Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum Versus Olay Wrinkle Correction Serum - Vitamin B3 + Collagen Peptides

Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum Versus Olay Wrinkle Correction Serum - Vitamin B3 + Collagen Peptides

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Cyclopentasiloxane

Dimethiconol

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Phenyl Trimethicone

Squalane

Bisabolol

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Retinol

Tocotrienols

Tocopherol

Lecithin

Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate

Hexylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalane, Bisabolol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Retinol, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Water

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Butylene Glycol

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7

Panthenol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Polysorbate 20

Disodium EDTA

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Carbomer

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Aminomethyl Propanol

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7, Panthenol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Dimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.

This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It 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.

On 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.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'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.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-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.

Adverse 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.

Similar Comparisons