This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Retinal and Ectoin to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningRetinal
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Succinic Acid
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLecithin
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyapatite
Abrasive
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Vinyldimethicone
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingArginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
Emollient
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSucrose Distearate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Nicotinamide Mononucleotide
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientSodium DNA
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-11
Sh-Polypeptide-16
Skin Protecting
Sh-Polypeptide-22
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-62
Antioxidant
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Diisostearyl Malate, Caprylyl Methicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Tocopherol, Vinyldimethicone, Cetearyl Glucoside, Panthenol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Phosphatidylcholine, Arginine, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Retinal, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Sucrose Distearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sodium DNA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ns, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Cholesterol, Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-2, Tripeptide-3, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Soluble Collagen, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Ceramide EOP, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Sh-Polypeptide-16, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Polypeptide-3, Sh-Polypeptide-62, Sh-Polypeptide-9
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolRetinal (aka retinaldehyde) is a form of retinoid that formulators use mainly as an antiaging and skin-renewing active.
What makes it special is its position in the retinoid family; skin converts it to retinoic acid (the prescription gold standard) in just one step.
Because retinal only requires 1 conversion step to become retinoic acid, it's the strongest over-the-counter retinoid. It also works at lower concentrations than retinol, since retinal is about 10x more bioavailable.
Studies back up its efficacy in skin:
A foundational trial showed that applying 0.05-0.5% retinal for 1-3 months produced a dose-dependent and significant increase in epidermal thickness + cell turnover markers.
And a head-to-head comparison of 0.05% retinal against a 0.05% retinoid acid found both formulations were effective for the basis of wrinkle/skin roughness features, but retinoic acid caused more local irritation.
More recent controlled trials confirm it improves wrinkles, dermal density, and firmness over 12-24 weeks, with significant improvements in skin texture and firmness (particularly with the higher 0.1% concentration).
Retinal also has one trick the other retinoids do not: it directly fights against acne bacteria since a clinical study showed retinaldehyde-treated areas displayed a significant decrease in counts of viable P. acnes.
This makes it a great pick for people who want to treat aging and breakouts.
Typical cosmetic use sits in the 0.05-0.1% range with 0.05% being the gentle starting point and 0.1% giving stronger results.
Like all retinoids, retinal works best with nightly use, a good moisturizer, and daytime sunscreen. It can cause some irritation so ease into it slowly rather than going all in.
The "ramp up" method works well: start with Retinal once a week to give your skin time to adjust, which keeps irritation low.
Slowly add more nights until you reach your goal frequency once your skin feels comfortable.
Retinoids also make your skin more sensitive to the sun in the first few weeks, so wear sunscreen every morning and protect your skin from direct sun while you build up tolerance.
Learn more about RetinalWater. 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
