Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense versus The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum .
Last updated on July 20, 2023. Published on May 25, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free . They have a total of 7 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, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain common allergens, fragrances and 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
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.
Ingredient Info
Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense 68 ingredients
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
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:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
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 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense 68 ingredients
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
This product contains 7 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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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
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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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.
Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense 68 ingredients
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Water • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Isododecane • Squalane • Cetearyl Alcohol • Dimethicone • Cetearyl Olivate • Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Polylactic Acid • Cyclodextrin • Ppg-12/Smdi Copolymer • Sorbitan Olivate • Titanium Dioxide • Eclipta Prostrata Extract • Phenethyl Alcohol • Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract • Phenoxyethanol • Cholesteryl Nonanoate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil • Canola Oil • Xanthan Gum • Pentylene Glycol • Retinal • Retinyl Retinoate • Citric Acid • Alumina • Isostearic Acid • Lecithin • Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate • Polyhydroxystearic Acid • Stearic Acid • Ceramide AP • Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract • Ethylhexylglycerin • Linoleic Acid • Palmitic Acid • Ceramide NP • Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil • Disodium EDTA • Phytosterols • Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract • 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid • Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract • Sodium Polyaspartate • Phytosphingosine • Parfum • Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14 • Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate • Ceramide EOP • Cholesterol • C12-16 Alcohols • Caprylyl Glycol • Carbomer • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Glyceryl Caprylate • Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer • Polyvinyl Alcohol • Phenylpropanol • BHA • Limonene • Linalool • Citral
Water • Glycerin • Prunus Armeniaca Juice • Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil • Persea Gratissima Oil • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Squalane • Cetearyl Alcohol • Glyceryl Stearate Se • Retinol • Phenoxyethanol • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Benzyl Alcohol • Phospholipids • Tocopherol • Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 • Glycine Soja Oil • Ethylhexylglycerin • Glycolipids • Dehydroacetic Acid • Polysorbate 60 • Sorbitan Isostearate • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Glycine Soja Sterols
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 WaterMedik8 R-Retinoate Intense contains this as ingredient number 1.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 TriglycerideMedik8 R-Retinoate Intense contains this as ingredient number 2.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
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 GlycerinMedik8 R-Retinoate Intense contains this as ingredient number 3.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Because squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits: it is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.
Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.
Research shows that squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).
In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.
The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.
Is squalane vegan? This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Learn more about SqualaneMedik8 R-Retinoate Intense contains this as ingredient number 6.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholMedik8 R-Retinoate Intense contains this as ingredient number 7.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.
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.
Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense contains this as ingredient number 19.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
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.
Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense contains this as ingredient number 40.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense 68 ingredients
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense 68 ingredients
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense.
See 4 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 35 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum.
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