Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream versus Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment .
Published on August 14, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain retinoid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
Price
Ingredient Info
Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment 31 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment 31 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment 31 ingredients
Water • Paraffinum Liquidum • Cetearyl Alcohol • Glyceryl Stearate Se • Isopropyl Myristate • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Ceteareth-20 • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Retinol • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Disodium EDTA • Maltodextrin • Phenoxyethanol • Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate • Caprylyl Glycol • Sodium Hydroxide
Water • Cetearyl Alcohol • Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate • Cyclopentasiloxane • Dimethicone • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Cetyl Palmitate • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Glyceryl Stearate • Peg-100 Stearate • Oenothera Biennis Oil • Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil • Cetyl Alcohol • Retinol • Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Panthenol • Carnosine • Dimethiconol • Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Beeswax • Magnesium Aluminum Silicate • Sodium Hydroxide • Xanthan Gum • Dicaprylyl Carbonate • Decylene Glycol • Disodium EDTA • Chlorphenesin • Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterAdvanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 1.
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholAdvanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream contains this as ingredient number 3.
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 2.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinAdvanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream contains this as ingredient number 6.
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 6.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream contains this as ingredient number 7.
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 7.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideAdvanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream contains this as ingredient number 9.
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 18.
Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolAdvanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream contains this as ingredient number 10.
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 15.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAAdvanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream contains this as ingredient number 15.
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 29.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream contains this as ingredient number 17.
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 31.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideAdvanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream contains this as ingredient number 20.
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 25.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment 31 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment 31 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream 20 ingredients
Noone
Good remedy. Advisable not to mix it with other products. I recommend putting it on once a day. It moisturizes and brightens the skin. It's worth...
Good remedy. Advisable not to mix it with other products. I recommend putting it on once a day. It moisturizes and brightens the skin. It's worth the money.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream.
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