Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum versus Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US .
Last updated on March 20, 2024. Published on April 11, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid and retinoid
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 sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Price
Ingredient Info
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum 41 ingredients
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
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 🎉
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 😥
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 🎉
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 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum 41 ingredients
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 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:
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Benefits
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients 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 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
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:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum 41 ingredients
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
Water • Propylene Glycol • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate • Glycerin • Ethoxydiglycol • Lactic Acid • Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate • Mandelic Acid • Retinol • Bakuchiol • Nephelium Lappaceum Leaf Extract • Ferulic Acid • Squalane • Linoleic Acid • Salicylic Acid • Salix Alba Bark Extract • Phospholipids • Soy Isoflavones • Sodium Hyaluronate • Saccharide Isomerate • Ubiquinone • Sodium PCA • Hexylresorcinol • Quercetin • Adenosine • Morus Alba Bark Extract • Panthenol • Glycolic Acid • Maltodextrin • Xanthan Gum • Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Potassium Hydroxide • Polysorbate 20 • Sodium Phytate • Citric Acid • Sodium Citrate • Phenoxyethanol • Sodium Benzoate • Potassium Sorbate
Water • Dimethicone • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Isononyl Isononanoate • Castor Isostearate Succinate • Glyceryl Stearate • C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Peg-33 • Polysorbate 20 • Behenyl Alcohol • Peg-100 Stearate • Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate • Polymethylsilsesquioxane • Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate • Retinol • Ceramide Ng • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 • Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 • Sodium Hyaluronate • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract • Avena Sativa Kernel Extract • Arctium Lappa Seed Oil • Salix Alba Extract • Glycine Soja Sterols • Lecithin • Allantoin • Tocopheryl Acetate • Hydrolyzed Soy Protein • Sorbitan Laurate • Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester • Disodium EDTA • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 • Sodium Hydroxide • Tribehenin • Caprylyl Glycol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Pentylene Glycol • Peg-75 Shea Butter Glycerides • Ppg-12/Smdi Copolymer • Peg-10 Phytosterol • Peg-8 Dimethicone • Peg-14 • Magnesium Aluminum Silicate • Arachidyl Glucoside • Arachidyl Alcohol • Sclerotium Gum • Carbomer • Phenoxyethanol • Benzoic Acid
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 WaterDr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US 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 GlycerinDr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 3.
Retinol is a form of Vitamin A and proven to help with anti-aging.
It promotes collagen production, increases new cell turnoever, and protects your skin as an antioxidant.
Retinol boosts collagen production and increases cell turnover. This makes retinol effective in removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Retinol is less effective when exposed to sun. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent.
Using retinol and retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few weeks of use. 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 RetinolDr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 17.
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 HyaluronateDr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 21.
Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.
Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.
The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.
Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 35.
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 11.
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.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 39.
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 52.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum 41 ingredients
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum 41 ingredients
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum 41 ingredients
I suffer really bad with poor texture and hormonal breakout round my jaw. Constantly ! I've used everything going including prescription creams and gells . This product changes everything ! I could see the difference in less than a week!
I suffer really bad with poor texture and hormonal breakout round my jaw. Constantly ! I've used everything going including prescription creams and gells . This product changes everything ! I could see the difference in less than a week!
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
Love it
My favorite retinol. Been using it for a year and never had any bad reactions (be sure to follow instructions like starting slow). It's a bit pricey but worth it
Love it
My favorite retinol. Been using it for a year and never had any bad reactions (be sure to follow instructions like starting slow). It's a bit pricey but worth it
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Our Dupe Finder has found 17 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Texture Renewal Serum.
See 17 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US.
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