What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Himanthalia Elongata Extract
Skin Protecting
Water, Propylene Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Himanthalia Elongata Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningDextran
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Betaine
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Dextran, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Propanediol, Betaine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium PCA, Polysorbate 20, Panthenol, Allantoin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is also known as pal-GHK. It is made up of 3 amino acids and palmitic acid, a fatty acid that helps it absorb into skin more easily.
This peptide is as a signal peptide, meaning it tells the skin to produce more collagen. Collagen is the key protein that helps form the skin's structure and keep it plump, firm, and hydrated.
By boosting collagen production, this ingredient supports a stronger skin barrier and helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
You'll most likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex. While results from in-house testing should be viewed cautiously, this peptide duo is among the most studied and widely used in modern skincare.
Due to its palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be safe for Malassezia folliculitis.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1Phenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTripeptide-1, also known as GHK), is a small, three-amino-acid peptide made up of glycine, histidine, and lysine.
This ingredient is a signal peptide and tell your skin to start producing fresh collagen, elastin, and other key structural proteins. This helps maintain firmness and reduces the look of fine-lines/wrinkles.
GHK is also unique because is also acts as a carrier peptide. It binds to and transports copper ions (forming the complex GHK-Cu). This form has been studied for decades and is known to stimulate wound healing, boost antioxidant defenses, and promote collagen/elastin synthesis.
In-vitro studies show both GHK and GHK-CU increase fibroblast activity that enhances the production of collagen, elastin, fibronectin, and other extracellular matrix components.
Both of these compounds also help balance enzymes that control collagen breakdown.
Human studies (in-vivo) using GHK-Cu creams have reported visible improvements to skin density, elasticity, and wrinkle depth after several weeks of use.
A small clinical study also found topical collagen tripeptide improved wrinkle appearance and skin elasticity in women after four weeks.
While these results are promising, most research is based on GHK-Cu or its derivatives rather than Tripeptide-1 alone (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a famous derivative of GHK). However, the consensus still supports GHK as a potent skin-signaling molecule that can encourage regeneration and maintain youthful looking skin.
Fun fact: GHK is a naturally occurring fragment of type 1 collagen that can be found in human plasma, saliva, and urine.
Learn more about Tripeptide-1Water. 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 Water
