Sekkisui Emulsion Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide

Sekkisui Emulsion Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide

This brightening emulsion is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Dimethicone

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate

Squalane

Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract

Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract

Gentiana Lutea Root Extract

Hamamelis Virginiana Extract

Inula Britannica Flower Extract

Melothria Heterophylla Root Extract

Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract

Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Cellulose Gum

Citric Acid

Disodium EDTA

Disodium Phosphate

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Hydrogenated Rapeseed Glycerides

Laureth-7

PEG-8

Polyacrylamide

Polysorbate 80

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate

Sorbitan Stearate

Ethylparaben

Methylparaben

Propylparaben

Parfum

Water, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Squalane, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Inula Britannica Flower Extract, Melothria Heterophylla Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Cellulose Gum, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Phosphate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Glycerides, Laureth-7, PEG-8, Polyacrylamide, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Sorbitan Stearate, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Parfum

Pentylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Cetyl Alcohol

Isohexadecane

Isononyl Isononanoate

Diisopropyl Sebacate

2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol

4-T-Butylcyclohexanol

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Adenosine

Ceramide NP

Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine

Lauroyl Lysine

Octyldodecanol

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Hyaluronate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Retinol

Tocopherol

Dicaprylyl Ether

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Behenyl Alcohol

Caprylyl Glycol

Carbomer

Cetearyl Glucoside

Glycine Soja Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Lecithin

Phenethyl Alcohol

Poloxamer 188

Polycaprolactone

Sorbitan Laurate

Steareth-100

CI 40800

Chlorphenesin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Isohexadecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Lauroyl Lysine, Octyldodecanol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Retinol, Tocopherol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Poloxamer 188, Polycaprolactone, Sorbitan Laurate, Steareth-100, CI 40800, Chlorphenesin, 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.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

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.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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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