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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription versus Apostrophe Custom Prescription .

Published on January 22, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe prescription. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide and retinoid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores and dark spots

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.

Prescription American Brand United States
Prescription American Brand United States

Prescription

Prescription skincare treatments. The ingredients in these product are prescription strength and considered medication. In many countries, these must be prescribed by a certified professional.

Prescription

Prescription skincare treatments. The ingredients in these product are prescription strength and considered medication. In many countries, these must be prescribed by a certified professional.

Price

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Buy Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription

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Buy Custom Prescription

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin E
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (4)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Irritating
Rosacea
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does:
Community Rating: Loved

Tretinoin is a form of Vitamin A. It is stronger than retinol and only available with a prescription in many countries.

Research on tretinoin has found it to be effective in anti-aging the skin. It helps improve damage from the sun, even the skin tone, and smooth out wrinkles.

Tretinoin has also been found to be an effective acne treatment by reducing sebum production in pores.

Tretinoin, like other forms of Vitamin A, increases the turnover cycle of skin cells. This helps the skin create newer and healthier skin cells faster. Due to its strength, it can cause irritation, redness, and dry skin. Those with sensitive skin should consult a professional about using tretinoin.

Using retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few weeks of use. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.

Read about Retinol

Learn more about Tretinoin

Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription contains this as ingredient number 1.

Apostrophe Custom Prescription contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription contains this as ingredient number 2.

Apostrophe Custom Prescription contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant. As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.

BHT also helps stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Many products are sensitive to air and light. BHT prevents them from breaking down when exposed.

Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription contains this as ingredient number 3.

Apostrophe Custom Prescription contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Antimicrobial, Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.

As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.

This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.

Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription contains this as ingredient number 4.

Apostrophe Custom Prescription contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying, Masking
Community Rating: Mixed

Caprylic Acid is a fatty acid commonly found in plant oils, such as palm and coconut oils.

Much of the research is based on caprylic acid derived from coconut oil. Coconut oil is an emollient and helps moisturize the skin.

Caprylic Acid has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Several studies found it to be effective at treating yeast infections. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. Besides cosmetics, this ingredient is also used for a variety of medical purposes such as treating digestive disorders.

This ingredient is minimally soluble in water.

Read more about a similar ingredient Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride.

Learn more about Caprylic Acid

Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription contains this as ingredient number 5.

Apostrophe Custom Prescription contains this as ingredient number 5.

6
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription contains this as ingredient number 6.

Apostrophe Custom Prescription contains this as ingredient number 6.

7
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

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

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription contains this as ingredient number 7.

Apostrophe Custom Prescription contains this as ingredient number 7.

8
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription contains this as ingredient number 8.

Apostrophe Custom Prescription contains this as ingredient number 8.

9
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying
Community Rating: Disliked

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

Glyceryl Stearate is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.

As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.

In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced. The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate

Apostrophe Tretinoin 0.025% Prescription contains this as ingredient number 9.

Apostrophe Custom Prescription contains this as ingredient number 9.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

25% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
60% are disliked or very disliked
5% have no rating yet
33% are loved or liked
22% have mixed ratings
44% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

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