Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Farmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide .
Published on July 25, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain ceramides, retinoid and Vitamin E
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, parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Price
Ingredient Info
Farmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum 44 ingredients
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide 43 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 🎉
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 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
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 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Farmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum 44 ingredients
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide 43 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Benefits
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Concerns
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.
Farmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum 44 ingredients
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide 43 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Isopentyldiol • Trioctyldodecyl Citrate • Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil • 1,2-Hexanediol • Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil • Panthenol • Triolein • Retinal • Ceramide NP • Tocopherol • Retinol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Copernicia Cerifera Wax • Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil • Glyceryl Dioleate • Bisabolol • Allantoin • Dunaliella Salina Extract • Ethyl Ferulate • Humulus Lupulus Extract • Zingiber Officinale Root Extract • Arginine • Propanediol • Cellulose Gum • Sclerotium Gum • Ubiquinone • Lactic Acid • Sodium Phytate • Caprylyl Glycol • Inulin • Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Polysorbate 20 • Citric Acid • Cellulose • Fructose • Glucose • Sorbitan Isostearate • Xanthan Gum
Water • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Pentylene Glycol • Niacinamide • Cetyl Alcohol • Isohexadecane • Isononyl Isononanoate • Diisopropyl Sebacate • 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol • 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol • Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester • Adenosine • Ceramide NP • Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine • Lauroyl Lysine • Octyldodecanol • Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate • Sodium Chloride • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Hydroxide • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Retinol • Tocopherol • Dicaprylyl Ether • Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate • Behenyl Alcohol • Caprylyl Glycol • Carbomer • Cetearyl Alcohol • Cetearyl Glucoside • Glycine Soja Oil • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Lecithin • Phenethyl Alcohol • Poloxamer 188 • Polycaprolactone • Sorbitan Laurate • Steareth-100 • CI 40800 • Chlorphenesin • Phenoxyethanol
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 WaterFarmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide 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 GlycerinFarmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 2.
Ceramide NP is a type of ceramide.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.
Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A stronger barrier helps the skin look more firm and hydrated. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.
If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.
Read more about other common types of ceramides here: Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP
Learn more about Ceramide NPFarmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 14.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolFarmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 24.
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 RetinolFarmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 23.
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 GlycolFarmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 34.
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 28.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.
Sunflower seed oil contains many fatty acids. The fatty acids found in sunflower seeds include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.
These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.
Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.
Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.
Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilFarmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 37.
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 33.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Farmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum 44 ingredients
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide 43 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Farmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum 44 ingredients
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide 43 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Farmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum 44 ingredients
Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide 43 ingredients
sinae
Great retinol for beginners
This is a product with a low dose of retinol, which makes the product suited to apply in the eye area as well. A lot of...
Great retinol for beginners
This is a product with a low dose of retinol, which makes the product suited to apply in the eye area as well. A lot of my earlier products containing retinol were serums, while this is more of a cream. It makes it more hydrating, but without an additional moisturiser it is still drying me out.
Although the percentage of retinol is low, your skin has to adjust to the retinol, using it every other day. Combining it with a moisturiser and a good hydration serum in the morning makes this a great product for your skin.
I highly recommend combining this with Missha Time Revolution Night Repair. It did wonders for my skin!
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 14 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Farmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum.
See 14 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 20 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide.
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