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!