alpyn beauty Super Peptide & Ghostberry Moisturizer Versus Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane

alpyn beauty Super Peptide & Ghostberry Moisturizer Versus Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Squalane

Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters

Coconut Alkanes

C12-16 Alcohols

Propanediol

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Behenyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Symphoricarpos Albus Fruit Extract

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Ceramide NP

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide As

Ceramide AP

Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate

1,2-Hexanediol

Cetearyl Olivate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Nephelium Lappaceum Peel Extract

Palmitic Acid

Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate

Sorbitan Olivate

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Xanthan Gum

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract

Bisabolol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Tripeptide-29

Hydrolyzed Pea Protein

2,3-Butanediol

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Cholesterol

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Coconut Alkanes, C12-16 Alcohols, Propanediol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Symphoricarpos Albus Fruit Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Nephelium Lappaceum Peel Extract, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Xanthan Gum, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Tripeptide-29, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, 2,3-Butanediol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Cholesterol, Sodium Benzoate

Dimethicone

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Sucrose Stearate

Stearyl Alcohol

PEG-8 Stearate

Myristyl Myristate

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Phenoxyethanol

Persea Gratissima Oil

Cetyl Alcohol

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Chlorphenesin

Stearic Acid

Carbomer

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Hydroxide

Tocopherol

Glycine Soja Oil

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Myristic Acid

Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine

Salicylic Acid

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Citric Acid

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Squalane, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sucrose Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Chlorphenesin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Myristic Acid, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Salicylic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid

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.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.

In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.

Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.

The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.

In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.

It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

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.

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