alpha-h Vitamin A Serum 0.5%
alpha-h Alpha-H Vitamin A Serum 0.5% lists 18 ingredients on its label, 17 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Aqua
- Glycerin
- Methyl Gluceth-20
- Polysorbate 80
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
- Phenoxyethanol
- Squalane
- Retinol
- Polysorbate 20
- Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
- Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
- Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
- Oenothera Biennis Oil
- Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
- Disodium EDTA
- Citric Acid
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of fragranceFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of formaldehyde releasersContains parabensContains PEGContains animal-derivedContains essential oils
Formulation view Aqueous base with glycerin and methyl gluceth-20 for hydration. Core actives include retinol, supported by squalane and plant oils (jojoba, sweet almond). Preserved with phenoxyethanol. Suitable for aging skin tolerating Retinoids. Formulator note: Retinol instability relies on light-blocking and antioxidants; plant oils rich in GLA need antioxidant pairing to maintain stability.
Key ingredients
- SOLVENT
- Aqua
- DENATURANT
- GlycerinPolysorbate 80
- EMULSION STABILISING
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
- ANTIMICROBIAL
- Phenoxyethanol
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Squalane
- SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS · 限制 III
- Retinol
- SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING
- Polysorbate 20
Other ingredients
Methyl Gluceth-20Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit ExtractPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilOenothera Biennis OilMacadamia Ternifolia Seed OilCaprylyl GlycolSodium Stearoyl GlutamateDisodium EDTACitric Acid
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua | SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Methyl Gluceth-20 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Polysorbate 80 | DENATURANT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 | EMULSION STABILISING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Squalane | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, HAIR CONDITIONING, REFATTING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Retinol | SKIN CONDITIONING - MISCELLANEOUS · 限制 III/376 | 3 · 0 | Yellow |
| Polysorbate 20 | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract | ANTIOXIDANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil | SKIN CONDITIONING | — | Green |
| Oenothera Biennis Oil | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT | 0 · 1 | Green |
| Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Caprylyl Glycol | DEODORANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate | CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, HAIR CONDITIONING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Disodium EDTA | CHELATING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Citric Acid | BUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE | 1 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Aqua
- Solvent, main base; microbial control is critical
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Methyl Gluceth-20
- Not decoded yet
- Polysorbate 80
- Non-ionic emulsifier and solubilizer; watch for interaction with parabens
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
- Water-soluble thickener; requires neutralizer, performs best at pH 5–7
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Squalane
- Emollient from plants or synthetic; light texture
- Retinol
- Highly active and unstable, needs robust antioxidant encapsulation; 0.1-1.0%, pregnancy contraindicated
- Polysorbate 20
- Non-ionic emulsifier and cleansing surfactant; contains PEG, control microbial load.
- Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
- Common in dry/damaged hair; superior penetration vs mineral oils, low comedogenic risk, poor oxidative stability.
- Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
- Tomato extract; antioxidant and conditioner. Contains carotenoids; moderate photostability. Watch for color variance.
- Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
- Sweet almond oil, light emollient; suitable for sensitive skin, caution for nut allergies.
- Oenothera Biennis Oil
- Natural oil rich in GLA; supports barrier, prone to oxidation, needs antioxidants
- Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
- Macadamia oil, rich in palmitoleic, good penetration; light feel; non-comedogenic.
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Polyol conditioner and preservative booster at 0.5–3%; emollient feel, often paired with 1,2-hexanediol
- Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
- Mild amino-acid surfactant, poor solubility, pairs with fatty alcohols, fine foam.
- Disodium EDTA
- Chelating agent at 0.05–0.5%; sequesters metal ions for stability, boosts preservative efficacy
- Citric Acid
- Buffer and chelator at 0.1–2%; adjusts pH, may irritate sensitive skin at low pH
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-21. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
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