RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Face Cream Versus Clinique Smart Clinical Repair SPF 15 Wrinkle Correcting Cream
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate
Emollient
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientTetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSteareth-10
Emulsifying
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Squalane
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylparaben
Preservative
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Steareth-10, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycolic Acid, Squalane, Parfum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Methylparaben, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Propylparaben, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 60, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Copper Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Polyester-8
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates Copolymer
Dextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
7-Dehydrocholesterol
Emulsion StabilisingBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactis Proteinum
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientPlankton Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PPG-8-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingSorbitan Sesquiisostearate
Emulsifying
Sorbeth-30 Tetraisostearate
Emulsifying
PEG-8
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Polyester-8, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Acrylates Copolymer, Dextrin Palmitate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, 7-Dehydrocholesterol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Caffeine, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Lauroyl Lysine, Saccharomyces Ferment, Lactis Proteinum, Algae Extract, Plankton Extract, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Silica, Pentylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Lecithin, Polysorbate 20, PPG-8-Ceteth-20, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraisostearate, PEG-8, Carbomer, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Stearyl Alcohol, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
