Skin science article
Mychelle Remarkable Retinal Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment
Mychelle Remarkable Retinal Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment This anti-aging serum is formulated around Gluconolactone and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging treatment is fo
Mychelle Remarkable Retinal Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Gluconolactone and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Bakuchiol 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
Glycerin
Gluconolactone
Retinal
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Tocopherol
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Allantoin
Ceramide NP
Pentylene Glycol
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Cyclodextrin
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
Xanthan Gum
Phytic Acid
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate
Water, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Retinal, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Pentylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Cyclodextrin, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Xanthan Gum, Phytic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Dimethicone
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Isononyl Isononanoate
Butylene Glycol
Bakuchiol
Arachidyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Behenyl Alcohol
PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides
Glyceryl Stearate
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Polysorbate 20
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 Root Extract
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Glycine Soja Sterols
Lecithin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Sodium Hydroxide
Tribehenin
Caprylyl Glycol
Dipeptide-2
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
PEG-10 Phytosterol
PEG-8
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Arachidyl Glucoside
Chrysin
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Steareth-20
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Coco-Glucoside
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Benzoic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Bakuchiol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, 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 Root Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipeptide-2, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, PEG-10 Phytosterol, PEG-8, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Chrysin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Steareth-20, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
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.
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
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!