No7 Restore & Renew Face & Neck Multi Action Fragrance Free Night Cream Versus Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Cream
This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Retinyl Palmitate and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Retinyl Propionate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion Stabilising3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid
SurfactantCalcium Hydroxymethionine
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Steareth-21, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Steareth-2, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., C13-14 Isoparaffin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Laureth-7, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Retinyl Palmitate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sorbitan Laurate, Polysorbate 20, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Carbomer, 3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid, Calcium Hydroxymethionine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Xanthan Gum, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP, CI 14700, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Propionate
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Polyacrylamide
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Distarch Phosphate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Retinol, Retinyl Propionate, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-3, Carnosine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Laureth-4, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylamide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Titanium Dioxide, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolC13-14 Isoparaffin is a synthetic emollient, solvent, and thickening agent. It helps soften skin and improves spreadability without leaving a greasy residue.
This ingredient has been found to be non-sensitizing and safe for use in cosmetics.
Two things floating around online that cause fear-mongering:
There's one scary-sounding study related to kidney tumors in male rats; this depends on a protein called alpha-2u-globulin that binds the ingredient and clogs up kidney cells. Female rats barely make this protein, and humans don't make it at all so this effect cannot happen to us. Regulatory bodies have states this rat-only pathway shouldn't be used to judge human risk.
The other thing you'll see is 1,4-dioxane being a trace byproduct that can form during manufacturing of petroleum-derived ingredients. This is a real, but heavily managed/monitored issue. This byproduct is removed through purification steps before the ingredients goes into the formula. Regulatory bodies also actively monitor residual levels for safety.
One last thing to note: this ingredient is a pure hydrocarbon with no fatty-acid or ester chains for Malassezia to feed on, so it's considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about C13-14 IsoparaffinGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinLaureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
This ingredient 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.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPolyacrylamide 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 PolyacrylamideWater. 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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
