StriVectin TL Advanced™ Tightening Neck Cream PLUS Versus Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Retinol Regenerating Cream
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantBis-Stearyl Dimethicone
EmollientMyristyl Nicotinate
Skin ConditioningTrimethylolpropane Tricaprylate/Tricaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Extract
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningArctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialNannochloropsis Oculata Extract
HumectantAcmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingOryza Sativa Germ Extract
EmollientAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientPentapeptide-76 Amide
Butylene Glycol
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-20
CleansingSorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice
Skin ConditioningSclareolide
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Polyisobutene
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrated Silica
AbrasiveEthylhexyl Isononanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantPEG-40 Stearate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone, Myristyl Nicotinate, Trimethylolpropane Tricaprylate/Tricaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Adenosine, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Glycine Soja Oil, Pentapeptide-76 Amide, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ceteareth-20, Sorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice, Sclareolide, Pentylene Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Polyisobutene, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Hydrated Silica, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pullulan, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Oleate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Laurate, Tocopherol, PEG-40 Stearate, Parfum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Behenate
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingIsohexadecane
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCellulose
AbsorbentSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingRetinol
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantWater, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Behenate, Ceteareth-20, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cellulose, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Chlorphenesin, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Retinol, BHT, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Laureth-7, Ascorbic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCeteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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