The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution Versus Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 + Peptide Night Moisturizer

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution Versus Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 + Peptide Night Moisturizer

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Glycolic Acid

Water

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water

Sodium Hydroxide

Daucus Carota Sativa Extract

Propanediol

Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine

Salicylic Acid

Lactic Acid

Tartaric Acid

Citric Acid

Panthenol

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract

Glycerin

Pentylene Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Polysorbate 20

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Ethylhexylglycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Glycolic Acid, Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Daucus Carota Sativa Extract, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol

Dimethicone

Tapioca Starch

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Retinol

Retinyl Propionate

Niacinamide

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Polyacrylamide

C13-14 Isoparaffin

DMDM Hydantoin

Laureth-4

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Laureth-7

Dimethiconol

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Aminomethyl Propanol

Titanium Dioxide

Disodium EDTA

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Retinol, Retinyl Propionate, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, DMDM Hydantoin, Polysorbate 20, Laureth-4, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Laureth-7, Dimethiconol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Aminomethyl Propanol, Titanium Dioxide, Disodium EDTA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

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.

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.

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.

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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