Head to head
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum vs Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6
Same comparison whichever way you searched it: Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 vs CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum.
The bottom lineCeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum and Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 are close on what they deliver, so it comes down to your skin: CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the kinder pick for sensitive or reactive skin since it is fragrance-free.
Answer nine questions and the app picks between them for your skin.
Cost per use
€0.11 an applicationabout 150 uses from 30 ml
a usual amount, not a measured dose: 3-5 drops, about 0.2 ml; from €16 as read in September 2026 and a 30 ml pack.
how this is counted
About €0.11 an application, about 150 uses from 30 ml.
- a convention: no trial has measured a serum dose
- Measured or assumed: the rule, and the dose table
€0.57 an applicationabout 150 uses from 30 ml
a usual amount, not a measured dose: 3-5 drops, about 0.2 ml; from €86 as read in September 2026 and a 30 ml pack.
how this is counted
About €0.57 an application, about 150 uses from 30 ml.
- a convention: no trial has measured a serum dose
- Measured or assumed: the rule, and the dose table
Per application, CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the cheaper: €0.11 against €0.57.
Which should you pick?
Pick Resurfacing Retinol Serum if
- you are dealing with breakouts and oiliness
- your barrier feels stressed and needs the support
- your skin is sensitive or reacts to fragrance
Pick Crystal Retinal 6 if
- plump, lasting hydration is what you want
What each delivers
Side by side
| Resurfacing Retinol Serum | Crystal Retinal 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Serum | Serum |
| Key actives | Niacinamide, Ceramide 3, Retinol | Glycerin, Retinal, Squalane |
| Texture | A light, fast-absorbing texture that layers cleanly under the rest of your routine, with no greasy film. | A rich, cushiony cream that sinks in slowly. |
| Fragrance | None detected | Contains fragrance |
| Feeds Malassezia | 5 measured / 1 inferred | 4 measured / 3 inferred |
| Pregnancy | One caution | One caution |
| Ingredients | 33 listed | 47 listed |
| Price | ~€16 | ~€86 |
What's in one but not the other
The two labels share 6 of the 74 ingredients between them. The actives are where they part company.
What each one adds acts on The living epidermis, The stratum corneum for CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum and The stratum corneum, The living epidermis, Not established for Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6. That is the layer each is understood to act on, not how deep it travels.
Only in CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Both
Only in Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 is a different bottle only for: glycerin, retinal, squalane, thd ascorbate, caprylic/capric triglyceride.
Which keeps longer
a pump and one light-sensitive active: the packaging is doing work here.
where this comes from
The pack form is read off the packshot; the light-sensitive actives are the base's photostability rows, sourced on each glossary page; the period after opening is not read yet. Catalogue checked September 2026.
a tube and one light-sensitive active: the packaging is doing work here.
where this comes from
The pack form is read off the packshot; the light-sensitive actives are the base's photostability rows, sourced on each glossary page; the period after opening (not printed) is read off the maker's page, never a reseller's. Catalogue checked September 2026.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the one to keep if you use it slowly: a pump, one light-sensitive active.
Where each label stops telling you the dose
Ingredients are listed in order of how much is inside, but only down to 1%. Below that the brand may list them in any order it likes, so the bottom of a label is a set, not a ranking. These two stop being a ranking in very different places.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
ordered for its first 36%
- 1Aqua/Water/Eau
- 2Propanediol
- 3Dimethicone
- 4Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
- 5Niacinamide
- 6Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
- 7Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
- 8Hydrogenated Lecithin
- 9Potassium Phosphate
- 10Ceramide NP
- 11Ceramide AP
- 12Ceramide EOP
- 13Carbomer
- 14Cetearyl Alcohol
- 15Behentrimonium Methosulfate
- 16Dimethiconol
- 17Lecithin
- 18Sodium Citrate
- 19Retinol
- 20Sodium Hyaluronate
- 21Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
- 22Cholesterol
- 23Phenoxyethanol
- 24Alcohol
- 25Isopropyl Myristate
- 26Caprylyl Glycol
- 27Citric Acid
- 28Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
- 29Pentylene Glycol
- 30Phytosphingosine
- 31Xanthan Gum
- 32Polysorbate 20
- 33Ethylhexylglycerin
21 of 33 sit below the line, marked by Carbomer. Including what it is sold on: Retinol.
