Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Simple Skincare Booster Serum 3% Hyaluronic Acid and B5 Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide

Simple Skincare Booster Serum 3% Hyaluronic Acid and B5 Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide Detailed comparison of Simple Skincare Booster Serum 3% Hyaluronic Acid and B5 versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Se

This source-based comparison does not add ratings or recommend a winner.

Simple Skincare Booster Serum 3% Hyaluronic Acid and B5 Versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide Detailed comparison of Simple Skincare Booster Serum 3% Hyaluronic Acid and B5 versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide. This hydrating serum is formulated around Panthenol and Niacinamide to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Water Panthenol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Glycerin Propanediol Niacinamide Coco-Caprylate Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate Tapioca Starch Cetearyl Alcohol Sodium Hyaluronate Dicaprylyl Ether Caprylyl Glycol Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sclerotium Gum Saccharide Isomerate Phenoxyethanol Citric Acid Pantolactone Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Citrate Tocopherol Water, Panthenol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Coco-Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Tapioca Starch, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Saccharide Isomerate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Pantolactone, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Tocopherol Butylene Glycol Pentylene Glycol Cetyl Alcohol Isohexadecane Isononyl Isononanoate Diisopropyl Sebacate 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester Adenosine Ceramide NP Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine Lauroyl Lysine Octyldodecanol Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate Sodium Chloride Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Retinol Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate Behenyl Alcohol Carbomer Cetearyl Glucoside Glycine Soja Oil Hydroxyethylcellulose Lecithin Phenethyl Alcohol Poloxamer 188 Polycaprolactone Sorbitan Laurate Steareth-100 CI 40800 Chlorphenesin Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Isohexadecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Lauroyl Lysine, Octyldodecanol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Retinol, Tocopherol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Poloxamer 188, Polycaprolactone, Sorbitan Laurate, Steareth-100, CI 40800, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol 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). 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 ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe. Dicaprylyl Ether is created from caprylic acid. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient. As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Ether is non-comedogenic. It helps soften and smooth the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, helping to hydrate the skin. Dicaprylyl Ether gives a non-greasy feel and better spreadability to products. 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 corre