Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil versus The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on February 08, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 3 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, 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.

Oil American Brand United States
Serum British Brand United Kingdom

Oil

Oils are an emollient and can act as a supplement to your skincare routine.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil

Starts at $72.00
Shop

Buy Retinol Anti-Aging Serum

Starts at $15.00

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

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger (2)
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid (2)
Vitamin C
Vitamin E (2)
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Skin Texture (4)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying (2)
Irritating (4)
Eczema
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

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.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

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: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.

Because squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits: it is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.

Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.

Research shows that squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).

In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.

The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.

Is squalane vegan? This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Learn more about Squalane

StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil contains this as ingredient number 4.

The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.

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

StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil contains this as ingredient number 22.

The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol

StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil contains this as ingredient number 26.

The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.

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

21% are loved or liked
36% have mixed ratings
25% are disliked or very disliked
18% have no rating yet
55% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
32% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil 28 ingredients

Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum 31 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 4 ratings
YousifShamoon's avatar

YousifShamoon

1 year ago · Combination Skin
Review

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 6 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil.

See 6 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum.

See 50 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...