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The Ordinary "Buffet" Versus Skin Functional Peptides + Cu Complex Anti-Ageing Complex

Serum
Serum
Canadian Brand Canada
South African Brand South Africa

Updated on August 20, 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 and peptides

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens or sulfates

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

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Benefits

Concerns

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
"Buffet"

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
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a peptide. A common name for this peptide is Argireline.

Argireline has a similar function to botox; it prevents muscle movement and contractions slightly. By preventing muscles from moving, argireline also prohibits the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. However, research is lacking in proving this ingredient to be as effective as botox.

On the other hand, argireline tells our body to create more collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes connective tissue. Boosting collagen production leads to a healthier skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier means having firm and hydrated skin.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

Learn more about Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Skin Conditioning

This peptide is more commonly known as Leuphasyl. It has similar properties to argireline, the "botox peptide".

According to a manufacturer, Pentapeptide-18 mimics botulinum to freeze muscles and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Their study found this 5% of this ingredient reduced wrinkles by 11%.

Combining this ingredient with Argireline showed improved results.

Learn more about Pentapeptide-18
Skin Conditioning

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a 3-amino acid peptide. Peptides are building blocks for protein.

This ingredient is a signal peptide, meaning it tells our skin to create collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes connective tissue. Boosting collagen production leads to a healthier skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier means having firm and hydrated skin.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 can help reduce wrinkles and make the skin look more youthful.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

Learn more about Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 is a peptide. Peptides are building blocks for protein.

This ingredient consists of four amino acids and palmitic acid. These amino acids are arginine, proline, glutamine, and glycine.

This ingredient has many benefits. These benefits include boosting collagen production, fighting inflammation, and reversing UV damage.

By preventing our bodies from producing interleukins, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 helps fight inflammation. An interleukin is a chemical that signals to the body to produce an inflammatory response. Interleukin production is accelerated by UV radiation.

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 tells our body to create more collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes connective tissue. Boosting collagen production leads to a healthier skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier means having firm and hydrated skin.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

Learn more about Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning

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.

Learn more about Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a type of hyaluronic acid. In fact, it is modified version of hyaluronic acid.

The structure of Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer allows it to stay in the skin's top layer for a longer period of time. This allows for even more hydration and humectant action than hyaluronic acid.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Buffering, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Urea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.

As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.

Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.

In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.

Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.

Learn more about Urea
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.
  • It has mild preservative properties.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

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

837 Routines
49% use in am
51% use in pm
93% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
2 Routines
0% use in am
100% use in pm
100% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients

3.9 /5
from 8 ratings
Hydrating (3) Great Value (2) No Scent (2)
lennonwayne's avatar

Lennon Wayne

6 days ago
Review

I love it soooooo much my fav serum ever

#great value
#hydrating
#no scent
#works well
matab_172's avatar

matab_172

1 year ago
Review

Plumbed skin

Skin Functional Peptides + Cu Complex Anti-Ageing Complex 20 ingredients

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