The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer Versus RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Facial Serum

The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer Versus RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Facial Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Ascorbic Acid 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

Glycerin

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Betaine

Butylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Benzyl Alcohol

Carbomer

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Sodium Hydroxide

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Gluconate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Dehydroacetic Acid

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Phenethyl Alcohol

Acetyl Hexapeptide-37

Maltodextrin

Pentapeptide-48

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, Maltodextrin, Pentapeptide-48

Cyclopentasiloxane

Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dimethicone

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Nylon-12

PEG-12 Dimethicone

Tocopherol

Citric Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Laureth-23

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Parfum

Laureth-4

Methylparaben

Propylparaben

Disodium EDTA

Alanine

BHT

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Polysorbate 20

Magnesium Aspartate

Zinc Gluconate

Bisabolol

Retinol

Ascorbic Acid

Laureth-7

Copper Gluconate

CI 19140

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Nylon-12, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Laureth-23, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Parfum, Laureth-4, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Alanine, BHT, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Polysorbate 20, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Bisabolol, Retinol, Ascorbic Acid, Laureth-7, Copper Gluconate, CI 19140

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.

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.

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.

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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