Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Puca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A versus The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on May 04, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid, peptides and retinoid
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, fragrances, 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.
Ingredient Info
Puca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A 37 ingredients
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum 31 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
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 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
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 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Puca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A 37 ingredients
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum 31 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.
Puca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A 37 ingredients
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum 31 ingredients
Water • Butylene Glycol • Propylene Glycol • Corn Gluten Amino Acids • Peg/Ppg-17/6 Copolymer • Sodium Polyglutamate • Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin • Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Sodium Hyaluronate • Glycerin • Hexylene Glycol • Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract • Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract • Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract • Xanthan Gum • Pelargonium Graveolens Extract • Portulaca Oleracea Extract • Adenosine • Retinol • Yeast Ferment Extract • Silk Extract • Hyaluronidase • Collagen • Hyaluronic Acid • Oligopeptide-1 • Propanediol • Potassium Sorbate • Beta-Glucan • Avena Sativa Kernel Extract • Ceramide Ns • Sodium Benzoate • Ethylhexylglycerin • Sodium Hydroxide • Hydroxyacetophenone • Oligopeptide-2 • Oligopeptide-5
Water • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Propanediol • Dicaprylyl Carbonate • Dimethicone • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Caprylyl Glycol • Phospholipids • Caprylic/Capric Glycerides • Squalane • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Glycine Soja Extract • Carbomer • Sodium Ascorbate • Tocopherol • Polysorbate 60 • Tocopheryl Acetate • Glycolipids • Sodium Hydroxide • Disodium EDTA • Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate • Retinol • Glycine Soja Sterols • Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate • Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Hyaluronic Acid • Polysorbate 20 • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 • Phenoxyethanol
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 WaterPuca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A contains this as ingredient number 1.
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Puca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A contains this as ingredient number 2.
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is derived from castor oil and polyethylene glycol (PEG). It is used as a emollient and emulsifier.
As an emulsifier, it helps prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps make the other ingredients more soluble; it is often used to solubilize fragrances. This increases spreadability and elongates shelf life in a product.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
This ingredient may or may not be vegan, depending on the source.
Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil may not be fungal-acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any questions or concerns.
Learn more about Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPuca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A contains this as ingredient number 8.
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 26.
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 GlycerinPuca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A contains this as ingredient number 10.
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 RetinolPuca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A contains this as ingredient number 20.
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.
Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.
Hyaluronic Acid has the capacity to bind to large amounts of water. This ingredient helps hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin.
Fun fact: It is already naturally found in our bodies, such as the fluids of our eyes and our joints.
Studies find this ingredient to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. This can help speed up wound-healing,
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPuca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A contains this as ingredient number 25.
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 27.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.
It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolPuca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A contains this as ingredient number 27.
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 HydroxidePuca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A contains this as ingredient number 34.
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Puca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A 37 ingredients
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum 31 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Puca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A 37 ingredients
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum 31 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Puca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A 37 ingredients
The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum 31 ingredients
YousifShamoon
not doing anything?
i've been using this for 2-3 weeks and i see no difference. i know you're supposed to wait 6 weeks and see but i'm using this...
not doing anything?
i've been using this for 2-3 weeks and i see no difference. i know you're supposed to wait 6 weeks and see but i'm using this every single night and i'm not even purging in the slightest. i had a breakout before i started using this and the breakout is still there which also shows that the product is doing nothing. i will finish the product to see if anything happens but my assumption is that it's too weak and my skin can take more, since my skin was used to benzyl peroxide twice a day since i was using effaclar duo+ for 3-4 months.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 7 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Puca – Pure & Care Retinol Serum Vitamin A.
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