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RETINOL RETINOL SKIN… vs SEPHORA Beauty insid… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM vs SEPHORA Beauty insider

SEPHORA Beauty insider scores 8.8/9.8 vs RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM at 8.5/9.8. SEPHORA Beauty insider wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

RETINOL

RETINOL SKIN CREAM

moisturiser

8.5

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

SEPHORA

Beauty insider

moisturiser

8.8

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Score comparison

SEPHORA Beauty insider edges ahead, winning 2 of 5 attributes.

RETINOL wins 1

Tied 2

SEPHORA wins 2

8.5RETINOL

+0.3vs

8.8SEPHORA

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

RETINOL WINS

9.8

7.4

RETINOL

SEPHORA

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

RETINOL

SEPHORA

Active Ingredient Strength

SEPHORA WINS

6.3

9.8

RETINOL

SEPHORA

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.5

RETINOL

SEPHORA

Formulation Safety

SEPHORA WINS

7.5

9.0

RETINOL

SEPHORA

Ingredient face-off

32% overlap

54RETINOL

23Shared

73SEPHORA

Only in RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM

31 unique

Mineral Oil Isopropyl Palmitate Glycine Royal Jelly Extract Rosa Damascena Flower Water Hydrolyzed Elastin Hydrolyzed Collagen Sodium Hyaluronate Retinol Gold+21 more

Shared ingredients

23 in common

Butylene Glycol Cetearyl Alcohol Glycerin Sodium Pca Arginine Aspartic Acid Propanediol Pca Alanine Serine+13 more

Only in SEPHORA Beauty insider

50 unique

Ingredients / Ingrédients : Protinitm Water/Aqua/Eau Dicaprylyl Carbonate Cetearyl Olivate Sorbitan Olivate Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Bacillus/Soybean/ Folic Acid Ferment Extract Nymphaea Alba Root Extract Sh-Oligopeptide-1 Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Why SEPHORA Beauty insider comes out ahead

Where SEPHORA Beauty insider really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 9.8 compared to RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM's 6.3. Its formula features Bacillus/Soybean/ Folic Acid Ferment Extract, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, and Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14 in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM scores 9.8 here versus 7.4 for SEPHORA Beauty insider. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

SEPHORA Beauty insider brings Bacillus/Soybean/ Folic Acid Ferment Extract, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, and Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14 as actives, while rETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM relies on Arginine, Royal Jelly Extract, and Retinol. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Butylene Glycol
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

SEPHORA Beauty insider is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Targeting specific concerns like aging or uneven tone — Bacillus/Soybean/ Folic Acid Ferment Extract does the heavy lifting

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+0.3 lead

SEPHORA Beauty insider edges ahead with a slightly stronger formulation, but RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM is still a solid pick.

8.5RETINOL

8.8SEPHORA

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM or SEPHORA Beauty insider?

Based on ingredient analysis, SEPHORA Beauty insider scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM and SEPHORA Beauty insider share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM and SEPHORA Beauty insider?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: RETINOL RETINOL SKIN CREAM→Full analysis: SEPHORA Beauty insider→

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Sh-Polypeptide-1

+40 more