Ducray Keracnyl Serum Versus SVR [A] Ampoule Lift
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Nylon-12
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDimethicone
Emollient
Acetic Acid
BufferingCeteareth-33
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Azelaic Acid, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Nylon-12, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Dimethicone, Acetic Acid, Ceteareth-33, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Glyceryl Laurate, Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Niacinamide, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Chloride, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Linoleate
Emollient
Ethyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMyristyl Glucoside
CleansingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBHA
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Squalane, Propanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Ethyl Oleate, Retinol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Ethyl Linoleate, Ethyl Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Lauryl Glucoside, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Myristyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, BHA, BHT, Parfum
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 (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient 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.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
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 ParfumTocopherol 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
