Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of COSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream versus COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil .
Last updated on January 31, 2024. Published on February 04, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe facial treatments. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain retinoid and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, 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, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain oils
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
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Ingredient Info
COSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream 51 ingredients
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil 10 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
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:
- Glycine Soja Oil
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
- Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
- Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
- Stearic Acid
- Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
- Palmitic Acid
- Sorbitan Isostearate
- Elaeis Guineensis Oil
- Myristic Acid
- Lauric Acid
- Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
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 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is 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 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
COSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream 51 ingredients
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil 10 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
COSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream 51 ingredients
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil 10 ingredients
Water • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Butylene Glycol • Glycerin • Glycine Soja Oil • Tocopherol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Cetearyl Alcohol • Trehalose • Panthenol • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer • Dimethicone • Glyceryl Polymethacrylate • Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Carbomer • Retinol 0.3% • Tromethamine • Glyceryl Stearate • Polysilicone-11 • Sodium Sulfite • Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract • Allantoin • Glyceryl Caprylate • Propanediol • Oryza Sativa Bran Wax • Tocotrienols • Stearic Acid • Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate • Palmitic Acid • Ethylhexylglycerin • Disodium EDTA • Adenosine • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sorbitan Isostearate • 1,2-Hexanediol • Elaeis Guineensis Oil • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid • Beta-Carotene • Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer • Myristic Acid • Hyaluronic Acid • Lauric Acid • Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate • Ascorbic Acid • Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil • 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid • Glutathione
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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCOSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 5.
Glycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Soybean oil is an emollient. It is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
As an emollient, the fatty acids in soybean oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. It does so by creating a film on top that traps moisture in.
Soybean oil is also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is also anti-inflammatory and provides a soothing effect.
Studies show soy may help fade hyperpigmentation from UVB. It does so by disrupting the melanin process from UVB induced skin inflammation.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne, safe.
Soybeans are rich in proteins and are part of the legume family. Foods made with soybeans include tofu, soymilk, edamame, miso, and soy sauce.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilCOSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream contains this as ingredient number 5.
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 2.
Tocopherol (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 TocopherolCOSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream contains this as ingredient number 6.
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 8.
Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolCOSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream contains this as ingredient number 20.
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 4.
We don't have a description for Tocotrienols.
COSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream contains this as ingredient number 30.
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 7.
Elaeis Guineensis Oil comes from the African Palm tree. This tree is native to Western and Southwestern Africa.
This oil is rich in antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.
The Vitamin E and fatty acid content give palm oil a skin-hydrating property. Emollients help trap moisture in by creating a film on the skin.
Palm oil is created by either squeezing the fruit or crushing the kernel at the center of the fruit. In the 1800s, archaeologists discovered a 6000 year old Egyptian tomb containing palm oil.
Palm oil is controversial due to its social and environmental impacts. Several organizations are working to make palm oil harvest more sustainable, such as the RSPO.
Learn more about Elaeis Guineensis OilCOSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream contains this as ingredient number 40.
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 9.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
COSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream 51 ingredients
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil 10 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
COSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream 51 ingredients
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil 10 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
COSRX The Retinol 0.3 Cream 51 ingredients
COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil 10 ingredients
JohnnyLeeZongHeng_352
Broke me out
I have oily and acne prone skin and my face was on the road to recovery. I thought adding a retinol was a good idea and they marketed...
Broke me out
I have oily and acne prone skin and my face was on the road to recovery. I thought adding a retinol was a good idea and they marketed that this retinol oil is good for any skin type even though it is oily. It broke me out and gave me a scar within a week. It gave me an acne that was deep inside of my skin. I wouldnt recommend it to oily and acne prone skin people.
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