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6
ordered for its first 32%
- 1Aqua (Water)
- 2Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- 3Glycerin
- 4Isododecane
- 5Cetearyl Olivate
- 6Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
- 7Cetearyl Alcohol
- 8PPG-12/SMDI Copolymer
- 9Sorbitan Olivate
- 10Tocopheryl Acetate
- 11Titanium Dioxide
- 12Eclipta Prostrata Extract
- 13Cyclodextrin
- 14Squalane
- 15Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
- 16Phenoxyethanol
- 17Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
- 18Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
- 19Sodium Hyaluronate
- 20Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
- 21Rubus Chamaemorus (Cloudberry) Seed Oil
- 22Alumina
- 23Isostearic Acid
- 24Lecithin
- 25Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
- 26Polyhydroxystearic Acid
- 27Stearic Acid
- 28Pentylene Glycol
- 29Retinal
- 30Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
- 31Sodium Polyaspartate
- 32Climbazole
- 33Disodium EDTA
- 34Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract
- 35Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract
- 36Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil
- 37Ethylhexylglycerin
- 383-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
- 39Dipteryx Odorata (Tonka) Bean Extract
- 40Hydroxyacetophenone
- 41Polysorbate 60
- 42Sorbitan Isostearate
- 43Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Fruit Extract
- 44Decylene Glycol
- 451,2-Hexanediol
- 46BHT
- 47Coumarin
32 of 47 sit below the line, marked by Phenoxyethanol. Including what it is sold on: Retinal.
Below the line is not too little to work: ceramides, retinoids and peptides all act far under a percent. It means the position stops carrying information. Where the line falls is inferred from the first ingredient whose whole job is done at a fraction of a percent, so it is a close read of the label rather than a number from the formula sheet.
The molecule doing the work
Better for…
- Dark spots & uneven toneEither works
- Fine lines & firmnessEither works
- Breakouts & congestionResurfacing Retinol Serum
- Dryness & dehydrationCrystal Retinal 6
- Sensitive, reactive skinResurfacing Retinol Serum
Who each suits
- CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
- dry, combination, oily, sensitive, normal · avoid with breastfeeding, compromised barrier, pregnancy and very sensitive skin
- Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6
- dry, combination, oily, normal · avoid with very sensitive skin, acne-prone skin (at high strength), breastfeeding and compromised barrier
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the cheaper of the two (~€16 vs ~€86).
Ready to pick one?
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And if you keep both?
Most people reading a comparison are choosing. If you already own both, the question is a different one, and it has an answer.
Use these with care.
Not studied together, but two retinoids work on the same receptors: on one night that reads as one bigger dose of the same thing, more irritation, no more effect.
One a night, and keep two nights a week free of both.
Common questions
Is CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum or Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 better for breakouts & congestion?
For breakouts & congestion, CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the stronger pick by our read of the two formulas. CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum and Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 are close on what they deliver, so it comes down to your skin: CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the kinder pick for sensitive or reactive skin since it is fragrance-free.
Which is cheaper, CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum or Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6?
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the cheaper of the two (~€16 vs ~€86).
Can I use CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum and Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 together?
They are both serums, so you would normally pick one rather than layer both in the same step. You can keep both and alternate them (morning and night, or on different days) if you like variety, but you do not need two.
What the scene shows
The cross-section at the top of this page is not decoration and not a diagram of the skin in general: it places the molecules these two are sold on at the layer each is understood to act on. CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is placed by Niacinamide (the living epidermis), Ceramide 3 (the stratum corneum), Retinol (the living epidermis). Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 is placed by Glycerin (the stratum corneum), Retinal (the living epidermis), Squalane (the stratum corneum). A layer is where an ingredient does its work, never how deep it travels, and never a claim about how well it works.
Compare it with…
54 duels are built for this serum, The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion and Celimax The Vita A Retinal Shot Tightening Booster among them: type a name, or pick one below.