Epionce Lytic Tx Versus Medik8 Crystal Retinal
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
Emollient
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil
Masking
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Octanal
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingZinc Pyrithione
Antiseborrhoeic
Water, Butylene Glycol, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Salicylic Acid, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Polyacrylamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trisiloxane, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Azelaic Acid, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil, Ethylene Brassylate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Octanal, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Petrolatum, Phenoxyethanol, Phytosterols, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Zinc Pyrithione
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentSqualane
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Lecithin
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract
Masking
Coumarin
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cyclodextrin, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Retinal, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Alumina, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sodium Polyaspartate, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, BHT, Sorbitan Isostearate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract, Coumarin, CI 14700, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
