ALASTIN vs SkinCeuticals: the short answer
Pick SkinCeuticals if you want printed active percentages and clinical studies with published sample sizes. Pick ALASTIN if you want labels with no fragrance and no denatured alcohol across the line, and a routine built on peptides.
ALASTIN and SkinCeuticals both sell professional anti-aging skincare, mostly through dermatology and plastic surgery offices and their own sites. This comparison covers six head-to-head pairs, 12 products priced from $81 to $258. It is a label-and-data comparison, not a hands-on test. Every price, ingredient list, and result below comes from each brand's US site, read on October 6, 2026.
The two brands publish very different amounts of detail. SkinCeuticals prints concentrations such as 15% L-ascorbic acid, 0.5% retinol, and 18% Proxylane, and gives the size, ages, and length of most of its studies. ALASTIN prints no concentration for any of the six products here, and most of its published numbers are participant self-assessments or cite data on file. The labels tip the other way: none of the six ALASTIN products lists fragrance or denatured alcohol, while four of the six SkinCeuticals products list fragrance, essential oils, or denatured alcohol.
Choose this if
- Choose SkinCeuticals if you want to know how much of each active you are paying for. C E Ferulic lists 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% vitamin E, and 0.5% ferulic acid, and Retinol 0.5 states 0.5% pure retinol.
- Choose ALASTIN if fragrance or denatured alcohol bothers your skin. None of its six products here lists either one.
- Choose ALASTIN for a peptide routine. Restorative Skin Complex and the eye and neck creams share the brand's TriHex peptide blend.
- Choose SkinCeuticals for value per ounce. It costs less per ounce in four of the six pairs, including the flagships.
Restorative Skin Complex vs A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced: which flagship?
ALASTIN Restorative Skin Complex is a peptide serum and SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced is a rich cream, so they fill different steps. A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced costs less than half as much per ounce and comes with a published clinical study.
| Restorative Skin Complex with TriHex+ | A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced Cream | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and size (US) | $258 for 1.0 fl oz (29.6 ml) | $185 for 48 ml |
| Price per ounce | $257.77 | $113.98 |
| Format | Serum, 1 to 2 pumps morning and evening | Whipped cream for face, neck, and chest, morning and evening |
| Key actives | TriHex+ peptide blend with Octapeptide-45, magnolol, niacinamide (3rd ingredient), ceramides; no percentages published | 18% Proxylane, 4.25% wild fruit flavonoids, 3% HEPES, 1% niacinamide |
| Fragrance | None listed | Yes, 32nd ingredient, plus limonene, coumarin, and linalool |
| Denatured alcohol | Not listed | Not listed |
| Published results | Self-assessments, no sample size or study length | 12-week clinical study of 77 women |
ALASTIN describes Restorative Skin Complex as a daily peptide serum for texture, tone, volume, hydration, and elasticity. The current version adds Octapeptide-45 to the brand's TriHex peptide blend, now called TriHex+, along with magnolol, which ALASTIN says supports the look of plumpness. ALASTIN prints no concentration for the peptides or for niacinamide, which sits third on the list. Its published figures for this serum are participant self-assessments marked data on file, with no sample size or study length, so they show how users felt rather than how much their skin changed.
A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced is built on 18% Proxylane, the second ingredient, plus 4.25% blueberry and pomegranate flavonoids and 3% HEPES. SkinCeuticals tested it for 12 weeks on 77 women ages 35 to 75, Fitzpatrick types I to VI, who used it twice daily with sunscreen. Reported results:
- 14% reduction in global fine lines
- 11.5% reduction in forehead wrinkles
- 11% reduction in nasolabial folds
- 7% reduction each in marionette wrinkles, glabellar wrinkles, and crow's feet lines
The gains are small, but SkinCeuticals measured them and prints the protocol. The page also reports results from pairing the cream with in-office treatments, and those figures do not describe the cream on its own.
C-RADICAL Defense vs C E Ferulic: which vitamin C serum?
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic costs $33 less, prints its vitamin C percentage, and has a 16-week clinical study behind it. ALASTIN C-RADICAL Defense uses encapsulated sodium ascorbate with a long list of supporting antioxidants, for morning and evening use.
