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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum versus Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide .

Published on March 25, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 10 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain retinoid

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 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.

Eye Moisturizer American Brand United States
Serum American Brand United States

Eye Moisturizer

Eye moisturizers help add moisture back into the skin around the eyes; these can be creams, gels, or serums.

Serum

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

Price

Shop

Buy Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum

Starts at $89.00
Shop

Buy Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide

Starts at $65.00

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 (2)
Exfoliators

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (4)

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Ceramides (2)
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating (2)
Rosacea
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

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye 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.

2
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

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye 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.

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

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
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

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 23.

5
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.

Lecithin is an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.

As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin. The phospholipids in Lecithin can produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.

Learn more about Lecithin

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 35.

6
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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 Glycol

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 28.

7
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.

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 28.

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 29.

8
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 31.

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 21.

9
What it does: Antimicrobial, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

Learn more about Chlorphenesin

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 32.

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 42.

10
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.

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 33.

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide contains this as ingredient number 43.

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

26% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
39% are disliked or very disliked
21% have no rating yet
37% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
35% are disliked or very disliked
14% 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

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum 38 ingredients

Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Kiehl's Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides and Peptide 43 ingredients

4.5 /5
from 2 ratings
sinae's avatar

sinae

11 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

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

We haven't detected any alternatives for Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum.

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