L'Oreal Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Deep Anti-Wrinkle Night Serum Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir

L'Oreal Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Deep Anti-Wrinkle Night Serum Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Alcohol Denat.

Isononyl Isononanoate

Pentylene Glycol

Dicaprylyl Ether

Glycine Soja Oil

Propylene Glycol

PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides

Citric Acid

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Retinol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Butylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Glyceryl Isostearate

PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30

Tocopherol

Xanthan Gum

Benzyl Alcohol

Citronellol

Isoeugenol

Limonene

Linalool

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycine Soja Oil, Propylene Glycol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Citric Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Retinol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Isostearate, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum

Camelina Sativa Seed Oil

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Propanediol

Di-C20-40 Alkyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Sorbitan Stearate

Chlorphenesin

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Anogeissus Leiocarpa Bark Extract

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Butylphenyl Methylpropional

Cananga Odorata Flower Oil

Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil

Phytosterols

Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract

Hydroxycitronellal

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Geraniol

Eugenol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Isononyl Isononanoate, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Water, Propanediol, Di-C20-40 Alkyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Glycerin, Parfum, Sorbitan Stearate, Chlorphenesin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Tocopherol, Anogeissus Leiocarpa Bark Extract, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil, Phytosterols, Limonene, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Hydroxycitronellal, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Eugenol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.

This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.

As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.

The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.

This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.

It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.

Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.

At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.

Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".

Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.

Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.

Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,

Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.

Glycerin (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.

Isononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.

As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.

Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.

This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

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.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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