Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment Versus Shani Darden Retinol Reform

Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment Versus Shani Darden Retinol Reform Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US versus Shani Darden Retinol Reform. This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Retinol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to sof

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Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment Versus Shani Darden Retinol Reform Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US versus Shani Darden Retinol Reform. This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Retinol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This smoothing serum is formulated around Lactic Acid and Retinol to refine skin texture and soften the look of wrinkles. Water Dimethicone Glycerin Butylene Glycol Isononyl Isononanoate Castor Isostearate Succinate Glyceryl Stearate C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Dimethicone Crosspolymer PEG-33 Polysorbate 20 Behenyl Alcohol PEG-100 Stearate Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate Polymethylsilsesquioxane 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 Seed Oil Salix Alba Extract Glycine Soja Sterols Lecithin Allantoin Tocopheryl Acetate Hydrolyzed Soy Protein Sorbitan Laurate Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester Disodium EDTA Hydroxyethylcellulose Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Sodium Hydroxide Tribehenin Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Pentylene Glycol PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer PEG-10 Phytosterol PEG-8 Dimethicone PEG-14 Magnesium Aluminum Silicate Arachidyl Glucoside Arachidyl Alcohol Sclerotium Gum Carbomer Phenoxyethanol Benzoic Acid Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Castor Isostearate Succinate, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-33, Polysorbate 20, Behenyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, 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 Seed Oil, Salix Alba Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sorbitan Laurate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, PEG-10 Phytosterol, PEG-8 Dimethicone, PEG-14, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract Lactic Acid Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Lactobacillus Ferment Isohexadecane Copernicia Cerifera Cera Glucosamine Hcl Plankton Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Niacinamide Hydrogenated Lecithin Linoleic Acid Phospholipids Propanediol Sodium Cocoamphoacetate Sorbitan Isostearate Polysorbate 60 Oryza Sativa Bran Extract Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Helianthus Annuus Extract Tocopherol Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum Maltodextrin Xanthan Gum Hydrolyzed Algin Xylitylglucoside Anhydroxylitol Xylitol Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate BHT BHA Hexylene Glycol Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lactobacillus Ferment, Isohexadecane, Retinol, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Glucosamine Hcl, Plankton Extract, Camellia These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created. Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin. Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on). Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that: The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure. Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations. 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. Glycine Soja Sterols are plant-derived fatty alcohols (phytosterols) from soybean. You can think of them like the plant world's version of cholesterol; they're structurally similar enough to slot into your skin's lipid barrier and help it do its job. Phytosterols aid skin barrier recovery by traveling deeper into the skin rather than just sitting on top of it. Once inside, they reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and keep skin feeling soft / supple. Research on phytosterols in keratinocyte and macrophase models has shown meaningful inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators. This supports their reputation as a calming ingredient for reactive or sensitive skin. Subjects with soy allergies did not show a reaction to phytosterols in safety tests, but it wouldn't hurt to patch test if you do have a soy allergy. Fungal acne: Malassezia uses sterols to build its own cell walls so there's a theoretical concern that it could also make use of sterol ingredients in skincare. Though no study has actually proven this happens with topical products, we err on the side of caution and list this ingredient as not safe for