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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Cantabria Labs Retincare versus Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL .

Published on July 05, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe prescription. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA and retinoid

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones 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 Spanish Brand Spain
Prescription Romanian Brand Romania

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

Shop

Buy Retincare

Shop

Buy MASKPLUS GEL

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

AHA
Retinoid

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Retinoid

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)
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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

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 1.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 2.

2
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Loved

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.

When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.

Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Glycolic Acid

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 2.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 4.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.

Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.

This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.

Those with sensitive skin or conditions may deliver a rash when using this ingredient.

Learn more about Propylene Glycol

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 3.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 5.

4
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate is created from polyethylene glycol and fatty acids from coconut oil.

It is a synthetic polymer with emulsifying and cleansing properties.

As an emulsifier, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate prevents ingredients such as oils and water from separating. It also helps rinse away oils, dirt, and pollutants from skin.

Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate may not be fungal acne safe. It can also dry out skin.

Learn more about Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 4.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 6.

5
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Liked

Aminomethyl Propanol is used to adjust the pH of products. It is also used as a base to create other organic compounds. Having a balanced pH is important for protecting your skin.

Aminomethyl propanol is safe to use in cosmetics up to 1%. It is soluble in water.

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 5.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 7.

6
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising, Stabilising
Community Rating: Mixed

Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.

Hydroxyethylcellulose helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.

This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.

Learn more about Hydroxyethylcellulose

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 6.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 8.

7
What it does:
Community Rating: Very Disliked

We don't have a description for Polyvinyl Alcohol.

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 7.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 1.

8
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Imidazolidinyl Urea is a preservative and isn't fungal acne safe. It can cause irritation and worsen eczema.

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 8.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 9.

9
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

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 EDTA

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 9.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 10.

10
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Cantabria Labs Retincare contains this as ingredient number 11.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL contains this as ingredient number 12.

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

36% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
55% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
50% are loved or liked
8% have mixed ratings
42% 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.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Cantabria Labs Retincare 11 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 1 rating
Expensive (1) Irritating (1) Light (1) Light Scent (1) Sticky (1) Works Well (1)
sarape's avatar

sarape

2 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

I really dislike the formula because it doesn't smell very good (like chemicals, but at least it's not a very strong scent), and it feels sticky on...

I really dislike the formula because it doesn't smell very good (like chemicals, but at least it's not a very strong scent), and it feels sticky on the skin even making it very hard to spread it through your skin. Not to mention te packaging which is made with a very poor plastic, and if you want to get all of the product, you'll need to disassemble it (and it's not easy, because it's sealed). Otherwise, a very considerable amount of product will stay inside and the pump won't get it out.

However it's actually the product with the highest concentration of Tretinoin (0,02%) that you will find over-the-counter in Spain. And it really works. My derm recommended it to treat my cystic acne and it has definitely improved a lot since I started using it every other night.

Meditrina Solartium MASKPLUS GEL 12 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
KristofBalint_841's avatar

KristofBalint_841

10 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

It’s making my skin extremely soft and got rid of my acne , acne scars , pigmentation although at first my skin was itching and was more reactive...

It’s making my skin extremely soft and got rid of my acne , acne scars , pigmentation although at first my skin was itching and was more reactive I’m so grateful for the results

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