What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientBisabolol
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Pullulan
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLecithin
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Copper Tripeptide-1, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Ceramide AP, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Bisabolol, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Glycine, Pullulan, Sodium Lactate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Gluconate, Madecassoside, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Phytosphingosine, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sclerotium Gum, Maltodextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Proline, Xanthan Gum, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hydroxide, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Alcohol, Alcohol Denat.
Reviews
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-8Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCopper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a skin repairing ingredient known for its ability to boost collagen, improve firmness, and support skin regeneration.
It is a complex made up of a naturally occurring peptide (glycine-histidine-lysine) and copper, an essential trace element.
While studying wound healing, researchers noticed GHK-Cu stimulated hair follicle enlargement and growth by keeping hair in its active growth phase longer. This has made it a promising ingredient for hair regrowth treatments.
Some people have reported increased facial hair. While GHK-Cu can make your hair follicles bigger, it usually doesn’t turn soft, barely-visible facial hairs into thick, dark ones.
Anecdotal reports suggest that overusing copper peptides might lead to premature aging due to excess free copper or enzyme imbalances. This claim isn’t backed by large-scale studies.
Unfortunately, there are limited human studies for this ingredient. While early results are promising, many studies are either small, in-vitro, or not rigorously controlled.
For example, there is a 1998 study that explored the effects of copper tripeptide, vitamin C, tretinoin, and melatonin on skin repair and collagen synthesis.
After one month, increased procollagen production was seen in 7 out of 10 participants using copper tripeptide (more than those using vitamin C, melatonin, or tretinoin.
While the study was exploratory, it offers early evidence that copper tripeptide may support collagen production. Larger, well-designed trials are still needed to confirm its potential and understand individual responses.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Copper Tripeptide-1Glycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
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 PropanediolWater. 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
