Skin science article
APLB Collagen EGF Peptide Facial Toner Versus Coxir Intensive EGF Peptide Toner
APLB Collagen EGF Peptide Facial Toner Versus Coxir Intensive EGF Peptide Toner This anti-aging toner is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier. This anti-aging toner is
APLB Collagen EGF Peptide Facial Toner Versus Coxir Intensive EGF Peptide Toner
This anti-aging toner is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
This anti-aging toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Centella Asiatica Extract 19.6%
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Dipropylene Glycol
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Allantoin
Panthenol
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Nelumbo Nucifera Extract
Artemisia Annua Extract
Oryza Sativa Extract
Saccharomyces Ferment
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Squalane
Beta-Glucan
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Madecassic Acid
Asiaticoside
Asiatic Acid
Trideceth-10
Propanediol
Hydroxyacetophenone
1,2-Hexanediol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Citric Acid
Sodium Citrate
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract 19.6%, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Artemisia Annua Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Squalane, Beta-Glucan, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Trideceth-10, Propanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
Alcohol
Niacinamide
Betaine
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
PPG-26-Buteth-26
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Adenosine
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Copper Tripeptide-1
Ethoxydiglycol
Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Lilium Tigrinum Extract
Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract
Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract
Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract
Buddleja Davidii Extract
Thymus Vulgaris Extract
Camellia Sinensis Callus Culture Extract
Phaseolus Radiatus Meristem Cell Culture Extract
Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract
Tocopheryl Acetate
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Phenoxyethanol
Parfum
Water, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Ethoxydiglycol, Panthenol, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract, Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract, Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Camellia Sinensis Callus Culture Extract, Phaseolus Radiatus Meristem Cell Culture Extract, Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
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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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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.
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.
Hydrolyzed Collagen is Collagen (usually sourced from fish, bovine, or porcine byproducts) that's been broken down into smaller peptides. This makes it water-soluble and easy to blend into formulations.
In a formula, it works mainly as a skin-conditioning and moisturizing agent.
The small peptides and amino acids (including Natural Moisturizing Factor components like Hydroxyproline, Serine, and Aspartic Acid) help the surface of the skin hold onto water, feel softer, and look temporarily plumper.
This ingredient also has mild film-forming and antioxidant properties with research showing the antioxidant effect is stronger the lower the molecular weight of the peptides.
It's worth being realistic here:
Topically applied Hydrolyzed Collagen conditions the upper layers of skin rather than rebuilding the structural collagen deep in your dermis (the wrinkle-and-firmness benefits people associate with Collagen mostly come from oral supplements in studies, not topicals).
However, recent lab and skin-model work on Hydrolyzed Fish Collagen has shown promising effects on cell viability and wound healing when used as an active.
Typical concentrations range from 0.2-2%, but the percentage can go much higher in rinse-off or hair products (sometimes even above 50%).
Clinical studies on this ingredient showed no irritation, sensitization, or phototoxicity.
If you are looking for vegan collagen, it usually goes by a different INCI name like hydrolyzed soy protein. Vegan collagen is derived from yeast, bacteria, or plant sources.
The results are varied.
A study from 2021 found hydrolyzed collagen increased elasticity and improved wrinkles in 1,125 participants between age 20 and 70. Another study found increased skin thickness in participants between the ages of 45 to 59.
However, It is difficult to prove that oral collagen will end up working on your skin. Many of the studies using hydrolyzed collagen also add several vitamins and nutrients into the test mixture as well.
Further studies are needed at this time.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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!