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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum versus COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream .

Last updated on November 18, 2023. Published on December 18, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 12 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain 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 common allergens, parabens or sulfates

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

Serum American Brand United States
Facial Treatment South Korean Brand South Korea

Serum

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

Facial Treatment

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

Price

Shop

Buy Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum

Starts at $85.00
Shop

Buy The Retinol 0.1 Cream

Starts at $17.55

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
ph level
6.8

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin C (2)
Vitamin E (2)
Hyaluronic Acid (5)

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture (3)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (6)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (6)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (6)
Acne Trigger (3)
Irritating (2)
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
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

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 28.

2
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

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

3
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

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 4.

4
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.

It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Learn more about Propanediol

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 3.

5
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Panthenol (also referred to as pro-vitamin B5) is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin.

lt is a humectant, meaning that it helps the skin attract and retain moisture.

Another benefit is the anti-inflammatory abilities. This means that it's great for sensitive, irritation-prone skin.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

Learn more about Panthenol

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 8.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.

In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 47.

7
What it does:
Community Rating: Mixed

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer (let's call it AAVC for short) is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.

AAVC is able to increase the consistency and viscosity of products due to its large molecule size. It also prevents ingredients from separating.

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 11.

8
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 34.

9
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.

Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.

Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.

In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.

Learn more about Adenosine

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 35.

10
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming
Community Rating: Disliked

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 24.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 18.

11
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Liked

Tromethamine is an aliphatic compound. An aliphatic compound is an organic compound with open-chained carbon atoms. It is synthetically created. Tromethamine is used to balance pH and improve texture.

As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.

Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.

Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.

1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-

Learn more about Tromethamine

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 26.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 19.

12
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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 Tocopherol

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 29.

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream contains this as ingredient number 23.

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

41% are loved or liked
24% have mixed ratings
21% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet
45% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
41% are disliked or very disliked
0% 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

Kiehl's Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum 29 ingredients

Retinol Fast-Release Wrinkle Reducing Night Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

COSRX The Retinol 0.1 Cream 51 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Great Value (1) Light (1) Light Scent (1) Works Well (1)
AshN.'s avatar

AshN.

3 months ago · Dry Skin
Review

(Started Dec 2023) This was a bit of an impulse buy with a friend, but I'm honestly glad I got it! I have previous experience with using retinoids...

(Started Dec 2023) This was a bit of an impulse buy with a friend, but I'm honestly glad I got it! I have previous experience with using retinoids (specifically from The Ordinary Line) and wanted to try something a bit stronger. On Amazon it is priced at $13, so I would say this is a wonderful budget buy. The formulation is very gentle given the strength and I experienced no problems with irritation! My skin actually ended up feeling smoother and softer the following morning with this. I would highly recommend this as a starter Retinol. Planning to get the .3 formulation after I go through another one.

sarahabma's avatar

sarahabma

1 year ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Wonderful beginner retinol
Ny first ever retinol but 2nd time using a retinoid. for context I have highly acne-prone skin.

I've been using this...

Wonderful beginner retinol
Ny first ever retinol but 2nd time using a retinoid. for context I have highly acne-prone skin.

I've been using this every other night for a couple weeks now and I see that my acne is healing much faster than usual, i.e. less redness and irritation on acne that I would usually experience.

Though there are ingredients rated by SkinSort as not good for acne-prone skin (Cetearyl Alcohol, Myristic Acid and Lauric Acid), I have not noticed a negative reaction whatsoever. So, I would still recommend this product for other retinol beginners, especially those with acne-prone skin like me.

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