The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum Versus Prequel Retinal Renew Retinaldehyde Gel

The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum Versus Prequel Retinal Renew Retinaldehyde Gel

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Squalane

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Retinol

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Benzyl Alcohol

Phospholipids

Tocopherol

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Glycine Soja Oil

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glycolipids

Dehydroacetic Acid

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Glycine Soja Sterols

T-Butyl Alcohol

Water, Glycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Retinol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycolipids, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Glycine Soja Sterols, T-Butyl Alcohol

Propanediol

Dimethicone

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Hydroxyapatite

Retinal

Ectoin

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Cyanocobalamin

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Helianthus Annuus Extract

Boron Nitride

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Cetyl Alcohol

Stearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

C9-12 Alkane

Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer

Carbomer

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Sclerotium Gum

Xanthan Gum

Dipropylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Phytate

Sodium Hydroxide

Citric Acid

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydroxyapatite, Retinal, Ectoin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Cyanocobalamin, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Tocopherol, Boron Nitride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, C9-12 Alkane, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Carbomer, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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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