Some skin care products are very good but their prices prevent consumers from using them every day. If this problem ever comes to you, you might find it helpful to know some cheaper alternatives of the star products. Not all of these cheaper skin care products perform exactly the same as their counterparts. Some of them might work less well for you while others might work even better. In any case, they are cheaper and the choice is always yours.
SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 is a retinol product. Its price is $58 for 30 ml (about 1 oz).
Cheaper alternative: Cellbone Retinol 1.0 anti-wrinkle moisturizer is $68 for 2 oz. Right now, it is half price, which is $34 for 2 oz ($17 for 1 oz).
Comparison: They both have 1% retinol, the highest concentration available for over-the-counter skin care products. There are plenty of researches that demonstrate the effectiveness of retinol to improve photoaged skin, as I described in Retinoids: True Anti-Aging Skin Care.
Other than retinol, SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 contains ceramides and cholesterol, which mimic skin’s natural lipid structure. Ceramides and cholesterol are relatively well researched. They help restore the skin’s barrier system. Cellbone Retinol 1.0 anti-wrinkle moisturizer, on the other hand, has some very promising but less researched ingredients, such as tripeptide and Inca Inchi oil. Their functions on skin are not well demonstrated. Tripeptide (SYN® – AKE) contained in Cellbone Retinol 1.0 anti-wrinkle moisturizer is generally marketed for its ability to reduce wrinkles by inhibiting muscle contractions. Discussed in Bioactive peptides: signaling the future, Tripeptide (SYN® – AKE) inhibits muscle contractions by acting against certain receptor. You can find more discussion about Tripeptide (SYN® – AKE) on EDS Skin Care Forum. Inca Inchi oil has high percentage of unsaturated oils and is rich in amino acids. Unsaturated oils moisturize the skin. The amino acids can help collagen production.
SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 is suitable for all skin types except very oily. Cellbone Retinol 1.0 anti-wrinkle moisturizer is good for normal to dry skin and even very dry skin. SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 has Hypericum perforatum extract, aka St John’s wort, anti-inflammatory to skin. Topical application of St John’s wort does increase photosensitivity of the skin. But since people use retinol products only at night, it is generally not a problem.
Note: Since some of the Cellbone skin care products have high concentrations of vitamin C, retinol, AHA or BHA, be prepared for the irritation. Start with a small amount and low frequency. And don’t forget your gentle sunscreen during the day.
Thank you for your FYI, NoeyD. I am very interested in looking into these retinol products with higher concentrations.
I’m aware this article is rather old, but .1% retinol is NOT the highest concentration available OTC. There are products like Peter Thomas Roth’s Retinol Fusion at 1.5% and NCN at 2%…..just as an FYI 🙂
Thanks and any suggestion is welcome. I went to the page you linked. If you also write about similar topics, we can exchange ideas 🙂