DDF Pro-Retinol Complex 3 Moisturizer

DDF - Doctor's Dermatologic Formula

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The DDF - Doctor's Dermatologic Formula DDF Pro-Retinol Complex 3 Moisturizer is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 51 ingredients (46 low-risk) rates it Excellent (95/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Moisturizers
Ingredients
51
Low-risk
46
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
United States

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 23/8
Good for dry skin
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate C13-14 Isoparaffin Glyceryl Stearate Dimethiconol Methyl Gluceth-20 Behenyl Alcohol Borago Officinalis Seed Oil Cetearyl Alcohol Cetyl Alcohol Squalane Stearyl Alcohol Ethylhexyl Palmitate Isononyl Isononanoate Isopropyl Isostearate Isohexadecane Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Sodium Hyaluronate Glycerin Propylene Glycol Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil Cyclohexasiloxane Dimethicone Cyclopentasiloxane
Caution for dry skin
Corn Starch Modified Cetearyl Glucoside Cetyl Alcohol Stearic Acid Stearyl Alcohol Glycerin Laureth-7 PEG-100 Stearate
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 2/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Sensitive Skin 7/12
Good for sensitive skin
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Glycerin Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Copper Gluconate Dimethicone Tocopheryl Acetate Allantoin
Caution for sensitive skin
Cetyl Alcohol Stearic Acid Stearyl Alcohol Ethylhexyl Palmitate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Glycerin Propylene Glycol Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Sodium Benzoate Phenoxyethanol Benzyl Alcohol Retinyl Propionate

Ingredients list

51 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (9)
All51 Skin Conditioning42 Emollient19 Fragrance10 Emulsion Stabilising10 Solvent9 Viscosity Controlling8 Masking7 Hair Conditioning7
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Niacinamide
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing)
1
B
Isohexadecane
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent)
1
A
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Antimicrobial)
1
B
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Perfuming)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
3
A
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
Silicone
Silicone
1
B
Isopropyl Isostearate
(Binding Agent, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Binding)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
4
B
Polyacrylamide
(Binding Agent, Film Forming, Hair Fixing, Antistatic Agent, Binding)
9
Retinyl Propionate
(Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Methyl Gluceth-20
(Humectant, Moisturising)
3
B
Propylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Humectant, Skin Conditioningagent Miscellaneous, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
1
A
Stearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foambooster, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Foam Boosting, Masking, Opacifying, Refatting, Viscosity Controlling)
3
A
Cyclopentasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent)
Silicone
Silicone
1
A
Glyceryl Stearate
(Emollient, Emulsifying)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Cetyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Opacifying, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Behenyl Alcohol
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Emollient, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
1
A
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
A
Corn Starch Modified
(Absorbent, Film Forming, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Panthenol
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
1
A
Polyethylene
(Abrasive, Adhesive, Binding Agent, Bulking Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Oral Care Agentagent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
3
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
1
B
Isononyl Isononanoate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Antistatic Agent)
5
A
Benzyl Alcohol
(External Analgesic, Fragrance, Oral Health Care Drug, Preservative, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Masking)
Allergens
Allergens
2
A
Cyclohexasiloxane
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent)
1
B
C13-14 Isoparaffin
(Emollient, Solvent)
1
A
Dimethiconol
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Moisturising)
Silicone
Silicone
1
A
Cetearyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasingagent Aqueous, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Viscosity Controlling)
1
B
Cetearyl Glucoside
(Emulsifying, Surfactant)
3
A
Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking)
3
A
PEG-100 Stearate
(Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
3
Titanium/Titanium Dioxide
(Cosmetic Colorant, Opacifying)
1
A
Allantoin
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
(Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
4
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
(Uv Absorber, Uv Filter)
1
A
Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
1
Tocopherol (Vitamin E) Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
3
B
Laureth-7
(Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
A
Stearic Acid
(Fragrance, Sufactant, Emulsifying, Surfactantsurfactant Cleansing Agent Is Included As A Function For The Soap Form Of Stearic Acid., Emulsion Stabilising, Masking, Refatting)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
1
B
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
(Film Forming, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent)
1
A
Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
1
A
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Skin Conditioning, Buffering Agent, Masking)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
1
A
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
(Antioxidant)
1
A
Squalane
(Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Refatting, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Magnesium Aspartate
(Skin Conditioning)
3
Zinc Gluconate
(Cosmetic Biocide, Skin Conditioning, Deodorant)
2
Copper Gluconate
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting)

