Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone versus Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum .
Last updated on November 18, 2023. Published on March 14, 2021
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 AHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances and oils
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
Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone 14 ingredients
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum 40 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
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 🎉
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 🎉
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
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 🎉
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 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are 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
Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone 14 ingredients
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum 40 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 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:
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.
Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone 14 ingredients
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum 40 ingredients
Water • Alcohol Denat. • Glycolic Acid • Butylene Glycol • Glycerin • Methyl Gluceth-10 • Dextran • Hexapeptide-2 • Rice Amino Acids • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice • Urea • Yeast Amino Acids • Trehalose • Inositol • Taurine • Betaine • Zinc Gluconate • Ascorbic Acid • Chitosan • Propyl Gallate • Nonyl Nonoxynol-10 • Lecithin • Tocopherol • Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer • Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract • Chitosan PCA • Allantoin • Polyquaternium-10 • Sodium Metabisulfite • Sodium Sulfite • Sodium Hydroxide • Ppg-26-Buteth-26 • Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Disodium EDTA • Limonene • Linalool • Parfum
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.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol and other additives. It has a low molecular weight and will evaporate quickly. This helps other ingredients become better absorbed and dry once applied.
Alcohol Denat. is volatile and may cause irritation. It helps draw out natural oils in skin and dry out your skin.
One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased irritation.
Alcohol is antibacterial by nature. This can help preserve products and increase their shelf life.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone contains this as ingredient number 3.
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTADifferin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone contains this as ingredient number 6.
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 37.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumDifferin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone contains this as ingredient number 7.
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 40.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
Hydroxyethylcellulose helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseDifferin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone contains this as ingredient number 9.
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 36.
Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is derived from castor oil and polyethylene glycol (PEG). It is used as a emollient and emulsifier.
As an emulsifier, it helps prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps make the other ingredients more soluble; it is often used to solubilize fragrances. This increases spreadability and elongates shelf life in a product.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
This ingredient may or may not be vegan, depending on the source.
Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil may not be fungal-acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any questions or concerns.
Learn more about Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilDifferin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone contains this as ingredient number 10.
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 35.
Sodium Metabisulfite is an antioxidant and is a preservative.
Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone contains this as ingredient number 12.
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 31.
Sodium Sulfite is a preservative. Preservatives help prevent mold and bacteria from growing in cosmetics.
This ingredient has been shown to break the bonds in hair, acting as a natural straightener.
It is commonly used in food. It should be noted sodium sulfite degrades both vitamins B1 and E.
Fun fact: Sulfites are naturally occuring in wine.
Learn more about Sodium SulfiteDifferin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone contains this as ingredient number 13.
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 32.
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 WaterDifferin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone contains this as ingredient number 14.
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone 14 ingredients
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum 40 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone 14 ingredients
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum 40 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 16 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum 2% Hydroquinone.
See 16 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum.
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