Paula's Choice Resist Triple Active Total Repair Serum Versus Soft Services Software Update Retinol Body Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinyl Propionate to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Propionate
Skin Conditioning
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Castanea Sativa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDilauryl Thiodipropionate
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
ChelatingBHT
Antioxidant
Water, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Hydroxystearic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Tocotrienols, Retinyl Propionate, Hexylresorcinol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Castanea Sativa Leaf Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Phytate, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Lactate/Laurate
CleansingDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Oleate
Emulsifying
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Niacinamide, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-3 Lactate/Laurate, Diheptyl Succinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Sclerotium Gum, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Citric Acid
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideWater. 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
