Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment

Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment Detailed comparison of Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Bakuchiol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Water Propanediol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate Sorbitan Oleate Sodium Ascorbate Tocopherol Sodium Hyaluronate Phenoxyethanol Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer Retinol Ethylhexylglycerin Citric Acid Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil Phospholipids Retinyl Palmitate Tocopheryl Acetate Ascorbyl Palmitate Salicylic Acid Sorbic Acid Water, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Retinol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Phospholipids, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Salicylic Acid, Sorbic Acid Dimethicone Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate Isononyl Isononanoate Butylene Glycol Bakuchiol Arachidyl Alcohol Glyceryl Polymethacrylate Dimethicone Crosspolymer Behenyl Alcohol Glycerin PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides Glyceryl Stearate C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Polysorbate 20 Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Ceramide Ng Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Avena Sativa Kernel Extract Arctium Lappa Root Extract Salix Alba Bark Extract Glycine Soja Sterols Lecithin Allantoin Hydrolyzed Soy Protein Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Sodium Hydroxide Tribehenin Caprylyl Glycol Dipeptide-2 Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract PEG-10 Phytosterol PEG-8 Magnesium Aluminum Silicate Arachidyl Glucoside Chrysin Pentylene Glycol Sodium Acrylates Copolymer Steareth-20 Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Cetearyl Alcohol Coco-Glucoside Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone N-Hydroxysuccinimide Disodium EDTA Benzoic Acid Water, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Bakuchiol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, 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 Root Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipeptide-2, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, PEG-10 Phytosterol, PEG-8, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Chrysin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Steareth-20, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. 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. Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!). It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome. On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive. Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10). You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own. Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU. Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages. Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon. 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 a