SkinBetter Science Intensive AlphaRet Overnight Cream Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir

SkinBetter Science Intensive AlphaRet Overnight Cream Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir

This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate 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

Glycolic Acid

Sodium Glycolate

Cetearyl Olivate

Pentylene Glycol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Isohexadecane

Sorbitan Olivate

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Glycerin

Ceresin

Glycol Palmitate

Butylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Squalane

Methyl Gluceth-20

Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Ceramide NP

Hyaluronic Acid

Ubiquinone

Tocopherol

Bisabolol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Superoxide Dismutase

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Allantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid

Sodium PCA

Panthenol

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Linoleic Acid

Cholesterol

Linolenic Acid

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Dimethicone

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Steareth-2

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Acacia Senegal Gum

Xanthan Gum

Hydrated Silica

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Tromethamine

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

CI 77891

Water, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Glycolate, Cetearyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isohexadecane, Sorbitan Olivate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Ceresin, Glycol Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Squalane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Ubiquinone, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Superoxide Dismutase, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Allantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Linolenic Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Steareth-2, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydrated Silica, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891

Isononyl Isononanoate

Camelina Sativa Seed Oil

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Propanediol

Di-C20-40 Alkyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Parfum

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

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

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

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

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!

Similar Comparisons