Ingredient or product comparison
Boots Retinol Serum Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum
Boots Retinol Serum Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum Detailed comparison of Boots Retinol Serum versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine ski
This source-based comparison does not add ratings or recommend a winner.
Boots Retinol Serum Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum Detailed comparison of Boots Retinol Serum versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Water Butylene Glycol Glycerin Isononyl Isononanoate Diisostearyl Malate PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate Phenoxyethanol Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate Chlorphenesin Bisabolol Xanthan Gum Potassium Hydroxide Retinyl Palmitate Disodium EDTA Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Maltodextrin Polysorbate 20 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin Retinol Potassium Sorbate Sodium Benzoate Sodium Metabisulfite Tocopherol BHT Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Diisostearyl Malate, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Chlorphenesin, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Retinyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Maltodextrin, Polysorbate 20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Retinol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Tocopherol, BHT Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Persea Gratissima Oil Squalane Cetearyl Alcohol Glyceryl Stearate Se Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Benzyl Alcohol Phospholipids 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 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 showe