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Obagi Tretinoin Cream 0.1% Versus Obagi Professional-C Serum 20%

Obagi Tretinoin Cream 0.1% Versus Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ing

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Obagi Tretinoin Cream 0.1% Versus Obagi Professional-C Serum 20%

This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Tretinoin 0.1%

Stearic Acid

Isopropyl Myristate

PEG-40 Stearate

Stearyl Alcohol

Xanthan Gum

Sorbic Acid

BHT

Water

Tretinoin 0.1%, Stearic Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, PEG-40 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid, BHT, Water

Propylene Glycol

Ascorbic Acid

Alcohol

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Ethoxydiglycol

Phenoxyethanol

Sorbitol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Zinc Chloride

Calcium Hydroxide

Parfum

Propylene Glycol, Water, Ascorbic Acid, Alcohol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zinc Chloride, Calcium Hydroxide, Parfum

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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.

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.

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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. 03Ethoxydiglycol (aka Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether) is one of the cosmetic world's quiet problem solvers.
  4. 04In a formula, it is a solvent that dissolves tricky ingredients that don't want to mix in and helps spread ingredients evenly across your skin without leaving a greasy or sticky feeling
  5. 05This makes it great for hard-to-dissolve actives like vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and self-tanner DHA.
  6. 06It also has mild humectant and penetration enhancer abilities so it can help some actives absorb a little deeper.
  7. 07The penetration boost is backed by lab research: studies using human skin samples found it improved how well an active dissolves into the upper layer of skin rather than tearing down your skin barrier. Reviews of its mechanism also describe it inter…
  8. 08Just know this penetration-enhancing effect is not universal. It helps a lot in some formulas and did very little in others (so the benefit really depends on the specific product).
  9. 09Safety-wise, the evidence is reassuring. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel reviewed it and concluded it's safe for use in cosmetics and recognized it as non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-comedogenic in skincare.
  10. 10Typical leave-on skincare usage lands around 1-10%. The EU has sets caps of 2.6% in non-spray products, 10% in rinse-offs, 7% in oxidative hair dye, and 5% in non-oxidative hair dye.
  11. 11Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  12. 12It 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.
  13. 13On 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.
  14. 14Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  15. 15You'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.
  16. 16Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  17. 17Safety-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.
  18. 18Adverse 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.
  19. 19Sodium 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.
  20. 20In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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Product index

Related product references

Product

Obagi Professional-C Serum 20%

Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% Ingredients in Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% explained: benefits, concerns, and detailed analysis of 12 ingredients including Propylene Glycol, Water, and As…

Source: skinsort.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

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