Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Booster

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Booster Detailed comparison of Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Booster. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinal and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of

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Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 Versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Booster Detailed comparison of Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Booster. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinal and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Retinol and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Water Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Glycerin Isododecane Cetearyl Olivate Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Cetearyl Alcohol PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer Sorbitan Olivate Tocopheryl Acetate Titanium Dioxide Eclipta Prostrata Extract Cyclodextrin Squalane Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Phenoxyethanol Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Sodium Hyaluronate Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil Alumina Isostearic Acid Lecithin Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate Polyhydroxystearic Acid Stearic Acid Pentylene Glycol Retinal Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil Sodium Polyaspartate Climbazole Disodium EDTA Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil Ethylhexylglycerin 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract Hydroxyacetophenone Polysorbate 60 Sorbitan Isostearate Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract Decylene Glycol 1,2-Hexanediol BHT Coumarin Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Cyclodextrin, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Alumina, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Stearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Retinal, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Polyaspartate, Climbazole, Disodium EDTA, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Decylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, BHT, Coumarin Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate Butylene Glycol Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract Polysorbate 20 Retinol Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Ceramide NP Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Avena Sativa Kernel Extract Epilobium Angustifolium Extract Arctium Lappa Seed Oil Salix Alba Extract Allantoin Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate Caprylyl Glycol Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate Ethylhexyl Olivate Hydrogenated Lecithin Glyceryl Ascorbate Sorbic Acid Xanthan Gum Water, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Polysorbate 20, Retinol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Arctium Lappa Seed Oil, Salix Alba Extract, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 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. Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air. This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with: On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it. One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin). Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption. You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%. 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