Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Medik8 Crystal Retinal Versus Medik8 Clarity Peptides

Medik8 Crystal Retinal Versus Medik8 Clarity Peptides Detailed comparison of Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 versus Medik8 Clarity Peptides. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinal and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin

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Medik8 Crystal Retinal Versus Medik8 Clarity Peptides Detailed comparison of Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 versus Medik8 Clarity Peptides. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinal and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to brighten dull-looking skin and refine the look of pores. Water Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Glycerin Isododecane Cetearyl Olivate Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Cetearyl Alcohol PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer Sorbitan Olivate Tocopheryl Acetate Squalane Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Hydroxyacetophenone Cyclodextrin 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid Sodium Polyaspartate Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Sodium Hyaluronate Phenoxyethanol Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil Retinal Alumina Isostearic Acid Lecithin Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate Polyhydroxystearic Acid Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract Stearic Acid Citric Acid BHT Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil Polysorbate 60 Disodium EDTA Ethylhexylglycerin Sorbitan Isostearate Pentylene Glycol Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract Coumarin CI 14700 CI 77891 Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cyclodextrin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Polyaspartate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Retinal, Alumina, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Stearic Acid, Citric Acid, BHT, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Pentylene Glycol, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract, Coumarin, CI 14700, CI 77891 Niacinamide Acetyl Glucosamine Glyceryl Stearate Citrate Dimethicone Zinc PCA Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil Hydrogenated Lecithin Behenyl Alcohol Xanthan Gum Cetyl Palmitate Carnosine Polysorbate 80 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10 Sorbitan Stearate Sodium Benzoate Tocopherol Butylene Glycol 1,2-Hexanediol Caprylhydroxamic Acid Water, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acetyl Glucosamine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Dimethicone, Zinc PCA, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Palmitate, Carnosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 80, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid 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. 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%. Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier. Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient. It plays several roles in a formula: Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products. Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people. However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers. Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy. Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans. Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients. This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize. A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this in