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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream versus Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer .

Published on October 05, 2020

Overview

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide and peptides

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils and parabens

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

General Moisturizer Japanese Brand Japan
Essence American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Essence

Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.

Price

Shop

Buy R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream

Starts at $207.09
Shop

Buy Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer

Starts at $24.99

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (6)
Acne Trigger (3)
Irritating
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 14.

3
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

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.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 5.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 7.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 2.

5
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 10.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 4.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Panthenol (also referred to as pro-vitamin B5) is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin.

lt is a humectant, meaning that it helps the skin attract and retain moisture.

Another benefit is the anti-inflammatory abilities. This means that it's great for sensitive, irritation-prone skin.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

Learn more about Panthenol

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 18.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 6.

7
What it does: Perfuming, Preservative, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.

Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.

Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.

Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.

Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.

Learn more about Benzyl Alcohol

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 20.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 20.

8
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.

Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.

Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.

The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.

Learn more about Methylparaben

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 24.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 21.

9
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 29.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 17.

10
What it does: Emulsifying

Sodium Peg-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate is an oil.

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 31.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 12.

11
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Ethylparaben is a preservative, is a paraben, and is not reef safe.

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 32.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 22.

12
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

Sk-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Face Cream contains this as ingredient number 38.

Olay Regenerist Essence Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 23.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

17% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
53% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet
39% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
30% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

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Alternatives

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