This anti-aging serum is formulated around Bakuchiol and Sodium DNA to soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging ampoule is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycol
HumectantSqualane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin
AbsorbentSodium Phytate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningAnemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Sodium DNA
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glycol, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Dextrin, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Cyanocobalamin, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Bakuchiol, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sodium DNA, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Water, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tromethamine, Sodium Lactate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Panthenol, Madecassoside, Centella Asiatica Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineThis ingredient is more commonly known as Zhi Mu root. You might see this ingredient listed under 'Volufiline' products.
That's because 'Volufiline' is comprised of this ingredient and Hydrogenated Polyisobutene.
Zhi Mu root is rich in sarsasapogenin. This compound has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
It is commonly used in East Asian medicine.
Learn more about Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root ExtractButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.
In one study, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene showed better skin hydration levels than Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. As an emollient, it helps keep your skin soft and hydrated by trapping moisture in.
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is often used as a mineral oil replacement.
Learn more about Hydrogenated PolyisobutenePalmitoyl 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.
Tromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
