Peach & Lily Retinal for All Renewing Serum Versus Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum

Peach & Lily Retinal for All Renewing Serum Versus Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ectoin and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol 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

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Cyclodextrin

Sorbitan Stearate

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Water

Camellia Japonica Flower Extract

Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Ectoin

Behenic Acid

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Bisabolol

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Rhynchosia Nulubilis Seed Extract

Retinal

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Dextrin

Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Ceramide EOP

Polyacrylate-13

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Methylpropanediol

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate

Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Sucrose Cocoate

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Sorbitan Isostearate

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Pentylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Triethyl Citrate

Tocopherol

Sodium Levulinate

Glyceryl Stearate

Sorbitan Olivate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Cetearyl Olivate

Propanediol

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclodextrin, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Water, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ectoin, Behenic Acid, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Bisabolol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Rhynchosia Nulubilis Seed Extract, Retinal, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Dextrin, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ceramide EOP, Polyacrylate-13, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Methylpropanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sucrose Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triethyl Citrate, Tocopherol, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Propanediol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Dimethiconol

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Phenyl Trimethicone

Squalane

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Retinol

Tocotrienols

Lecithin

Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate

Hexylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

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

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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.

Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.

It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.

A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.

In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.

You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.

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%.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The 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 to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

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.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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