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

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Key ingredients

Glycerin
Humectant, Skin Protecting
Niacinamide
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
Skin Conditioning, Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Skin Conditioning, Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning, Emollient
Dimethicone
Skin Protecting, Emollient

Benefits

Good for dry skin
Good for oily/acne-prone skin

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains silicone
Contains eu allergen
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
Retinyl Propionate — higher EWG
May not suit sensitive skin

EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Niacinamide
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningSmoothing
Isohexadecane
Skin conditioning, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B Skin conditioningEmollientSolvent
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Skin conditioning, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningEmollientAntimicrobial
Polyacrylamide
Binding agent, Film forming
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B Binding agentFilm formingHair fixingAntistatic agentBinding
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant, Moisturising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A HumectantMoisturising
Stearyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingFragranceEmulsifyingSurfactant- foamboosterViscosity increasing agentEmollientFoam boostingMaskingOpacifyingRefattingViscosity controlling
Cetyl Alcohol
Emulsion stabilising, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Emulsion stabilisingFragranceOpacifyingEmulsifyingSurfactantFoam boostingViscosity increasing agentEmollientMaskingViscosity controlling
Behenyl Alcohol
Binding agent, Emulsion stabilising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Binding agentEmulsion stabilisingViscosity increasing agentBindingEmollientViscosity controlling
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Emollient, Masking
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientMaskingPerfumingSkin conditioningSolvent
Corn Starch Modified
Absorbent, Film forming
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A AbsorbentFilm formingSkin conditioningViscosity controlling
Polyethylene
Abrasive, Adhesive
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A AbrasiveAdhesiveBinding agentBulking agentEmulsion stabilisingFilm formingOral care agentagentViscosity increasing agentViscosity controlling
Isononyl Isononanoate
Skin conditioning, Emollient
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B Skin conditioningEmollientAntistatic agent
Cyclohexasiloxane
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningEmollientSolvent
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient, Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B EmollientSolvent
+ 15 more — see the full ingredients list above
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B FragranceSkin conditioningEmollientPerfuming Fungal-acne trigger
Dimethicone
Antifoaming agent, Skin protecting
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin protectingEmollientSkin conditioning Silicone
Isopropyl Isostearate
Binding agent, Skin conditioning
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B Binding agentSkin conditioningEmollientBinding Bad for Oily SkinFungal-acne trigger
Retinyl Propionate
Skin conditioning
Higher-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 9 Skin conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Fragrance, Humectant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B FragranceHumectantSkin-conditioningagent - miscellaneousSolventViscosity decreasing agentSkin conditioningViscosity controlling Good for Dry Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Cyclopentasiloxane
Hair conditioning, Skin conditioning
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Hair conditioningSkin conditioningEmollientSolvent Silicone
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient, Emulsifying
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A EmollientEmulsifying Fungal-acne trigger
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil
Other
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Fungal-acne trigger
Panthenol
Antistatic agent, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Antistatic agentHair conditioningSkin conditioning Good for Dry Skin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant, Skin conditioning
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 3 AntioxidantSkin conditioning Bad for Oily Skin
Benzyl Alcohol
External analgesic, Fragrance
Moderate-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 5 CIR A External analgesicFragranceOral health care drugPreservativeSolventViscosity decreasing agentMasking Allergens
Dimethiconol
Antifoaming agent, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin conditioningEmollientMoisturising Silicone
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Surfactant Fungal-acne trigger
+ 6 more — see the full ingredients list above

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Apply near the end of your routine, after thinner serums.
  • 2 Morning only: Apply as the last step of your AM routine, after moisturiser, and reapply every ~2 hours of sun exposure.
  • 3 Wear SPF the next day: Acids and retinoids increase sun sensitivity — daily sunscreen is a must while using this.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.

Often avoided
Retinoids (Vitamin A) (Retinyl Propionate)

Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.

This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Retinoids (Vitamin A) 0.01–1%

Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.

Retinyl Propionate

Vitamin C (ascorbic) 5–20%

L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Niacinamide 2–5% (up to 10%)

Most research uses 2–5%; some formulas go to 10%. Very high levels can cause flushing in sensitive skin.

Niacinamide

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

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