 07Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
  8. 08Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
  9. 09The 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 …
  10. 10Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
  11. 11Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  12. 12Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  13. 13Your 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.
  14. 14Aquaporin-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.
  15. 15This 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.
  16. 16Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  17. 17Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  18. 18Sodium 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.
  19. 19In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
  20. 20Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

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The Inkey List Phytic Acid Serum The Inkey List Phytic Acid Serum ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phytic Acid, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydrox…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

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