Azelique Age Refining Pycnogenol Cream Versus Face Reality Skincare Cran-Peptide Cream

Azelique Age Refining Pycnogenol Cream Versus Face Reality Skincare Cran-Peptide Cream

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate and Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract to calm redness.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Shea Butter Ethyl Esters

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Sorbic Acid

Xanthan Gum

Tetrasodium EDTA

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tocopheryl Acetate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hydroxide

Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract

Parfum

Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Tamarindus Indica Fruit Extract

Thymus Vulgaris Extract

Silybum Marianum Seed Extract

Water, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Parfum, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Tamarindus Indica Fruit Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Silybum Marianum Seed Extract

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Cetyl Alcohol

Stearyl Alcohol

Alcohol Denat.

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Totarol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Methylglucoside Phosphate

Copper Lysinate/Prolinate

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract

Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Maltodextrin

Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract

Hamamelis Virginiana Extract

Butylene Glycol

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Alcohol Denat., Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Totarol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Maltodextrin, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Butylene Glycol

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).

Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.

You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.

These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.

This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.

Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.

This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.

This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.

Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.

Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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