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 brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Ectoin to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
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
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Betaine
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Bark/Fruit Extract
AntimicrobialEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract
MaskingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Creatine
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Tetraselmis Suecica Extract
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Polysorbate 20, Niacinamide, Betaine, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Punica Granatum Bark/Fruit Extract, Ectoin, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Creatine, Trehalose, Sodium Lactate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, PCA, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Ferulic Acid, Maltodextrin, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Tetraselmis Suecica Extract, Glutamic Acid, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Proline, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethyl Isosorbide (often shortened to DMI) is a sugar-derived solvent made from sorbitol. It's used to dissolve tricky ingredients and help them mix smoothly into a formula.
Many actives sit as gritty crystals when undissolved, so DMI swoops in to full dissolve them. This helps improve texture, stability, and how evenly an active is distributed.
It does have a penetration-enhancing reputation that is a bit more nuanced than marketing suggests; a cell study on human skin found that 10% DMI didn't significantly boost the permeation of Hydroquinone, Salicylic Acid, or Octadecenedioic Acid compared to controls (though it did improve their solubility in the formula itself).
Typical usage concentrations usually range from 1-10% depending on the formula's needs; this ingredient is also well tolerated at these levels.
Learn more about Dimethyl IsosorbideEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinThis 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-38Propanediol 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
