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Deriva MS Aqueous Gel

Name: MS Aqueous Gel
Brand: Deriva

This acne treatment is formulated around Adapalene and Methyl Dihydroxybenzoate to clear breakouts and fade the look of dark spots.

Worth noting

Contains a retinoid, which is best introduced gradually.

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What's inside

Ingredients List

Active Ingredients

Adapalene 0.1%

Methyl Dihydroxybenzoate 0.1%

Phenoxyethanol 0.25%

Preservative

Active Ingredients: Adapalene 0.1%, Methyl Dihydroxybenzoate 0.1%, Phenoxyethanol 0.25%
Inactive Ingredients:

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Explained

Adapalene

Adapalene is a third-generation topical retinoid and is best known for treating mild to moderate acne. It’s also commonly as for its brand name, Differin.

Adapalene has some great benefits:

You can buy over-the-counter adapalene at 0.1% gel strength. Higher concentrations require a prescription.

Oleyl adapalenate is a cosmetic-grade derivative of adapalene that does not require a prescription since it is considered a cosmetic ingredient.

Learn more about Adapalene

Methyl Dihydroxybenzoate

Methyl Dihydroxybenzoate can help to reduce the visibility of dark spots.

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Learn more about Phenoxyethanol