Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Avène Revitalizing Nourishing Cream Versus Lancôme Rénergie H.P.N. 300-Peptide Cream

Avène Revitalizing Nourishing Cream Versus Lancôme Rénergie H.P.N. 300-Peptide Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Tocopherol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide a

Avène Revitalizing Nourishing Cream Versus Lancôme Rénergie H.P.N. 300-Peptide Cream

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Tocopherol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Octyldodecanol

Paraffinum Liquidum

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Isododecane

Methyl Gluceth-20

Pentylene Glycol

Silica

Cetearyl Glucoside

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Benzoic Acid

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Ethylhexylglycerin

Parfum

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate

Polyacrylate-13

Polyisobutene

Polysorbate 20

Ribes Rubrum Fruit Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Hydroxide

Sorbitan Isostearate

Tocopherol

Tocopheryl Glucoside

Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract

Xanthan Gum

Water, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Pentylene Glycol, Silica, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Benzoic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Ribes Rubrum Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum

Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter

Alcohol Denat.

Cetearyl Isononanoate

Niacinamide

Isopropyl Palmitate

Cyclodextrin

Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein

Pisum Sativum Extract

Adenosine

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Cera Alba

Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil

Simmondsia Chinensis Butter

Citric Acid

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Polysorbate 60

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer

Benzyl Alcohol

Geraniol

Limonene

Chlorphenesin

Dipropylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Octyldodecanol, Cyclodextrin, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Pisum Sativum Extract, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cera Alba, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Butter, Cetearyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Limonene, Chlorphenesin, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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.

Cetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.

Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.

Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.

Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

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.

Octyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).

It is:

You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.

This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.

Regarding fungal acne: In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.

PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.

In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.

Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
  4. 04What it does:
  5. 05Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
  6. 06Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
  7. 07Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
  8. 08This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
  9. 09Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
  10. 10Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  11. 11Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  12. 12Your 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.
  13. 13Aquaporin-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.
  14. 14This 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.
  15. 15Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  16. 16Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  17. 17Glyceryl 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.
  18. 18Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
  19. 19This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
  20. 20A 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.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side