Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener versus Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 .
Published on February 15, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both serums. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain exfoliants, retinoid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain common allergens, fragrances and oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener 49 ingredients
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 39 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Not Reef Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not reef safe:
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener 49 ingredients
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 39 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener 49 ingredients
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 39 ingredients
Water • Dimethicone • Cetearyl Isononanoate • Glycerin • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil • Cetearyl Alcohol • Cetyl Alcohol • Steareth-20 • Pentylene Glycol • Ascorbyl Glucoside • Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer • Polysorbate 20 • Retinol • Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil • Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil • Lavandula Angustifolia Oil • Propylheptyl Caprylate • Bakuchiol • Acetyl Glucosamine • Cetearyl Glucoside • Lecithin • Polyisobutene • Alcohol • Glutathione • Carbomer • Caprylyl Glycol • Bisabolol • 1,2-Hexanediol • Silica • Polysorbate 80 • BHA • Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate • Disodium EDTA • Sorbitan Isostearate • Gluconolactone • Tocopheryl Acetate • Sodium Sulfite • Sodium Metabisulfite • Ascorbyl Palmitate • Soy Isoflavones • Sodium Hydroxide • Potassium Sorbate • Sodium Benzoate • Linalool • Citronellol • Geraniol • Limonene • Citral • Coumarin
Water • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Glycerin • Isododecane • Cyclodextrin • Cetearyl Alcohol • Cetearyl Olivate • Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Sorbitan Olivate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Squalane • Sodium Hyaluronate • Retinal • 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid • Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Ethylhexylglycerin • Pentylene Glycol • Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract • Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose • Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil • Sodium Polyaspartate • Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate • Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract • BHA • Polyhydroxystearic Acid • Disodium EDTA • Hydroxyacetophenone • Titanium Dioxide • Phenoxyethanol • Alumina • Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract • Isostearic Acid • Lecithin • Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract • Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate • Stearic Acid • Coumarin • CI 14700
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener contains this as ingredient number 1.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 GlycerinZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener contains this as ingredient number 4.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 contains this as ingredient number 3.
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener contains this as ingredient number 6.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 contains this as ingredient number 6.
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 GlycolZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener contains this as ingredient number 9.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 contains this as ingredient number 18.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.
Lecithin is an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.
As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin. The phospholipids in Lecithin can produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.
Learn more about LecithinZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener contains this as ingredient number 21.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 contains this as ingredient number 34.
This BHA stands for butylated hydroxyanisole. If you are looking for the beta-hydroxy acid, aka as Salicylic Acid, click here.
In cosmetics, butylated hydroxyanisole is used as a perservative. It also has antioxidant properties. The concentrations usually used in skincare are low and do not penetrate through skin.
However, it is considered a carcinogen when ingested.
Butylated Hydroxyanisole is a synthetic and waxy petrochemical. It is used as a preservative in foods and cosmetics.
Learn more about BHAZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener contains this as ingredient number 31.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 contains this as ingredient number 25.
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 EDTAZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener contains this as ingredient number 33.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 contains this as ingredient number 27.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener contains this as ingredient number 36.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 contains this as ingredient number 10.
Coumarins are a group of substances found naturally in plants. There are over 1300 types of coumarins identified. It has a natural vanilla scent.
Coumarin is an identified EU known allergy, meaning it may cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
In many countries, coumarin is banned as a food additive. However, it can be found in soaps, tobacco products, and some alcohol drinks.
Plants use coumarins as a chemical defense. Some plants that have coumarins include lavender, tonka beans, and yellow clovers.
Learn more about CoumarinZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener contains this as ingredient number 49.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 contains this as ingredient number 38.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener 49 ingredients
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 39 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener 49 ingredients
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 39 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener 49 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to ZO Skin Health Retinol Skin Brightener.
See 1 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 6 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3.
See 6 alternatives
