Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum versus e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum .
Last updated on September 19, 2023. Published on February 16, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid and 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 common allergens, fragrances or parabens
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Price
Ingredient Info
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum 33 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum 38 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
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 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
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 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum 33 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum 38 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum 33 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum 38 ingredients
Water • Propanediol • Dimethicone • Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate • Niacinamide • Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Potassium Phosphate • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Carbomer • Cetearyl Alcohol • Behentrimonium Methosulfate • Dimethiconol • Lecithin • Sodium Citrate • Retinol • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Cholesterol • Phenoxyethanol • Alcohol • Isopropyl Myristate • Caprylyl Glycol • Citric Acid • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Pentylene Glycol • Phytosphingosine • Xanthan Gum • Polysorbate 20 • Ethylhexylglycerin
Water • Propanediol • Peg-8 • Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane • Methyl Gluceth-20 • Glycereth-26 • Butylene Glycol • Diglycerin • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Sodium Acrylates Copolymer • Phenoxyethanol • Lecithin • Tromethamine • Tocopherol • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Bisabolol • Sodium Hyaluronate • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Ethylhexylglycerin • Caprylyl Glycol • Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Retinal • Disodium EDTA • Glycerin • Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract • Sea Water • Maltodextrin • Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate • Hydrolyzed Algin • Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract • Sucrose • Carbomer • Coco-Glucoside • Sodium Benzoate • Potassium Sorbate • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
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 WaterCeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.
It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolCeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateCeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum contains this as ingredient number 33.
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.
Lecithin is an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.
As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin. The phospholipids in Lecithin can produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.
Learn more about LecithinCeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateCeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.
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.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 26.
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.
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.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 33.
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum 33 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum 38 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum 33 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum 38 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum 33 ingredients
SkincareSimba
The only retinol my partner's skin can tolerate.
Their skin is extremely reactive and sensitive but this retinol has worked great.
I also use...
The only retinol my partner's skin can tolerate.
Their skin is extremely reactive and sensitive but this retinol has worked great.
I also use it every other day because I alternate between this retinol and A313.
It works great and is gentle enough to allow me to build tolerance without purging effects (at least on my skin and my partner's)
e.l.f. cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum 38 ingredients
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