Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum Versus Element Eight O2 Growth Factor Eight Active Cream

Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum Versus Element Eight O2 Growth Factor Eight Active Cream

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sh-Oligopeptide-1 and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sh-Oligopeptide-1 and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

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

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil

Squalane

Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate

Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Rosa Canina Seed Oil

Trehalose

Oxygen

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-11

Sh-Polypeptide-9

Ceramide NP

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide Eos

Myristoyl Hexapeptide-16

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Hydrolyzed Pea Protein

Glycine

Proline

Acetyl Glutamine

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprooyl Phytosphingosine

Caprooyl Sphingosine

Behenic Acid

Chlorella Ferment

Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract

Punica Granatum Extract

Angelica Acutiloba Extract

Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract

Cholesterol

Ceteareth-25

Butylene Glycol

Benzyl Alcohol

Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate

Cetyl Alcohol

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Squalane, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Trehalose, Oxygen, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Myristoyl Hexapeptide-16, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Glycine, Proline, Acetyl Glutamine, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Lecithin, Behenic Acid, Chlorella Ferment, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Extract, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Cholesterol, Ceteareth-25, Maltodextrin, Butylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol

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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%.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

Maltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.

This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).

Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.

Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.

sh-Oligopeptide-1 is a peptide found naturally in our bodies. Peptides are the building blocks for collagen and elastin in our skin.

In cosmetics, this ingredient is bioengineered to be identical to a human gene that codes for epidermal growth factor (EGF). EGF are signal molecules that simulate cell growth and healing.

Studies find EGF help with:

In South Korea and China, EGF is considered a controversial ingredient. The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has cracked down on companies with products including EGF due to false advertisement claims.

According to Dr. Zoe Draelos, growth factors have some drawbacks:

There is also controversy surrounding growth factors. The controversy is due to their mitogenic activity, or their ability to increase the number of cells. It is best to avoid using growth factors if you have psoriasis or are at risk of skin cancer. However, it should be noted EGF are not mutagenic - meaning they will not cause cancer.

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!

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