Biologique Recherche Crème PIGM 400 Brightening and Pigment Spot-Correcting Face Cream Versus SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream
Overview
Cool Features
They both contain exfoliants and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any common allergens, parabens or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Biologique Recherche Crème PIGM 400 Brightening and Pigment Spot-Correcting Face Cream 24 ingredients
SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream 52 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Biologique Recherche Crème PIGM 400 Brightening and Pigment Spot-Correcting Face Cream 24 ingredients
SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream 52 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Mica
Cosmetic Colorant
Hydrolyzed Prunus Domestica
Skin ConditioningSoy Isoflavones
Skin ConditioningLepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin ConditioningAlteromonas Ferment Filtrate
HumectantVibrio Alginolyticus Ferment Filtrate
Abrasive
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningDimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Coco-Caprylate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Lactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract, Mica, Hydrolyzed Prunus Domestica, Soy Isoflavones, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Alteromonas Ferment Filtrate, Vibrio Alginolyticus Ferment Filtrate, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Lecithin, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Polysorbate 80, Alcohol Denat., Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Glycolate
BufferingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Cetearyl Olivate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ceresin
Emulsion StabilisingGlycol Palmitate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Methyl Gluceth-20
HumectantEthyl Lactyl Retinoate
Abrasive
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ProtectingSodium PCA
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Glycolate, Glycolic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isohexadecane, Sorbitan Olivate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Ceresin, Glycol Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Squalane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Ubiquinone, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Superoxide Dismutase, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Allantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Linolenic Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Steareth-2, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydrated Silica, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterButylene 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.
- It has mild preservative properties.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
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.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolGlycerin 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 GlycerinTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolMagnesium Aluminum Silicate is a type of silica. It comes from naturally occuring minerals such as silicate ores and clay.
Magnesium aluminum silicate is used for enhancing texture and as an absorbent. Due to its large molecular size, it is unable to be absorbed into the skin.
Like other types of silica, this ingredient can be used to thicken a product. As an absorbent, it may be used to absorb extra water or help prevent clumping.
Although “aluminum” in an ingredient name can raise red flags for some consumers, the form and usage context matter significantly. For typical topical applications, there is no substantial evidence of health risks - such as cancer, neurotoxicity, or systemic “aluminum overload.”
Learn more about Magnesium Aluminum SilicatePhenoxyethanol 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.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Biologique Recherche Crème PIGM 400 Brightening and Pigment Spot-Correcting Face Cream 24 ingredients
SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream 52 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Biologique Recherche Crème PIGM 400 Brightening and Pigment Spot-Correcting Face Cream 24 ingredients
SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream 52 ingredients
This is a great - albeit extremely expensive - alternative for people whose skin is too sensitive for tretonoin/retinols or who aren’t able to manage the dryness they can cause.
I’ve been using it for about a month and a half and I truly have noticed a huge difference in my pore size + fine lines. I do like to use a moisturizer afterwards just to be safe, but this could likely work as a Show more
Truly my holy grail product. It’s certainly pricey but it’s one of two expensive products I have in my routine and it’s worth the investment imo. One fl oz bottle lasts me ~3 months with nightly use. I’ve used this product consistently for 5 months now and have noticed my skin is brighter, more hydrated, and even toned. I was previously using .05% tret and my skin could never really handle it. Show more
