The key difference between retinol and glycolic acid is that retinol is more suitable for non-sensitive skin types, whereas glycolic acid is suitable for all skin types and ages.
Retinol and glycolic acid are organic compounds. Retinol is a type of vitamin present in food items, and it is important as a dietary supplement, while glycolic acid is an organic compound having the chemical formula C2H4O3. These are useful as exfoliating agents in anti-aging ingredients in skincare products.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Retinol
3. What is Glycolic Acid
4. Retinol vs Glycolic Acid in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Retinol vs Glycolic Acid Boundary
What is Retinol?
Retinol is a type of vitamin that we can find in food items, and it is important as a dietary supplement. In common, we can identify retinol as vitamin A. When considering the uses of this vitamin, it is an important ingredient in dietary supplements, and it can undergo ingestion to treat and prevent vitamin A deficiency. Moreover, vitamin A deficiency can lead to xerophthalmia.
Figure 01: A Skincare Product with Retinol
If we take retinol in normal doses, our body can easily tolerate it, but if the dose is high, it can result in an enlarged liver, dry skin, or hypervitaminosis A. Furthermore, taking a high dose of retinol during pregnancy can harm the baby. When taking this vitamin orally, it gets converted into retinal and retinoic acid. These forms are the active forms of retinol in our body.
What is Glycolic Acid?
Glycolic acid is an organic compound having the chemical formula C2H4O3. We can identify it as the simplest alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). This means this organic molecule has a carboxylic functional group (-COOH) and a hydroxyl group (-OH) separated by only one carbon atom. Glycolic acid is a colorless, odorless, and highly soluble substance in water. Furthermore, it is hygroscopic.
Figure 02: A Product with Glycolic Acid
The molar mass of glycolic acid 76 g/mol, while the melting point of this compound is 75 °C. However, it has no boiling point because it decomposes at higher temperatures. The major application of this compound is in the cosmetic industry. Manufacturers use this compound as a common ingredient in skincare products. They make this compound via a reaction between formaldehyde and synthesis gas along with a catalyst because this reaction has a low cost. Furthermore, this acid is slightly stronger than acetic acid because of its electron-withdrawing power (of the hydroxyl group).
What are the Similarities Between Retinol and Glycolic Acid?
- Retinol and glycolic acid are organic compounds.
- Both are ingredients in skincare products.
- These are exfoliating agents.
- Both are anti-aging ingredients.
What is the Difference Between Retinol and Glycolic Acid?
Retinol is a type of vitamin that we can find in food items, and it is important as a dietary supplement while glycolic acid is an organic compound having the chemical formula C2H4O3. The key difference between retinol and glycolic acid is that retinol is more suitable for non-sensitive skin types, whereas glycolic acid suitable for all skin types and ages. Moreover, retinol encourages collagen and elastin production deep down the skin while glycolic acid sloughs away dead skin cells on the skin surface.
The following infographic summarizes the difference between retinol and glycolic acid in tabular form.
Summary – Retinol vs Glycolic Acid
Retinol and glycolic acid are organic compounds. These are useful as anti-aging ingredients in skincare products. These ingredients are common as exfoliating agents in these products. The key difference between retinol and glycolic acid is that retinol is more suitable for non-sensitive skin types, whereas glycolic acid is suitable for all skin types and ages.
Reference:
1. “Glycolic Acid.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 July 2018. Available here
Image Courtesy:
1. “Retinol Moisturizer Cream for Face – with Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E and Green Tea. Best Night and Day Moisturizing Cream 1.7 fl oz.” By eko sunaryo (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Youth to the People Facial Toner” By Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr