Skin science article
The INKEY List Retinol Serum Versus Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ .5% Power Serum
The INKEY List Retinol Serum Versus Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ .5% Power Serum This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinyl Acetate and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging ser
The INKEY List Retinol Serum Versus Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ .5% Power Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinyl Acetate and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Bisabolol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Butylene Glycol
Propanediol
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Retinyl Acetate
Dimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Phospholipids
Squalane
Glycine Soja Oil
Carbomer
Polysorbate 60
Tocopheryl Acetate
Glycolipids
Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium Phytate
Sorbitan Isostearate
Glycine Soja Sterols
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Hyaluronic Acid
Sodium Lactate
Tocopherol
Polysorbate 20
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Retinyl Acetate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Phospholipids, Squalane, Glycine Soja Oil, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycolipids, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Isohexadecane
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether
Triethyl Citrate
Retinol
Parfum
Bisabolol
BHT
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Isohexadecane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Triethyl Citrate, Polysorbate 20, Retinol, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, BHT, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
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.
Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.