Skin science article
Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum Versus BasicLab Corrective Serum with Retinal 0.07%
Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum Versus BasicLab Corrective Serum with Retinal 0.07% This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sh-Oligopeptide-1 and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles. This
Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum Versus BasicLab Corrective Serum with Retinal 0.07%
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sh-Oligopeptide-1 and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinal and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Heptyl Glucoside
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
Acacia Senegal Gum
Polysorbate 20
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Tocopherol
Phospholipids
Glycolipids
Dimethyl Sulfone
Ornithine
Lecithin
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Copper Lysinate/Prolinate
Methylglucoside Phosphate
Crocus Chrysanthus Bulb Extract
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Pentapeptide-18
Pentapeptide-48
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Ethylhexylglycerin
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Sclerotium Gum
Xanthan Gum
Caprylyl Glycol
Levulinic Acid
P-Anisic Acid
Sodium Gluconate
Propanediol
Maltodextrin
Citric Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
Heptanol
Phenethyl Alcohol
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Glycerin, Heptyl Glucoside, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Polysorbate 20, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Glycolipids, Dimethyl Sulfone, Ornithine, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Crocus Chrysanthus Bulb Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Pentapeptide-18, Pentapeptide-48, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Levulinic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Propanediol, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Heptanol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Squalane
Dibutyl Adipate
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Propylheptyl Caprylate
Pentylene Glycol
Cetearyl Alcohol
Ceramide NP
Ceramide AP
Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl
Phytosphingosine
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Ubiquinone
Retinal
Ascorbic Acid
Arginine
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Hydroxystearic Acid
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Hydroxyacetophenone
Water, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Propanediol, Squalane, Dibutyl Adipate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Phytosphingosine, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Ubiquinone, Phospholipids, Retinal, Ascorbic Acid, Arginine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydroxystearic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
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.
Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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!
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.