Environ Skin Care Tri-Retinoid Complex Retinol Serum Versus Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Tocopherol to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Propionate
Skin Conditioning
Inula Helenium Extract
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Sphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
C13-15 Alkane
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycereth-26, Polysorbate 80, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate, Retinyl Propionate, Inula Helenium Extract, Glycerin, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Squalane, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, C13-15 Alkane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Disodium EDTA, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Benzoic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, BHT
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholPolysorbate 80 is a synthetic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid.
It reduces the surface tension between oil and water phases to help them stay mixed and stable in a formulation. In other words, it prevents your formulas from separating into an oily mess.
The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the scientific data and found this ingredient to be safe, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing at concentrations up to 5% (it's even approved by the FDA as an OTC eye drop ingredient).
Learn more about Polysorbate 80Tocopherol 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
