Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 + Peptide Night Moisturizer Versus Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum

Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 + Peptide Night Moisturizer Versus Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Tapioca Starch

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Retinol

Retinyl Propionate

Niacinamide

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Polyacrylamide

C13-14 Isoparaffin

DMDM Hydantoin

Polysorbate 20

Laureth-4

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Laureth-7

Dimethiconol

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Aminomethyl Propanol

Titanium Dioxide

Disodium EDTA

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Retinol, Retinyl Propionate, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, DMDM Hydantoin, Polysorbate 20, Laureth-4, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Laureth-7, Dimethiconol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Aminomethyl Propanol, Titanium Dioxide, Disodium EDTA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Silica

Tocopherol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Bakuchiol

Crithmum Maritimum Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract

Opuntia Streptacantha Stem Extract

Lactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Rosa Canina Seed Oil

Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Lecithin

Caprylyl Glycol

Xylitol

Anhydroxylitol

Xylitylglucoside

Trehalose

Sorbitan Oleate

Polysorbate 80

Hexylene Glycol

Isohexadecane

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sorbic Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Citric Acid

Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Silica, Retinol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bakuchiol, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Opuntia Streptacantha Stem Extract, Lactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Xylitol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Trehalose, Sorbitan Oleate, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Hexylene Glycol, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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.

Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare (and for good reason!).

It's a form of vitamin A that your skin converts into Retinoic Acid, the active molecule that actually does the work in your cells.

That conversion happens in two steps: your skin first turns Retinol into Retinaldehyde (also called Retinal), then turns Retinaldehyde into Retinoic Acid.

Retinol is converted to biologically active retinoic acid via retinaldehyde by dehydrogenases in a two-step oxidation process.

Each step is a little "upgrade" toward the active form which is part of why Retinol is gentler than prescription Retinoic Acid; your skin does the work gradually. This also explains where Retinol sits in the retinoid family.

Here is the retinoid family ranked roughly by strength: Retinyl Esters (like Retinyl Palmitate) < Retinol < Retinaldehyde < Retinoic Acid.

Retinoid activity increases in that order, while tolerance runs in reverse; retinyl esters are the gentlest and retinoic acid the most irritating.

The more conversion steps an ingredient needs, the gentler (and slower) it tends to be, so Retinol lands in a nice middle spot. It's more effective than the esters, gentler than prescription options.

Once it becomes Retinoic Acid, it binds to receptors inside your cells' nuclei (called RARs and RXRs). These receptor pairs bind to specific DNA motifs called retinoic acid response elements and act like switches that turn certain genes on or off.

In practice, this means a few things happen in a formula. It:

That last two are worth a closer look.

A study that tested Retinol directly (not just prescription Retinoic Acid) found that four weeks of retinol thickened the epidermis and switched on the genes for Collagen I and Collagen III, with more procollagen I and III showing up in the skin. And after twelve weeks, facial wrinkles were visibly reduced.

Retinoids more broadly stimulate the skin's synthesis of hyaluronan and other glycosaminoglycans, part of what gives skin a plumper, more hydrated look over time.

So even the gentler OTC form is doing real structural work (not just sitting on the surface).

It's also worth knowing Retinol isn't only a wrinkle ingredient; it can help with uneven tone, dark spots, rough texture, and the look of pores as well because it speeds up turnover and influences pigment.

The research backs this up as well.

A pooled analysis of six clinical studies found that 0.1% stabilized retinol improved all signs of photoaging versus vehicle as early as week 4 and through 12 weeks, with only a few mild cases of irritation.

Another study comparing concentrations found that 0.3% and 1% Retinol were similarly effective at remodeling photodamaged skin, but 0.3% caused fewer adverse reactions when used daily (a useful reminder that more isn't always better).

Retinol is about tenfold less potent than Retinoic Acid. This is why it works as a gentler, non-prescription option that builds results over time.

Typical concentrations range from 0.1-1%, with 0.1% to 0.3% being a well-supported sweet spot for visible benefits with good tolerability.

One quirk worth mentioning: Retinol is famously unstable.

It's highly sensitive to light and oxygen, and UV exposure breaks it down into a range of degradation products.

Real-world testing bears this out, with retinoid content in some products dropping anywhere from 0% to 80% after six months at room temperature, and even more at higher temperatures.

This is why good formulations lean on opaque, air-tight packaging (think tubes and pumps, not clear jars) and often "encapsulate" the Retinol to shield it.

Signs of oxidation include your product turning yellow or smelling "off". Keeping it somewhere cool and dark, and using it up within a few months of opening helps it stay effective.

The most common side effects are mild and temporary: usually some dryness, redness, or light peeling as your skin adjusts. These tend to settle with consistent and lower-frequency use.

Like all retinoids, Retinol works best with nightly use, a good moisturizer, and daytime sunscreen.

The "ramp up" method works well: start with Retinol once a week to give your skin time to adjust, which keeps irritation low. Slowly add more nights until you reach your goal frequency once your skin feels comfortable.

Retinoids also make your skin more sensitive to the sun in the first few weeks, so wear sunscreen every morning and protect your skin from direct sun while you build up tolerance.

One safety note: topical Retinoids aren't recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Systemic absorption from creams is low but because high oral vitamin A is a known teratogen and topical safety data are limited, most clinicians recommend stopping retinoids when pregnant or trying to conceive.

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!

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