Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum
The e.l.f. Cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 38 ingredients (32 low-risk) rates it Excellent (98/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry skin.
The e.l.f. Cosmetics Youth Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 38 ingredients (32 low-risk) rates it Excellent (98/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Water
(Solvent) |
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Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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PEG-8
(Humectant, Solvent) |
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Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
(Humectant, Foam Boosting, Hydrotrope, Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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Methyl Gluceth-20
(Humectant, Moisturising) |
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Glycereth-26
(Humectant, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Diglycerin
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
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Dimethyl Isosorbide
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
(Binding Agent, Film Forming, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Opacifying, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
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Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Antistatic Agent, Emollient) |
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Tromethamine
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
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TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
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Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient) |
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Bisabolol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Soothing) |
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Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
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Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning) |
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Caprylyl Glycol
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Humectant) |
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Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
(Flavoring Agent, Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
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Retinal
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
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Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Sea Water
(Humectant, Solvent) |
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Maltodextrin
(Absorbent, Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Film Forming, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant, Binding) |
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Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Hydrolyzed Algin
(Hair Conditioning) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
|
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Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
(Hair Conditioning) |
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Sucrose
(Flavoring Agent, Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Soothing) |
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Carbomer
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Coco-glucoside
(Cleansing, Foaming, Surfactant) |
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Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking) |
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Potassium Sorbate
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
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Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
(Skin Conditioning) |
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
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.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
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.
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Retinal
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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