Peach & Lily Retinal for All Renewing Serum Versus Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum

Peach & Lily Retinal for All Renewing Serum Versus Summer Fridays Midnight Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Cyclodextrin

Sorbitan Stearate

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Water

Camellia Japonica Flower Extract

Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Ectoin

Behenic Acid

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Bisabolol

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Rhynchosia Nulubilis Seed Extract

Retinal

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Dextrin

Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Ceramide EOP

Polyacrylate-13

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Methylpropanediol

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate

Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Sucrose Cocoate

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Sorbitan Isostearate

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Pentylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Triethyl Citrate

Tocopherol

Sodium Levulinate

Glyceryl Stearate

Sorbitan Olivate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Cetearyl Olivate

Propanediol

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclodextrin, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Water, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ectoin, Behenic Acid, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Bisabolol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Rhynchosia Nulubilis Seed Extract, Retinal, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Dextrin, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ceramide EOP, Polyacrylate-13, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Methylpropanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sucrose Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triethyl Citrate, Tocopherol, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Propanediol

Squalane

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Sclerotium Gum

Retinyl Linoleate

Retinol

Avena Sativa Bran Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Niacinamide

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Glycine Soja Oil

Tocopheryl Acetate

Phytic Acid

Synthetic Beeswax

Copernicia Cerifera Cera

Maltodextrin

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Levulinic Acid

Citric Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Propanediol, Sorbitan Stearate, Sclerotium Gum, Retinyl Linoleate, Retinol, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Niacinamide, Bisabolol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytic Acid, Synthetic Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Maltodextrin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

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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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.

It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.

A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.

In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.

You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.

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%.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Sodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. Oncedissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical. It is usually derived from renewable plant sources like corn starch or sugarcane.

In skincare, it mostly acts as a skin conditioning agent that keeps skin soft and hydrated. It also acts as a preservative booster by inhibiting the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria.

It's often paired with Sodium Anisate as the two create a broad-spectrum preservative system that is popular in "natural" formulations.

This ingredient is water-soluble.

The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be non-irritated and there are no restrictions for use in EU cosmetics. The FDA also allows this ingredient to be used as a food-grade flavoring agent.

Sorbitan Stearate is an emulsifier made by reacting sorbitol with stearic acid.

It's mostly used to keep oil and water mixed so your formulas stay smooth and stable.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has found 4% of this ingredient in repeat-insult patch tests on humans to be non-sensitizing. There is a caveat that some reactions have shown up in patients with damaged or diseased skin.

Because it is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it falls into the C11-24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize. This means this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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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