Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

The INKEY List Mandelic Acid Treatment Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum

The INKEY List Mandelic Acid Treatment Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum Detailed comparison of The INKEY List Mandelic Acid Treatment Europe versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum. This brightening treatment is formulated around Mandelic Acid and Retinol

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

The INKEY List Mandelic Acid Treatment Versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum Detailed comparison of The INKEY List Mandelic Acid Treatment Europe versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum. This brightening treatment is formulated around Mandelic Acid and Retinol to fade the look of dark spots and refine skin texture. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Water Propanediol Mandelic Acid Coco-Caprylate/Caprate Cetearyl Alcohol Glycerin Sodium Hydroxide Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Glyceryl Stearate Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate Phenoxyethanol Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate Benzyl Alcohol Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Copernicia Cerifera Cera Retinol Polysorbate 20 Ethylhexylglycerin Dehydroacetic Acid Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Ceramide AP 1,2-Hexanediol Caprylyl Glycol Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate Tocopherol Xanthan Gum Ethyl Ferulate Humulus Lupulus Extract Water, Propanediol, Mandelic Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Ferulate, Humulus Lupulus Extract Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Persea Gratissima Oil Squalane Glyceryl Stearate Se Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Phospholipids Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 Glycine Soja Oil Glycolipids Polysorbate 60 Sorbitan Isostearate Glycine Soja Sterols T-Butyl Alcohol Water, Glycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Retinol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycolipids, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Glycine Soja Sterols, T-Butyl Alcohol 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. Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent. This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products. As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products. The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive. This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen. It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products. Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products. At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction. 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 aroun