Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Maelove Stargaze Enhanced Retinol Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment

Maelove Stargaze Enhanced Retinol Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment Detailed comparison of Maelove Stargaze Enhanced Retinol Serum versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment. This anti-aging se

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Maelove Stargaze Enhanced Retinol Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment Detailed comparison of Maelove Stargaze Enhanced Retinol Serum versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Bakuchiol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Water Glycerin Hamamelis Virginiana Water Gluconolactone Niacinamide Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Sodium Hyaluronate Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract Withania Somnifera Root Extract Retinol Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract Xanthan Gum Sodium Benzoate Polysorbate 20 Potassium Sorbate Sodium Gluconate Citric Acid Cyclodextrin Sodium Hydroxide Alcohol Denat. Alcohol Water, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Retinol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Cyclodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol Denat., Alcohol Dimethicone Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate Isononyl Isononanoate Butylene Glycol Bakuchiol Arachidyl Alcohol Glyceryl Polymethacrylate Dimethicone Crosspolymer Behenyl Alcohol PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides Glyceryl Stearate C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Ceramide Ng Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Avena Sativa Kernel Extract Arctium Lappa Root Extract Salix Alba Bark Extract Glycine Soja Sterols Lecithin Allantoin Tocopheryl Acetate Hydrolyzed Soy Protein Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Tribehenin Caprylyl Glycol Dipeptide-2 Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract PEG-10 Phytosterol PEG-8 Magnesium Aluminum Silicate Arachidyl Glucoside Chrysin Pentylene Glycol Sodium Acrylates Copolymer Steareth-20 Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Cetearyl Alcohol Coco-Glucoside Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone N-Hydroxysuccinimide Disodium EDTA Phenoxyethanol Benzoic Acid Ethylhexylglycerin Water, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Bakuchiol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Retinol, Ceramide Ng, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipeptide-2, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, PEG-10 Phytosterol, PEG-8, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Chrysin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Steareth-20, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin Be the first to review 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. Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare (and for good reason!). It's a form of vitamin A that your skin converts into Retinoic Acid, the active molecule that actually does the work in your cells. That conversion happens in two steps: your skin first turns Retinol into Retinaldehyde (also called Retinal), then turns Retinaldehyde into Retinoic Acid. Retinol is converted to biologically active retinoic acid via retinaldehyde by dehydrogenases in a two-step oxidation process. Each step is a little "upgrade" toward the active form which is part of why Retinol is gentler than prescription Retinoic Acid; your skin does the work gradually. This also explains where Retinol sits in the retinoid family. Here is the retinoid family ranked roughly by strength: Retinyl Esters (like Retinyl Palmitate) < Retinol < Retinaldehyde < Retinoic Acid. Retinoid activity increases in that order, while tolerance runs in reverse; retinyl esters are the gentlest and retinoic acid the most irritating. The more conversion steps an ingredient needs, the gentler (and slower) it tends to be, so Retinol lands in a nice middle spot. It's