Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US versus Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum .
Last updated on March 20, 2024. Published on March 04, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain ceramides, retinoid and Vitamin E
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 parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Price
Ingredient Info
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum 43 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum 43 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum 43 ingredients
Water • Dimethicone • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Isononyl Isononanoate • Castor Isostearate Succinate • Glyceryl Stearate • C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Peg-33 • Polysorbate 20 • Behenyl Alcohol • Peg-100 Stearate • Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate • Polymethylsilsesquioxane • Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate • Retinol • Ceramide Ng • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 • Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 • Sodium Hyaluronate • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract • Avena Sativa Kernel Extract • Arctium Lappa Seed Oil • Salix Alba Extract • Glycine Soja Sterols • Lecithin • Allantoin • Tocopheryl Acetate • Hydrolyzed Soy Protein • Sorbitan Laurate • Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester • Disodium EDTA • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 • Sodium Hydroxide • Tribehenin • Caprylyl Glycol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Pentylene Glycol • Peg-75 Shea Butter Glycerides • Ppg-12/Smdi Copolymer • Peg-10 Phytosterol • Peg-8 Dimethicone • Peg-14 • Magnesium Aluminum Silicate • Arachidyl Glucoside • Arachidyl Alcohol • Sclerotium Gum • Carbomer • Phenoxyethanol • Benzoic Acid
Water • Squalane • Glycerin • Hexyldecanol • Propanediol • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Hydroxyacetophenone • Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate • Retinol • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract • Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil • Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil • Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil • Santalum Album Oil • Oryza Sativa Bran Extract • Helianthus Annuus Extract • Cupressus Sempervirens Oil • Juniperus Virginiana Oil • Abies Sibirica Oil • Tocopherol • Beta-Glucan • Caprylyl Glycol • BHA • Ceramide NP • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Cetyl Palmitate • 1,2-Hexanediol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Polysorbate 60 • Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate • Hydroxystearic Acid • Polysorbate 20 • Sorbitan Isostearate • Laureth-23 • Trideceth-6 Phosphate • Sodium Hydroxide • Citric Acid • Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 • Sodium Benzoate • Benzyl Alcohol • Linalool
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterPaula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 1.
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 GlycerinPaula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 3.
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 20Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 11.
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 34.
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 RetinolPaula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 17.
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
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 HydroxidePaula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 37.
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 38.
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 GlycolPaula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 39.
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 24.
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.
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment US contains this as ingredient number 40.
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 30.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum 43 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum 43 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment 53 ingredients
glasscasita
Love it
My favorite retinol. Been using it for a year and never had any bad reactions (be sure to follow instructions like starting slow). It's a...
Love it
My favorite retinol. Been using it for a year and never had any bad reactions (be sure to follow instructions like starting slow). It's a bit pricey but worth it
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum 43 ingredients
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