Alpha Skin Care Intensive Renewal Serum 14% Glycolic Alpha Hydroxy Acid Versus Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense

Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.

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.

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.

This long ingredient is a copolymer of sodium acrylate and sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate monomers.

Polylactic Acid is an exfoliant.

We don't have a description for Cyclodextrin.

We don't have a description for Ppg-12/Smdi Copolymer.

Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.

Titanium dioxide is known for its UVA and UVB protection properties. It is non-comedogenic and non-irritating. Titanium Dioxide is a physical sunscreen. Physical sunscreens reflect light and prevent it from reaching your skin.

We don't have a description for Eclipta Prostrata Extract.

Phenethyl Alcohol is a colorless and aromatic alohol. It is naturally occuring in essential oils.

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract is extract from the neem plant.

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

We don't have a description for Cholesteryl Nonanoate.

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil is an oil and isn't fungal acne safe.

Canola Oil is Rapeseed oil with low amounts of erucic acid. It is an emollient and helps hydrate the skin. Emollients help hydrate and soften your skin by trapping moisture.

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

Retinal is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the gold-standard class of anti-aging ingredients.

Retinyl Retinoate is a form of retinoid. It can be good for be good for oily skin. It can help to improve skin texture, reduce large pores, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, heal scars, and fight acne. It can be bad for dry skin and cause irritation.

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

Alumina is another name for the compound aluminum oxide. It is used as a thickener, absorbent, and abrasive.

Isostearic acid is a saturated fatty acid. Its structure makes it a great surfactant.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.

This ingredient is an emulsifier. It is created from Polyglycerin-3 and Ricinoleic Acid.

Polyhydroxystearic Acid is a soft wax made from castor oil.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.

Ceramide AP is a type of Ceramide.

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil is the oil expressed from the seeds of Moringa oleifera plant. It is more commonly known as Moringa seed oil.

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate is the lauric acid sodium salt of lactyl lactate.

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract comes from the vanilla orchid native to central America. It is a skin-soothing ingredient.

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

Linoleic Acid is Vitamin F and a fatty acid. It is an emollient and helps thicken texture. Linoleic acid helps with hydrating skin and nourishing the skin's barrier. The top layer of skin, or epidermis, contains high amounts of linoleic acid naturally.

Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid found in our skin. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It is a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.

Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide.

Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil is the oil obtained from the seed of the edible carrot. The oil is created by steaming and distilling the seeds of the plant.

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

We don't have a description for Phytosterols.

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract comes from the honeysuckle flower.

You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.

This Honeysuckle flower extract comes from the Italian honeysuckle. It is an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and fragrance.

We don't have a description for Sodium Polyaspartate.

Phytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

This peptide is the copper salt and formed by reacting palmitic acid and heptapeptide-14.

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate isn't fungal acne safe and is a peptide.

Ceramide EOP is a type of Ceramide.

Cholesterol is a class of organic molecules called lipids. It helps hydrate your skin and is essential to having a healthy skin barrier.

We don't have a description for C12-16 Alcohols.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is created from the hydrogenation of lecithin. Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction between molecule hydrogen and another element.

Glyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid, a fatty acid from coconut.

We don't have a description for Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer.

We don't have a description for Polyvinyl Alcohol.

Phenylpropanol is a fragrance.

This BHA stands for butylated hydroxyanisole. If you are looking for the beta-hydroxy acid, aka as Salicylic Acid, click here.

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Citral is a fragrance and used to add a lemon-like scent to products. It is both naturally found in plants and created synthetically. In plants, it is commonly occurring in lemon myrtle, lemongrass, lemon tea-tree, lemon verbena, and other citruses.