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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum versus Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide .

Published on March 29, 2022

Overview

What they are

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

Cool Features

They both contain 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 harsh alcohols, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens and fragrances

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
Serum American Brand United States

Serum

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

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 Serum

Starts at $54.99
Shop

Buy Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide

Starts at $74.00

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)
Vitamin E
Exfoliators
Ceramides
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

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

Concerns

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

Notable Ingredients

AHA (2)
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Peptides

Benefits

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

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (4)
Acne Trigger (3)
Irritating (2)
Rosacea (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, 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 Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
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

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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 Squalane

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 5.

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

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 27.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 7.

5
What it does: Emollient
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Ethylhexyl Palmitate is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid. It is a fatty acid ester.

The fatty acid content of Ethylhexyl Palmitate makes it an emollient. Emollients help soften and hydrate your skin by trapping moisture within.

Ethylhexyl Palmitate is also used to help improve the texture of cosmetics. It helps other ingredient dissolve in products and help disperse ingredients more evenly. In fact, it is commonly used to evenly mix sunscreen ingredients such as avobenzone and ethylhexyl triazone. It can also help stabilize the fragrances in a product as a fragrance fixative.

Ethylhexyl Palmitate can be used to substitute mineral oil.

Learn more about Ethylhexyl Palmitate

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

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 3.

6
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 Serum contains this as ingredient number 34.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 28.

7
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 Serum contains this as ingredient number 42.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 45.

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.

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum contains this as ingredient number 43.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide contains this as ingredient number 39.

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

26% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
19% have no rating yet
34% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
21% are disliked or very disliked
36% 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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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 18 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 2 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide.

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