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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Cipher Skincare 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm versus SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum .

Last updated on October 07, 2023. Published on February 20, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA, hyaluronic acid, peptides, retinoid and Vitamin E

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 harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens or silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Facial Treatment American Brand United States
Serum American Brand United States

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm

Shop

Buy AlphaRet Clearing Serum

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

BHA
Retinoid
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Ceramides (3)
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating (6)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation (6)
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (6)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Irritating (4)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
Retinoid
Vitamin E
Exfoliators (2)
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (5)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (5)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Compared

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

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: 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

Cipher Skincare 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm contains this as ingredient number 7.

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
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

Cipher Skincare 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm contains this as ingredient number 16.

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.

3
What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.

Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.

In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid

Cipher Skincare 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm contains this as ingredient number 20.

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.

4
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Dimethyl Isosorbide is a solvent and helps deliver actives into your skin. It is created from sorbitol.

As a solvent, dimethyl isosorbide helps dissolve other ingredients. This helps ensure even distribution of an ingredient. It may also be used to decrease the thickness of a product.

Studies show dimethyl isosorbide is able to penetrate skin to deliver other ingredients into the skin, making them more effective.

Learn more about Dimethyl Isosorbide

Cipher Skincare 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm contains this as ingredient number 28.

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

5
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning, Soothing
Community Rating: Loved

Bisabolol is pimarily used to add fragrance to a product. However, it is also famous for helping soothe skin.

Bisabolol comes from German chamomile essential oil. Synthetic Bisabolol has been shown to be less effective.

Bisabolol helps soothe skin. It does this by blocking the inflammatory signals, helping to reduce your body's reaction to irritation.

Bisabolol also interferes with the process of hyperpigmentation. This can help with reducing dark spots and uneven tone.

Bisabolol is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. By fighting these free-radicals, Bisabolol may slow down signs of aging.

Studies have shown Bisabolol to have antimicrobial properties and may be a fungicide. These properties help preserve a product's shelf life.

Bisabolol also helps the absorption of other ingredients.

Learn more about Bisabolol

Cipher Skincare 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm contains this as ingredient number 36.

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.

6
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning, Tonic
Community Rating: Liked

Zingiber Officinale is more commonly known as ginger.

Ginger root has antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and antimicrobial properties.

The antioxidant properties help protect your body from free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. As a result, ginger may help slow down signs of aging such as hyperpigmentation and wrinkles.

Studies show ginger inhibits the enzyme that breaks down collagen. It also helps with:

Ginger has no negative side-effects and is safe to use for all skin types. (Be sure to patch test just in case you have a ginger allergy!)

Ginger originates from Southeast Asia but has spread throughout the world. It is now a common spice used in many cultures.

Learn more about Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Cipher Skincare 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm contains this as ingredient number 37.

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum contains this as ingredient number 29.

7
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

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.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

Cipher Skincare 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm contains this as ingredient number 41.

SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Clearing Serum contains this as ingredient number 34.

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

52% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
12% are disliked or very disliked
26% have no rating yet
40% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
33% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet

Usage

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

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Alternatives

We haven't detected any alternatives for Cipher Skincare 88mph Short Contact Remodelling Balm.

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