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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer versus Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream .

Last updated on September 12, 2023. Published on March 10, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens 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 need an update? Let us know.

General Moisturizer American Brand United States
General Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

Shop

Buy C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer

Starts at $65.00
Shop

Buy Protini Polypeptide Cream

Starts at $69.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Brightening

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides (9)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger (2)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 8.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 27.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 53.

4
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 28.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 51.

5
What it does: Antimicrobial, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

Learn more about Chlorphenesin

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 29.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 52.

6
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.

Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.

In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.

Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.

Learn more about Polysorbate 60

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 32.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 45.

7
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer and cleaning agent. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, Sorbitan Isostearate prevents oils and water from separating.

Due to its isostearic acid base, it may not be safe for Malassezia or fungal acne.

Learn more about Sorbitan Isostearate

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 33.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 42.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

33% are loved or liked
6% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
15% have no rating yet
52% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
29% are disliked or very disliked
7% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer 33 ingredients

4.5 /5
from 4 ratings
reneelovesherskin's avatar

reneelovesherskin

1 year ago · Normal Skin
Review

my Holy Grail moisturizer!
I am in love with C.E.O. Afterglow! To start with, it has a bright, happy yellow color that disappears when you apply it...

my Holy Grail moisturizer!
I am in love with C.E.O. Afterglow! To start with, it has a bright, happy yellow color that disappears when you apply it to your skin. It is the perfect thickness of moisturizer, not too thin, not too thick. It's just right! I wear it every morning, happy to get the great Vitamin C brightening effects it brings.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream 58 ingredients

4.2 /5
from 11 ratings
Expensive (2) Hydrating (2) Works Well (2) Absorbs Well (1) Light (1) Strong Scent (1)
sillygirl's avatar

sillygirl

2 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

for the price point of this moisturizer i feel like i expected a lot more?

i mostly used this moisturizer at night paired with my tretinoin and...

for the price point of this moisturizer i feel like i expected a lot more?

i mostly used this moisturizer at night paired with my tretinoin and i found that the 2 worked well with each other. it’s a really nice almost gel-like cream texture with a light fragrance. i found it a little hard to blend while my face was still damp which is when i usually apply moisturizer. i don’t feel like it did much for my skin but moisturize it.. lol definitely wouldn’t pay $70 for it again

zankhaft's avatar

zankhaft

5 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

My HG facial moisturizer. It makes my face feel so soft and velvety. It dries quickly, is gentle even when my face is on fire and it has a slight...

My HG facial moisturizer. It makes my face feel so soft and velvety. It dries quickly, is gentle even when my face is on fire and it has a slight "chemical" smell that I tend to like. I love the pump as well. I use this when I need a good hit of luxury.

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 3 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer.

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