Creamy Retinol Versus Sallve Sérum Uniformizador
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantLinoleic Acid
CleansingLecithin
EmollientLinolenic Acid
CleansingArachidonic Acid
EmollientAzelamidopropyl Dimethyl Amine
AntimicrobialPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhloretin
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialBHA
AntioxidantBHT
AntioxidantEthoxydiglycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Bisabolol
AntioxidantPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePoloxamer 407
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Retinol, Alpha-Arbutin, Butylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Linoleic Acid, Lecithin, Linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid, Azelamidopropyl Dimethyl Amine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phloretin, Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, BHA, BHT, Ethoxydiglycol, Disodium EDTA, Bisabolol, Polysorbate 80, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Poloxamer 407, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientCoco-Caprylate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantRosa Moschata Seed Oil
EmollientTranexamic Acid
AstringentHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantBidens Pilosa Extract
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingElaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingLecithin
EmollientSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Undecylenate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantWater, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Coco-Caprylate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alpha-Arbutin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Tranexamic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Lecithin, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lauryl Glucoside, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alpha-Arbutin is made from hydroquinone and glucose. It may also be derived from the fermentation of soybeans.
This ingredient an antioxidant, meaning it helps protect your skin cells against damage.
Studies show this ingredient helps improve hyperpigmentation and fade discoloration.
Alpha-Arbutin may be used with other ingredients that help with hyperpigmentation. These ingredients include retinol, Vitamin C, niacinamide, and tranexamic acid.
Learn more about Alpha-ArbutinAscorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited.
Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinThis ingredient is a synthetic, salt form polymer built from acrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, or their simple esters. It works as a binder, film former, and viscosity increasing agent.
Typical concentrations start at around 0.5% but can go up to 25% for film-forming or binding.
The CIR Expert Panel assessed the safety of 126 acrylates copolymers and concluded they are safe in cosmetics at current use levels when formulated to be non-irritating. They also noted the levels present in finished cosmetic products are not considered a safety risk and Genotoxicity testing (Ames tests, chromosomal aberration assays) has come back negative across the board.
Though the raw building blocks (like acrylic acid) can be irritating on their own, cosmetic-grade versions go through purification to keep levels extremely low.
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer is a large molecule that doesn't penetrate skin barrier in any meaningful way.
Learn more about Sodium Acrylates CopolymerTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water