The INKEY List Q10 Serum Versus L'Oreal Revitalift Pro Retinol Hydrating Smoothing Serum

The INKEY List Q10 Serum Versus L'Oreal Revitalift Pro Retinol Hydrating Smoothing Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane and Ubiquinone to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Glycerin

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Dimethicone

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Squalane

Phospholipids

Lecithin

Glycine Soja Oil

Carbomer

Polysorbate 60

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ubiquinone

Sodium Phytate

Glycolipids

Sorbitan Isostearate

Sodium Hydroxide

Glycine Soja Sterols

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Hyaluronic Acid

Tocopherol

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate

Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Squalane, Phospholipids, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Oil, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ubiquinone, Sodium Phytate, Glycolipids, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycine Soja Sterols, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate

Alcohol Denat.

Dipropylene Glycol

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

PPG-3 Myristyl Ether

Triethanolamine

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Polyacrylate

Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Adenosine

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine

Xanthan Gum

Pentylene Glycol

T-Butyl Alcohol

Yeast Extract

BHT

Retinyl Palmitate

Methylparaben

Sodium Benzoate

Chlorphenesin

Linalool

Geraniol

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Amyl Cinnamal

Limonene

Citronellol

Butylphenyl Methylpropional

Hexyl Cinnamal

Benzyl Alcohol

Benzyl Benzoate

Benzyl Salicylate

Parfum

Water, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, PPG-3 Myristyl Ether, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Yeast Extract, BHT, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Methylparaben, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Linalool, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum

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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.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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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