Works for
MoisturizingCeramide 1, Trehalose + 7 moreWorks well
“These super skin friendly ingredients help to reduce inflammation while leaving your complexion more youthful, clear, radiant and hydrated.”
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
polyglutamic acid, sodium hyaluronate.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: ceramide 1, lecithin.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: ceramide 1
Anti-agingRetinyl palmitate, TocopherolMay help
“Reduces Fine lines & Wrinkles”
This product contains retinyl palmitate. This ingredient might be able to help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness, but there is not enough evidence that it actually works.
Evens skin toneRetinyl palmitate, Hydrolyzed soy proteinMay help
“Reduces Dark spots & Evens Skin Tone”
The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually works: retinyl palmitate.
ExfoliationRetinyl palmitate, AllantoinNot delivered
“Rejuvenates & Resurfaces skin”
This product might help exfoliate the skin with retinyl palmitate, but this ingredient is not the most effective.
Anti-blemishRetinyl palmitate, AllantoinNot delivered
“Reduces Pimples & Breakouts”
This product contains ingredients (retinyl palmitate) that could help reduce blemishes and clogged pores in theory, but there is not enough evidence that they actually work.
Anti-oxidationSide benefit · Ficus carica fruit extract, Hydrolyzed soy protein + 1 moreMay help
This product contains antioxidants (ficus carica fruit extract) that might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin to lessen the damage it gets from the UV light (sun). There is not enough evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin though.
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy2 strong irritants: Retinyl palmitate, Arnica montana flower extractMedium risk
ComedogenicClean of flagged comedogenic ingredientsNone flagged
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~40–60%
Trehalose~7.1–10.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A sugar that attracts water to the upper layer of the skin
More about TrehalosePolyglycerin-10~3.8–5.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Glyceryl polymethacrylate~3–4.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to create a nice product texture
More about Glyceryl polymethacrylateCodium tomentosum extract~2.3–3.4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Retinyl palmitate~1.8–2.7%
- Irritation risk
- High
Three steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. To have an effect in the skin, it first needs to be converted twice to become the retinoic acid. This means it is less potent than retinol, but could also be less irritating. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, it helps against all signs of aging, improves skin cell turnover and helps fight blemishes and clogged pores. However, in many cosmetic formulations, it is used in a concentration that is too low to have the full effect
More about Retinyl palmitateArnica montana flower extract~1.4–2.1%
- Irritation risk
- High
A plant extract that can be irritating. It can have some anti-bacterial properties, but there are no evidence of a beneficial effect for skin
More about Arnica montana flower extractFicus carica fruit extract~1.3–2%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A plant extract that can help neutralize free radicals. The concentrations typically used in cosmetics are too small to have an effect
More about Ficus carica fruit extractSodium hyaluronate~1.1–1.6%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin
More about Sodium hyaluronatePolyglutamic acid~0.9–1.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin.
More about Polyglutamic acidTocopherol~0.55–1.25%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
More about TocopherolLecithin~0.5–1.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used mostly for creating emulsions - helping oil and water mix together. Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
More about LecithinFullerenes~0.35–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Ceramide 1~0.3–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A type of lipid similar to ceramides naturally present in skin. Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and supports the skin barrier function to keep it hydrated. Can help to prevent inflammation in skin
More about Ceramide 1Hydrolyzed soy protein~0.1–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin. Might have some anti-aging, anti-oxidant, and skin lightening properties, but solid evidence is missing
More about Hydrolyzed soy proteinAllantoin~0.1–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
More about AllantoinPhenoxyethanol~0.1–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
More about PhenoxyethanolEthylhexylglycerin~0.05–0.2%
Ingredient list view
Water, Trehalose, Polyglycerin-10, Glyceryl polymethacrylate, Codium tomentosum extract, Retinyl palmitate, Arnica montana flower extract, Ficus carica fruit extract, Sodium hyaluronate, Polyglutamic acid, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Fullerenes, Ceramide 1, Hydrolyzed soy protein, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| Skin O22% Retinol SerumYOUR PRODUCT | Skin firstHyaluronic acid + ceramide booster | AMPLE:NCeramide Shot Ampoule | Coreana LabAmple:N Ceramide Shot Ampoule | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 55% | 54% | 54% |
| Price | — | — | $26.59 | $25.11 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 2 of 7 | 2 of 7 | 2 of 7 |
| Key difference | — | Panthenol | Niacinamide | Niacinamide |
| Irritancy | Medium | Low | Low | Low |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: OSKIA Isotonic Hydra-Serum GWPSkin Inc Supplement Bar Ceramide Serum
Product summary
"Skin O2 - 2% Retinol Serum" is effective for: Moisturizing
This product could be helpful for: Evens skin tone and Anti-aging, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- this product includes a form of Retinoids (vitamin A) - retinyl palmitate 2.10% - 2.50%, but this type of vitamin A is not very effective. It could in theory help with fine lines and wrinkles, but the effect is most likely minimal.
- Ceramides (ceramide 1 0.35% - 0.65%). Ceramides are an important part of our natural skin barrier. The Ceramides used in skincare are synthetic or come from plants. They help soften the skin and can help "fill the gaps" in the skin barrier, keeping the skin hydrated and resilient for longer.
- Humectants (polyglutamic acid 0.75% - 1.10%, sodium hyaluronate 1.00% - 1.30% and trehalose 8.00% - 9.80%). These ingredients help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve the skin hydration.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 15 studies and safety reviews.
- 1Effects of Topical Arnica Gel on Post-Laser Treatment Bruisesonlinelibrary.wiley.com
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin agingncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 6
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