What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Sodium Isostearate
CleansingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sclerotium Gum, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Sodium PCA, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Sodium Isostearate, Sodium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingDunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Tetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Pentapeptide-18
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Pantolactone
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPolyvinyl Alcohol
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14
Skin Conditioning
Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Inulin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Carnosine, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tetrapeptide-21, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Pantolactone, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Phenylpropanol, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum
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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylateThis ingredient is used in skincare as a delivery system.
It works by "encapsulating" active ingredients with its unique ring shape that is water-loving on the outside and oil-loving on the inside. This improves the stability and absorption of the product into the skin.
According to a manufacturer, it also offer some moisturizing effects.
Learn more about Hydroxypropyl CyclodextrinThis synthetic, signal peptide has unique skin conditioning properties in that is a matrikine-mimetic compound.
First of all, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 is a signal peptide; signal peptides tell the body to create more collagen.
What is a matrikine-mimetic compound?
This peptide has the ability to mimic matrikines in skin. Our skin created matrikines by breaking down matrix proteins into peptides.
Matrikines play a role in:
Though further research is needed, this ingredient seems pretty promising. In one study, women over the age of 40 with visible photoaging used a vitamin C serum with this ingredient for 56 days (15% ascorbid acid, 5 ppm palmitoyl tripeptide‐38). The results found improvement in skin roughness and skin tone.
This peptide is also part of the famous Matrixyl synthe’6, a blend of ingredients that also includes glycerin, water, and hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin.
Learn more about Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38Water. 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
