Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum Versus Isntree Hyper Retinol EX 1.0 Serum

Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum Versus Isntree Hyper Retinol EX 1.0 Serum Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum versus Isntree Hyper Retinol EX 1.0 Serum. This anti-aging serum is formu

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Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum Versus Isntree Hyper Retinol EX 1.0 Serum Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum versus Isntree Hyper Retinol EX 1.0 Serum. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Bakuchiol and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Cyclopentasiloxane Dimethiconol Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate Dicaprylyl Carbonate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Phenyl Trimethicone Squalane Bisabolol Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Retinol Tocotrienols Tocopherol Lecithin Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract Avena Sativa Kernel Extract Elaeis Guineensis Oil Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate Hexylene Glycol Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylglycerin Phenoxyethanol Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalane, Bisabolol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Retinol, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol Water Butylene Glycol Glycerin Niacinamide Dibutyl Adipate Bakuchiol 0.6% Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer 1,2-Hexanediol Hydrogenated Lecithin Betaine Hydroxyacetophenone Retinyl Palmitate 0.3% Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate Retinol 0.1% Allantoin Panthenol Polysorbate 20 Adenosine Cetearyl Alcohol Disodium EDTA Stearic Acid Dipropylene Glycol Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin Polydextrose Ceramide NP Asiaticoside Madecassic Acid Asiatic Acid Ceramide Ns Cholesterol Phytosphingosine Ferulic Acid Ceramide As Ceramide AP Copper Tripeptide-1 Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Ceramide EOP Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dibutyl Adipate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bakuchiol 0.6%, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Betaine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Retinyl Palmitate 0.3%, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopherol, Retinol 0.1%, Allantoin, Panthenol, Polysorbate 20, Adenosine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Polydextrose, Ceramide NP, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Ceramide Ns, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Ferulic Acid, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ceramide EOP 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%. 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 more effective than the esters, gentler than prescription options. Once it becomes Retinoic Acid, it binds to receptors inside your cells' nuclei (called RARs and RXRs). These receptor pairs bind to specific DNA motifs called retinoic acid response elements and act like switches that turn certain genes on or off. In practice, this means a few things happen in a formula. It: That last two are worth a closer look.