| C-RADICAL Defense Antioxidant Serum | C E Ferulic with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and size (US) | $218 for 1.0 fl oz (29.6 ml) | $185 for 30 ml |
| Price per ounce | $217.80 | $182.37 |
| Vitamin C | Encapsulated sodium ascorbate (6th ingredient); no percentage published | 15% L-ascorbic acid |
| Other named actives | Ectoin, ubiquinone, physalis angulata, green tea, carnosine, centella asiatica | 1% vitamin E, 0.5% ferulic acid, 0.3% carnosine, 1% dandelion root extract |
| When to use | Morning and evening, 1 to 2 pumps | Mornings, 4 to 5 drops |
| Fragrance | None listed; ALASTIN calls it scent-free | None listed |
| Denatured alcohol | Not listed | Not listed |
| Published results | Figures cite data on file, with no method or sample size | 16-week clinical study of 50 people |
SkinCeuticals reports a 32% reduction in the appearance of wrinkles, 31% more firmness, and 42% more even tone from a 16-week clinical study of 50 Caucasian men and women ages 40 to 60, run in the US in 2013. A 2005 study found that ferulic acid stabilizes a solution of vitamins C and E and doubles its photoprotection of skin. That supports the base combination for photoprotection, not wrinkle results. C E Ferulic is a dropper liquid, and SkinCeuticals says its color ranges from clear to pale yellow or amber and darkens over time.
ALASTIN reports up to 74% less free-radical effect in skin, a 71% reduction in the appearance of uneven texture, a 69% reduction in the appearance of redness, and a 50% reduction in the appearance of fine lines. All four figures cite data on file, with no method, sample size, or study length. C-RADICAL Defense delivers vitamin C as sodium ascorbate in an encapsulated system and pairs it with ectoin, ubiquinone, and green tea.
Renewal Retinol vs Retinol 0.5: which retinol?
ALASTIN Renewal Retinol costs $9 less and lists no denatured alcohol. SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 is the only one of the two that prints its retinol percentage.
| Renewal Retinol | Retinol 0.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and size (US) | $81 for 1.0 fl oz (29.6 ml), either strength | $90 for 30 ml |
| Price per ounce | $80.93 | $88.72 |
| Retinol | Lipid-encapsulated retinol, sold as 0.25 Strength and 0.5 Strength; no percent sign printed | 0.5% pure retinol |
| Supporting ingredients | Niacinamide, oat kernel extract, bisabolol, ceramide NP, hydroxymethoxyphenyl decanone | Bisabolol and boswellia serrata |
| Fragrance | None listed | None listed |
| Denatured alcohol | Not listed | 5th ingredient |
| Directions | Evenings, 1 pump, starting 2 to 3 nights a week | Evenings, a pea-sized amount, starting once or twice a week |
| Published results | None; before-and-after photos only | None; the brand says results typically show after 12 to 24 weeks |
Matching "0.5" names do not mean matching strengths. ALASTIN prints its strengths as 0.5 Strength and Retinol .5, with no unit, so the label does not confirm a 0.5% concentration. ALASTIN says one pump a night makes the airless bottle last about four and a half months.
Both brands tell you to build up slowly at night. SkinCeuticals says its retinol creams should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and ALASTIN tells pregnant or breastfeeding readers to ask their health care provider. Retinoids as a class have independent support, including a 2007 study on improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol). That is ingredient research, not a test of either product. Our retinol guide covers how to start.
HA IMMERSE vs H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan: which hyaluronic acid serum?
SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan costs less, prints 1.3% hyaluronic acid, and reports clinical results. ALASTIN HA IMMERSE lists no denatured alcohol or citrus oil and adds two peptides.
| HA IMMERSE Serum | Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier Multi-Glycan | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and size (US) | $134 for 1.0 fl oz (29.6 ml) | $120 for 30 ml |
| Price per ounce | $133.88 | $118.29 |
| Hyaluronic acid | Sodium hyaluronate and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer; no percentage published | 1.3% hyaluronic acid |
| Other named actives | Octapeptide-45, Hexapeptide-11, silver mushroom (tremella) extract | 12% Proxylane, 2% soybean ferment, 2% licorice root extract, 0.2% purple rice extract |
| Fragrance | None listed | None listed; mandarin orange peel oil (30th) and limonene (31st) listed |
| Denatured alcohol | Not listed | 4th ingredient |
| Directions | 1 to 2 pumps as the first step after cleansing, morning and evening | 4 to 6 drops, once or twice daily |
SkinCeuticals ran a 12-week clinical study of 81 women ages 35 to 65, Fitzpatrick types I to VI. It reports fine lines visibly filled by 24% at 12 weeks, and 10% more visible plumpness and radiance 15 minutes after applying.
ALASTIN's percentages for HA IMMERSE come from participant questionnaires at weeks 2 and 4. A photo caption on the page cites a 46-person multi-center clinical evaluation, but the page does not tie its percentages to that study. Both serums rely on hyaluronic acid for hydration, and ALASTIN adds Octapeptide-45, which it says supports the skin's own hyaluronic acid production.
Restorative Eye Complex vs A.G.E. Advanced Eye: which eye cream?
SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye has the larger, double-blind study and lists caffeine for puffiness. ALASTIN Restorative Eye Complex costs less per ounce and holds 3 ml more.
| Restorative Eye Complex with TriHex Technology | A.G.E. Advanced Eye | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and size (US) | $128 for 0.6 fl oz (18 ml) | $125 for 15 ml |
| Price per ounce | $210.30 | $246.45 |
| Key actives | TriHex peptides, niacinamide, mimosa tree extract and darutoside, sodium hyaluronate; no percentages published | 7.15% Proxylane, 4.25% flavonoid blend, 3% Matrixyl 3000 peptides, 0.5% caffeine |
| Instant effect | Light-diffusing microspheres | Optical diffusers |
| Fragrance | None listed; benzyl alcohol 36th of 52 ingredients | None listed |
| Published results | 12-week study of 10 people ages 30 to 60, self-assessed | 8-week double-blind clinical study of 89 women |
SkinCeuticals reports, from an 8-week double-blind study of 89 women ages 35 to 65, Fitzpatrick types I to VI: an 18% improvement in the look of crow's feet, 20% in dark circles, 23% in under-eye wrinkles, and 24% in puffiness. The ingredient list SkinCeuticals publishes for this cream does not name Proxylane, though the page advertises 7.15%, so check the carton if you track ingredients. Caffeine is the puffiness ingredient here.
ALASTIN's eye figures come from 10 people ages 30 to 60 who rated their own eyes after 12 weeks. The cream was previously sold as Restorative Eye Treatment, and some pages on alastin.com still use that name. Our under-eye wrinkles guide covers the rest of an eye routine.
Restorative Neck Complex vs Tripeptide-R Neck Repair: which neck cream?
SkinCeuticals Tripeptide-R Neck Repair costs $22 less, prints three active percentages including 0.2% retinol, and has a 16-week clinical study. ALASTIN Restorative Neck Complex is retinol-free and lists no fragrance or essential oils.
| Restorative Neck Complex with TriHex Technology | Tripeptide-R Neck Repair | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and size (US) | $158 for 1.7 fl oz (50 ml) | $136 for 50 ml |
| Price per ounce | $93.45 | $80.44 |
| Key actives | TriHex peptides, niacinamide, ceramide NP, phytoene and phytofluene, flax seed extract; no percentages published | 0.2% retinol, 2.5% tripeptide concentrate, 5.0% glaucine complex |
| Fragrance and essential oils | None listed | Lavender, rosemary, and peppermint oils plus linalool |
| Directions | 1 pump morning and evening | Starts at night and builds to twice daily as tolerated |
| Published results | None with figures | 16-week clinical study of 50 women |
SkinCeuticals tested Tripeptide-R on 50 women ages 40 to 60 who used it nightly, then twice daily, with sunscreen. After 16 weeks it reports a 27% average improvement in neck crepiness, 28% in smoothness, 16% in horizontal neck lines, 16% in firmness, and 13% in the look of sagging. Because it contains retinol, the page carries a sun-sensitivity warning. It prints no pregnancy warning.
ALASTIN calls Restorative Neck Complex clinically proven but publishes no figures for it. One pump twice a day lasts about two months, according to the brand. Our guide to neck wrinkles covers the rest of a neck routine, and our best neck firming creams ranking compares more options.
Neither neck cream lifts skin the way a procedure does, and our lifting vs firming cream guide explains what those words on the label can mean.
Is ALASTIN medical-grade?
"Medical-grade" is a marketing label, not an FDA category, and it describes ALASTIN and SkinCeuticals in the same way. Both brands sell mainly through dermatology and plastic surgery offices and their own websites, and none of the 12 products here is a prescription product. Judge either brand by its label and its published data.
Are ALASTIN and SkinCeuticals the same company?
No. ALASTIN, founded in Carlsbad, California, in 2015, belongs to Galderma, which completed its acquisition in 2022, and its new packaging reads ALASTIN by Galderma. SkinCeuticals has been owned by L'Oréal since 2005. Our SkinMedica vs SkinCeuticals comparison covers another professional brand against SkinCeuticals.
Which is cheaper, ALASTIN or SkinCeuticals?
SkinCeuticals costs less per ounce in four of the six pairs, and ALASTIN is cheaper per ounce for retinol and for eye cream.
| Product | Price | Size | Per ounce |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALASTIN Restorative Skin Complex with TriHex+ | $258 | 29.6 ml | $257.77 |
| ALASTIN C-RADICAL Defense Antioxidant Serum | $218 | 29.6 ml | $217.80 |
| ALASTIN Restorative Eye Complex | $128 | 18 ml | $210.30 |
| ALASTIN HA IMMERSE Serum | $134 | 29.6 ml | $133.88 |
| ALASTIN Restorative Neck Complex | $158 | 50 ml | $93.45 |
| ALASTIN Renewal Retinol | $81 | 29.6 ml | $80.93 |
| SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye | $125 | 15 ml | $246.45 |
| SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic | $185 | 30 ml | $182.37 |
| SkinCeuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier Multi-Glycan | $120 | 30 ml | $118.29 |
| SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced | $185 | 48 ml | $113.98 |
| SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 | $90 | 30 ml | $88.72 |
| SkinCeuticals Tripeptide-R Neck Repair | $136 | 50 ml | $80.44 |
Prices were read from alastin.com and skinceuticals.com on October 6, 2026. Both brands took 5% off with a subscription and added free shipping. Sales and sets change these numbers.
