Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 Versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 Versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster Detailed comparison of Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10 versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinal and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ferulic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles. 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 Ascorbic Acid Dipropylene Glycol Propanediol Ethoxydiglycol Sodium Hydroxide PPG-26-Buteth-26 PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Bisabolol Ferulic Acid Sodium Phytate Tocopherol Sphingomonas Ferment Extract Water, Ascorbic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bisabolol, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Decylene Glycol, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Phenoxyethanol These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. 1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse. It is a: Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin Emollient, helping to soften skin Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives We don't have a description for Decylene Glycol yet. 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 for children of all ages. Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon. 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 - thi