No7 Restore & Renew Multi Action Face & Neck Serum Versus Skin + Me Purify And Prep Clarifying Cleanser
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Gluconolactone and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
This cream cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
Emollient
Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract
MaskingParfum
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
Emulsifying3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid
SurfactantCalcium Hydroxymethionine
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
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
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Gluconolactone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Dimethiconol, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinyl Palmitate, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Sorbitan Laurate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, 3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid, Calcium Hydroxymethionine, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tetrasodium EDTA, T-Butyl Alcohol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Ceramide NP, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
