What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Sodium Phytate, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tocopherol, Collagen Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantUrea
BufferingCarnosine
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Polyglyceryl-3 Cetyl Ether
EmulsifyingTremella Fuciformis Extract
HumectantBetaine
HumectantEpigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
AntioxidantResveratrol
AntioxidantAstaxanthin
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Octapeptide-3
HumectantDipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin ConditioningTrifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-10 Citrulline
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Camellia Sinensis Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride
AntioxidantDimethylmethoxy Chromanol
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin ConditioningSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-9 Diglycidyl Ether/Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantIsohexadecane
EmollientCitrus Reticulata Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinal
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Urea, Carnosine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Cetyl Ether, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Betaine, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Resveratrol, Astaxanthin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Tripeptide-10 Citrulline, Palmitoyl Camellia Sinensis Extract, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Superoxide Dismutase, Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-9 Diglycidyl Ether/Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Isohexadecane, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Retinal, Chlorphenesin
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (also known as Argireline) is a synthetic hexapeptide that is often called a "topical Botox alternative".
It works by mimicking how Botox relaxes muscles; it interferes with the signaling process that tells your facial muscles to contract. This can help soften expression lines like forehead wrinkles or crow's feet over time.
The comparison to Botox does have limits because the molecule is water-loving and relatively large.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 has a hard time absorbing deeply enough through the skin's outer barrier to actually reach the muscles.
So whether it truly works the way Botox does at a biological level is still up for debate, but early clinical outcomes are fairly encouraging.
A 12 week human study of a multi-ingredient regimen containing this ingredient saw:
While some studies have observed improvements in wrinkle appearance, it is important to note that more consistent results are seen in multi-ingredient formulations (vs just Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 alone).
Some research studies also used higher concentrations (up to 10%) while this ingredient is usually found in concentrations up to 0.005% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about Acetyl Hexapeptide-8Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinYou might know this ingredient as Matrixyl. It is a synthetic peptide made up of five amino acids attached to a palmitic acid, a fatty acid that helps it absorb into skin more easily.
As a signal peptide, Matrixyl acts like a little messenger. Once it reaches your skin cells, it tells them to ramp up production of collagen, elastin, and other proteins that keep skin looking firm and smooth.
A 12 week clinical study found that a moisturizer containing just 3 ppm of Matrixyl led to a significant improvement in fine-lines and wrinkles. Another study showed an 18% reduction in wrinkle depth, 37% reduction in wrinkle thickness, and a 21% improvement in skin firmness after just 28 days of twice-daily use.
The coolest part is that it works at incredibly low concentrations (like 0.0003%) and it plays well with other actives.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel found it to be non-sensitizing across multiple tests and human patch tests also showed no irritation or sensitization.
Fun fact: Matrixyl was originally developed by French company Sederma and Procter & Gamble.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum