Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Acure Radically Rejuvenating Whipped Night Cream Versus The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer

Acure Radically Rejuvenating Whipped Night Cream Versus The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. What's ins

Acure Radically Rejuvenating Whipped Night Cream Versus The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Olivate

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Coconut Alkanes

Sorbitan Olivate

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-9

Sh-Polypeptide-11

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Acetyl Glutamine

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Ferulic Acid

Nymphaea Odorata Root Extract

Symphytum Officinale Root Cell Extract

Sodium PCA

Salicylic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Lecithin

Isomalt

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Sodium Anisate

Xanthan Gum

Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract

Sodium Levulinate

Caprylyl Glycol

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Sorbitan Isostearate

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Citric Acid

Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Sorbitan Olivate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Acetyl Glutamine, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Ferulic Acid, Nymphaea Odorata Root Extract, Symphytum Officinale Root Cell Extract, Sodium PCA, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Isomalt, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sodium Anisate, Xanthan Gum, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Citric Acid

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Betaine

Phenoxyethanol

Benzyl Alcohol

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Sodium Hydroxide

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Gluconate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Dehydroacetic Acid

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Phenethyl Alcohol

Acetyl Hexapeptide-37

Maltodextrin

Pentapeptide-48

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, Maltodextrin, Pentapeptide-48

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.

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

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

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Glycerin (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.

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. Remember to stay hydrated!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
  3. 03Butylene Glycol
  4. 04Glycerin
  5. 05Sodium Hyaluronate
  6. 06Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
  7. 07Centella Asiatica Extract
  8. 08Sorbitan Stearate
  9. 09Cetyl Alcohol
  10. 10Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
  11. 11Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
  12. 12Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
  13. 13Sorbitan Sesquioleate
  14. 14Glyceryl Stearate
  15. 15Stearic Acid
  16. 16Portulaca Oleracea Extract
  17. 17Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
  18. 18Ceramide NP
  19. 19Polysorbate 60
  20. 20Candelilla Cera
Source · skinsort.com
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side