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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum versus Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment .

Published on February 25, 2021

Overview

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid, retinoid and Vitamin C

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, 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 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.

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 RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum

Starts at $18.14
Shop

Buy Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment

Starts at $19.99

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
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Retinoid (2)
Vitamin C (2)
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (4)
Skin Texture (5)
Reduces Large Pores (5)
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (8)
Scar Healing (8)
Acne Fighting (4)
Brightening (6)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (4)
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

Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment 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

Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 19.

3
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Polyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.

Polyacrylamide is low-toxicity. If source properly, it is deemed safe to use in cosmetics.

It should be noted the precursor to Polyacrylamide is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a carcinogen. Most reputable sources of Polyacrylamide will screen for residual acrylamide to make sure the count is in a safe range. Acrylamide is not able to be absorbed through the skin.

We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.

Learn more about Polyacrylamide

Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 4.

4
What it does: Emollient, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

C13-14 Isoparaffin is created from petroleum-based mineral oils. It is an emollient and helps thicken a product.

As an emollient, it helps keep the skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in, keeping the skin hydrated.

C13-14 Isoparaffin may not be fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about C13-14 Isoparaffin

Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 6.

5
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 31.

6
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.

As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.

Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.

The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.

Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Polysorbate 20

Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 12.

7
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Laureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.

Laureth-7 is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away.

Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 25.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 9.

8
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

Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum contains this as ingredient number 26.

Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment contains this as ingredient number 11.

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

37% are loved or liked
7% have mixed ratings
50% are disliked or very disliked
7% have no rating yet
44% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
25% are disliked or very disliked
19% 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 11 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Neutrogena RAPID TONE REPAIR® Dark Spot Corrector Serum.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Urban Skin Retinol Rapid Repair and Dark Spot Treatment.

See 1 alternatives
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