This anti-aging serum is formulated around Copper Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventEthoxydiglycol
HumectantIsostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Caprylate
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-10 Citrulline
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Propanediol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ethoxydiglycol, Isostearyl Isostearate, Propylene Glycol Caprylate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Tripeptide-10 Citrulline, Lecithin, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Gluconolactone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cellulose Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Phenethyl Alcohol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPalmitoyl 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.
This 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-38Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a synthetic signal lipopeptide. This just means it is a three amino acid chain bolted onto a palmitic acid tail so it can slip through the skin's lipid barrier.
This peptide has a "build more, lose less" approach.
It's designed to mimic the collagen-stimulating activity in your skin by copying a snippet of one of your skin's own matrix proteins. This nudges fibroblasts into making more collagen while inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down skin protein.
The manufacturer's in vivo study of 45 volunteers found 1% and 2.5% reduced the appearance of wrinkles by 7% and 12% respectively, after using it twice daily for 84 days.
This is in the expected range for peptides; they're slow and cumulative actives and not overnight fixers.
Typical use levels range from 1-3% and this ingredient gets along with pretty much everything.
On the fungal acne front:
Although palmitic acid sits in the chain length that Malassezia can feed on, this ingredient has it locked in an amine bond. This makes it hard for Malassezia to access as a source of food, and therefore fungal acne safe.
Propanediol 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
