Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate versus Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum .

Last updated on February 09, 2024. Published on July 16, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid, 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, fragrances, parabens 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.

Facial Treatment American Brand United States
Serum American Brand United States

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Serum

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

Price

Shop

Buy Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate

Starts at $38.40
Shop

Buy Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum

Starts at $21.99

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
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Exfoliators
Ceramides
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation (4)
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (4)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (5)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating (2)
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Eczema
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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.

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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, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 1.

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to keep ingredients together, and prevent oils and waters from separating.

It is made from polyethoxylated sorbitan and oleic acid. This ingredient can be found in cosmetics, foods, and medicine. It is water-soluble.

Polysorbate 80 may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Polysorbate 80

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 2.

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 27.

3
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.

Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.

Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 3.

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.

4
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 7.

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

5
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Retinol is a form of Vitamin A and proven to help with anti-aging.

It promotes collagen production, increases new cell turnoever, and protects your skin as an antioxidant.

Retinol boosts collagen production and increases cell turnover. This makes retinol effective in removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, and reducing the appearance of pores.

Retinol is less effective when exposed to sun. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent.

Using retinol and retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few weeks of use. 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

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 9.

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.

6
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin.

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 22.

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

7
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.

Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.

It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.

Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 23.

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.

8
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate contains this as ingredient number 33.

Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 30.

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

40% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
43% are disliked or very disliked
6% have no rating yet
48% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
23% are disliked or very disliked
16% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate 35 ingredients

Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate hasn't been rated yet.
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Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum 31 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 2 reviews
NoufQahtani's Avatar'
Mar 28, 2024

Great product. One of the few products I feel I saw a visible difference with pretty quickly.

Despite being a retinol, never had issues reacting to this or experiencing dryness. On the contrary, I actually found this pretty...

Great product. One of the few products I feel I saw a visible difference with pretty quickly.

Despite being a retinol, never had issues reacting to this or experiencing dryness. On the contrary, I actually found this pretty moisturising and it absorbs pretty quickly.
It also plays well with other products & never pilled on me.

I really recommend this whether you’re new to retinols or not. Went through 2 bottles and was midway through my third when I had to cut this out of my routine (as I’ve been on tretinoin for about a year now😭). I just finished another bottle I was using on my neck and chest & might pick up the body lotion version to test out.

I recommended this product to my guy friend in 2022. Here’s a pic of his current routine🥹

Great Value
Hydrating
Absorbs Well
Works Well

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 7 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Serum .25% Pure Concentrate.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 9 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum.

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