Which is better for sensitive skin, ALASTIN or SkinCeuticals?
ALASTIN, going by the labels: none of its six products lists fragrance or denatured alcohol, while four of the six SkinCeuticals products list fragrance, essential oils, or denatured alcohol.
| Product | Fragrance listed | Fragrance allergens or oils named | Denatured alcohol |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALASTIN Restorative Skin Complex | No | None | Not listed |
| ALASTIN C-RADICAL Defense | No | None | Not listed |
| ALASTIN Renewal Retinol | No | None | Not listed |
| ALASTIN HA IMMERSE | No | None | Not listed |
| ALASTIN Restorative Eye Complex | No | Benzyl alcohol, 36th of 52 | Not listed |
| ALASTIN Restorative Neck Complex | No | None | Not listed |
| SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced | Yes, 32nd ingredient | Limonene, coumarin, linalool | Not listed |
| SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic | No | None | Not listed |
| SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 | No | None | 5th ingredient |
| SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan | No | Mandarin orange peel oil, limonene | 4th ingredient |
| SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye | No | None in the published list | Not listed |
| SkinCeuticals Tripeptide-R Neck Repair | No | Lavender, rosemary, and peppermint oils, linalool | Not listed |
On the SkinCeuticals side, C E Ferulic and A.G.E. Advanced Eye list neither fragrance nor denatured alcohol. The Retinol 0.5 page shows an alcohol-free badge while its ingredient list includes alcohol denat., so read the list itself if alcohol bothers your skin. Patch-test either brand, and start any retinol slowly.
How do you layer ALASTIN or SkinCeuticals products?
Go from thinnest to thickest, with vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night. ALASTIN's own order of use runs cleanser, HA IMMERSE, Restorative Skin Complex, A-LUMINATE, Renewal Retinol, eye cream, moisturizer, Restorative Neck Complex, and sunscreen, with Renewal Retinol at night only. SkinCeuticals says to apply C E Ferulic in the morning after cleansing and before other products, and Retinol 0.5 in the evening. Our skincare routine order guide covers the general rules.
What we would buy
- Vitamin C with a published percentage and study: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic.
- A peptide serum with no fragrance or denatured alcohol: ALASTIN Restorative Skin Complex.
- A wrinkle cream with a published protocol, if fragrance does not bother you: SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced.
- Retinol with a stated percentage: SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5.
- Retinol with no denatured alcohol for $9 less: ALASTIN Renewal Retinol.
- Hyaluronic acid with a clinical study: SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier Multi-Glycan.
- An eye cream with a double-blind study: SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye.
- A neck cream with no retinol or essential oils: ALASTIN Restorative Neck Complex.
- A neck cream with retinol and a clinical study: SkinCeuticals Tripeptide-R Neck Repair.
Also weighing Obagi or ZO Skin Health? Our Obagi vs ZO Skin Health comparison uses the same label-and-data method.
Sources
- ALASTIN product pages and ingredient lists for Restorative Skin Complex with TriHex+, C-RADICAL Defense Antioxidant Serum, Renewal Retinol, HA IMMERSE Serum, Restorative Eye Complex, and Restorative Neck Complex, alastin.com, captured October 6, 2026
- SkinCeuticals product pages and ingredient lists for A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced, C E Ferulic with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid, Retinol 0.5, Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier Multi-Glycan, A.G.E. Advanced Eye, and Tripeptide-R Neck Repair, skinceuticals.com, captured October 6, 2026
- Lin FH et al. Ferulic acid stabilizes a solution of vitamins C and E and doubles its photoprotection of skin. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2005 (PMID 16185284)
- Kafi R et al. Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol). Archives of Dermatology, 2007 (PMID 17515510)
Editor's update
Published October 6, 2026. Prices, sizes, full ingredient lists, and brand test results were read from alastin.com and skinceuticals.com on that date. ALASTIN now sells its flagship as Restorative Skin Complex with TriHex+ and its eye cream as Restorative Eye Complex, formerly Restorative Eye Treatment. ALASTIN prints Renewal Retinol strengths as 0.25 Strength and 0.5 Strength with no percent sign, and publishes no concentrations for the other five products. SkinCeuticals prints sizes in milliliters only. The ingredient list SkinCeuticals publishes for A.G.E. Advanced Eye does not name Proxylane, which the page advertises at 7.15%. These gaps are noted, not estimated.
