Purcell 24/7 Colostrum Pore Defense Ampoule Versus Sunday Riley Pink Drink Firming Resurfacing Essence
This anti-aging essence is formulated around Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate and Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Bifida Ferment Lysate 3.6%
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate 3.6%
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Pichia Ferment Lysate Filtrate
HumectantSaccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Colostrum
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Milk Lipids
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDiphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
ChelatingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Magnesium Chloride
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Bifida Ferment Lysate 3.6%, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate 3.6%, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Pichia Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Colostrum, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Xylitol, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Milk Lipids, Betaine, Panthenol, Glucose, Glycerin, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Adenosine, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Magnesium Chloride, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Water
Skin ConditioningYeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Honey Extract
Humectant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSea Water
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Zymomonas Ferment Extract
HumectantPrunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Extract
Perfuming
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract
Masking
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentRosa Damascena Extract
MaskingMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-6
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
ChelatingWater, Yeast Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Honey Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Seed Extract, Sea Water, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Zymomonas Ferment Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Phytosphingosine, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Triethyl Citrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Peel Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Polyglycerin-6, Glycerin, Saccharide Isomerate, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Maltodextrin, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Alcohol, Sodium Phytate
Reviews
Alternatives
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
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineChlorella Vulgaris Extract comes from a single-celled green freshwater algae.
The version used in skincare is almost always a water or glycerin-based extract that is basically the algae's amino acids, peptides, sugars, and chlorophyll pigments.
It acts as a skin-conditioning agent and the research behind it at this time is mostly lab-dish rather than human trials.
Isolated Chlorella peptides inhibit collagenase and elastase (the enzymes that chew up collagen and elastin) and mop up free radicals in test-tube assays. Another study found a Chlorella gel sped up wound healing in mice. Many of the firming or dark-circle claims come from the ingredient supplier's own studies.
Suppliers suggest using 1-2% of the trade version (Water/Glycerin + Chlorella Vulgaris Extract) in a finished formula which means the actual algae solids are a fraction of a percent.
Allergy risk is low and topical reactions are rare; the 2020 anaphylaxis case came from eating Chlorella supplements and not from putting it on skin.
However, patch testing is sensible if you have reacted to algae before.
The "chlorella is high in iodine so it breaks you out" line borrows from marine seaweed. Freshwater Chlorella isn't a notable iodine source unless it's deliberately grown in iodine-enriched medium.
Just so you know, many lists give algae a comedogenic rating of 5 and that number doesn't come from anywhere; it's not in the original rabbit-ear studies that most comedogenic ratings trace back to.
The reasoning behind the reputation is that seaweed is high in iodine and iodine can trigger acne-like breakouts when eaten. This traces back to a 1976 letter in Archives of Dermatology describing two women whose breakouts cleared after they stopped taking high-dose kelp supplements orally.
And the reaction of these two women wasn't clogged pores at all: it was an iodine-triggered pustular rash. Later research found normal dietary iodine doesn't meaningfully affect acne either and nobody has shown topical algae delivers enough iodine to matter.
Learn more about Chlorella Vulgaris ExtractEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinSodium Phytate is the sodium salt of Phytic acid, a compound that plants store phosphorus in. It's the plant-derived alternative to ingredients like Disodium EDTA.
In skincare, this ingredient is a chelator that grabs onto trace metal ions like iron and copper that sneak into formulas through water/raw materials.
Those metals speed up oxidation so binding them keeps oils, fragrance, and actives from going off, stops color changes, and helps the preservative system work harder.
Survey data shows usage levels range from 0.0099%-0.5% in leave-on products, 0.025%-0.3% in rinse-off, and up to 0.05% in eye-area products. Suppliers typically recommend a range between 0.05-0.5%.
Learn more about Sodium PhytateWater. 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
