Versus

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid + Collagen + Niacinamide Activating Serum Versus PCA Skin Exlinea Peptide Smoothing Serum

Serum
Serum
Canadian Brand Canada
American Brand United States

Updated on May 02, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid, peptides and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Barrier+ Triple Lipid + Collagen + Niacinamide Activating Serum

Water

Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate

Emollient

Propanediol

Solvent

Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters

Skin Conditioning
Oil Icon

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconGood for Oily Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Squalene

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Skin Conditioning
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Amylopectin

Lecithin

Emollient

Phytosteryl Macadamiate

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Collagen Amino Acids

Moisturising
Helps with Anti-Aging Icon

Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Oligopeptide-3

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Oligopeptide-2

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Oligopeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Hexapeptide-11

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Folic Acid

Skin Conditioning

Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Skin Conditioning

Lactic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Phospholipids

Skin Conditioning

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Phytosterols

Skin Conditioning

Phytosphingosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Ceramide AP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Myrica Cerifera Fruit Extract

Humectant

Akebia Quinata Stem Extract

Skin Conditioning

Prunus Lannesiana Flower Extract

Skin Conditioning

Saccharomyces Lysate

Skin Conditioning

Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Tripeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Ceramide EOP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Polyglutamic Acid

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant Icon

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Emulsifying

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Hexylene Glycol

Emulsifying
0-2 / 0-1

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Acetyl Glutamine

Skin Conditioning

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Antimicrobial
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Hydroxyacetophenone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning

Dextran

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Emollient, Skin Conditioning

Squalene is naturally found in plants and animals, including our skin and sebum. It is a lipid our bodies naturally produce and makes up about 10-12% of the oil on our skin. Our skin produces squalene to keep itself naturally hydrated.

This ingredient is a potent antioxidant and can help fight against skin damage.

Sources of squalene include olives and rice bran. Some sources may be animals such as from shark liver.

Squalane comes from squalene and is created using hydrogenation. Squalane is lighter than squalene.

Hydrogenation is the conversion from unsaturated oil to saturated oil. This makes squalane more stable and have a longer shelf life than squalene.

Read more about squalane with an "a".

Learn more about Squalene
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning

Phytosterols come from plants, nuts, and whole grains. These compounds have skin soothing and moisturizing properties.

Fun fact: They are similar to cholesterol and can help lower cholesterol levels.

Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol
Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol
Masking, Preservative

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Benzoate
Preservative

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Learn more about Potassium Sorbate
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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 
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

When to use

107 Routines
51% use in am
49% use in pm
94% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
2 Routines
50% use in am
50% use in pm
100% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid + Collagen + Niacinamide Activating Serum 55 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 5 ratings
Expensive (2) Works Well (2) Absorbs Well (1)
Heidilisk's avatar

Heidilisk

4 months ago
Review

Beautiful texture and my skin drinks it up. Has cleared and brightened my skin tone. Too expensive.

#expensive
#hydrating
#absorbs well
#works well
lisawilkerson's avatar

Lisa Wilkerson

5 months ago
Review

Broke me out

#expensive
#broke me out
#no scent
#works well

PCA Skin Exlinea Peptide Smoothing Serum 25 ingredients

Exlinea Peptide Smoothing Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now