Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol versus NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex .

Last updated on October 26, 2023. Published on October 16, 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, 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, oils, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Serum Spanish Brand Spain
Serum American Brand United States

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid (2)
Vitamin C (2)
Vitamin E (2)
Exfoliators (2)
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (4)
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging (4)
Dark Spots (5)
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting (3)
Brightening (6)

Concerns

Drying (3)
Irritating (2)
Rosacea
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Retinoid
Vitamin C
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (3)
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (4)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating (2)
Rosacea
Eczema
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Caprylyl Methicone is a type of silicone.

It helps soften and soothe the skin by creating a thin film on top. This film helps trap moisture, keeping your skin hydrated.

Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol contains this as ingredient number 2.

NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 4.

2
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

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 Niacinamide

Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol contains this as ingredient number 10.

NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 6.

3
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning, Soothing
Community Rating: Loved

Bisabolol is pimarily used to add fragrance to a product. However, it is also famous for helping soothe skin.

Bisabolol comes from German chamomile essential oil. Synthetic Bisabolol has been shown to be less effective.

Bisabolol helps soothe skin. It does this by blocking the inflammatory signals, helping to reduce your body's reaction to irritation.

Bisabolol also interferes with the process of hyperpigmentation. This can help with reducing dark spots and uneven tone.

Bisabolol is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. By fighting these free-radicals, Bisabolol may slow down signs of aging.

Studies have shown Bisabolol to have antimicrobial properties and may be a fungicide. These properties help preserve a product's shelf life.

Bisabolol also helps the absorption of other ingredients.

Learn more about Bisabolol

Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol contains this as ingredient number 14.

NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 19.

4
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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 Retinol

Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol contains this as ingredient number 15.

NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 14.

5
What it does: Antioxidant, Buffering, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.

Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.

Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin. It improves dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because it blocks the process of skin darkening when exposed to UV.

Remember: Vitamin C should not replace sunscreen!

Your skin uses vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen is one key component in having a strong skin barrier and plump skin. Vitamin C also plays a role in regulating collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines.

Ascorbic acid shows potent antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.

The best formulations include Vitamin E and/or ferulic acid. These two ingredients help stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. This is because ascorbic acid becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air. In fact, you can tell your ascorbic acid has oxidized when it turns an orange-yellow color.

Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.

Learn more about Ascorbic Acid

Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol contains this as ingredient number 17.

NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 17.

6
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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 20

Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol contains this as ingredient number 24.

NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 23.

7
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol

Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol contains this as ingredient number 25.

NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 24.

8
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

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 EDTA

Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol contains this as ingredient number 30.

NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex contains this as ingredient number 28.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

34% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
41% are disliked or very disliked
13% have no rating yet
38% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
44% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 3 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Endocare Renewal Retinol Serum - 0.2% Pure Retinol.

See 3 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 26 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to NeoStrata Potent Retinol Complex.

See 26 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...