Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of cyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum versus NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex .
Last updated on August 15, 2023. Published on November 10, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, retinoid and Vitamin C
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, oils, parabens 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.
Ingredient Info
cyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum 16 ingredients
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex 32 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
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 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
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 🎉
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 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
cyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum 16 ingredients
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex 32 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
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Concerns
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.
cyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum 16 ingredients
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex 32 ingredients
Water • Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate • Glycerin • Caprylyl Methicone • Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether • Niacinamide • Stearyl Alcohol • Cetearyl Alcohol • Acetyl Glucosamine • Butylene Glycol • Ceteareth-20 • Isohexadecane • Cellulose • Retinol • Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract • Citric Acid • Ascorbic Acid • Sodium Hyaluronate • Bisabolol • C13-14 Isoparaffin • Glyceryl Dilaurate • Laureth-7 • Polysorbate 20 • Caprylyl Glycol • Steareth-10 • Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer • Polyacrylamide • Disodium EDTA • Sodium Hydroxide • Xanthan Gum • Phenoxyethanol • Chlorphenesin
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 Watercyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 Glycerincyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 3.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients.
Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent alcohols. FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl Alcoholcyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 7.
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.
cyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 31.
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.
Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.
The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.
Learn more about Niacinamidecyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 6.
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 Hyaluronatecyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 18.
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 Retinolcyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 14.
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 Gumcyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 30.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
cyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum 16 ingredients
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex 32 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
cyrene Retinol 0.05 Serum 16 ingredients
NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex 32 ingredients
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