Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum Versus Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum

Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum Versus Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum

This hydrating serum is formulated around Squalane and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Persea Gratissima Oil and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Propanediol

Squalane

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acmella Oleracea Extract

Ectoin

Tetrapeptide-30

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52

Copper PCA

Panthenol

Sodium Polyglutamate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Passiflora Incarnata Flower Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Acacia Senegal Gum

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Citric Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Ectoin, Tetrapeptide-30, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52, Copper PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Polyglutamate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol

Jojoba Esters

Persea Gratissima Oil

Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract

Niacinamide

Ceramide NP

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide Eos

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Allantoin

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Bisabolol

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Tocopherol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Boswellia Serrata Extract

Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sodium Phytate

Cetyl Alcohol

Behenic Acid

Cholesterol

Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract

Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract

Sodium Carbonate

Sodium Chloride

CI 75810

Cananga Odorata Flower Extract

Caprooyl Phytosphingosine

Caprooyl Sphingosine

Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Rose Extract

Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Dextran

Hydroxyacetophenone

Butylene Glycol

Carbomer

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Santalum Album Wood Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ceteareth-25

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Persea Gratissima Oil, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Allantoin, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Phytate, Cetyl Alcohol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Behenic Acid, Cholesterol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, CI 75810, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rose Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dextran, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Santalum Album Wood Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceteareth-25, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate

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.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

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).

Corallina Officinalis Extract is from the red seaweed, Corallina Officinalis. This seaweed is found all over the world but is most common in the rocky shores of Great Britain and Ireland.

Corallina Officinalis Extract contains antioxidant and emollient properties.

Extracted polysaccharides, galactose and xylose, in red algae showed antioxidant activity. Antioxidants help with anti-aging by neutralizing free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules may damage your skin cells and DNA. Galactose is also a PHA.

Corallina Officinalis is structurally similar to coral due to its high calcium content.

Curcuma Longa Root Extract comes from the rhizome (underground stem) of the turmeric plant.

While the official EU Cosing Database lists this ingredient as a fragrance, it actually does more than give products a scent.

This ingredient contains a group of yellow pigments called curcuminoids (mostly curcumin) that give it genuine antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in skin.

Reviews of topical clinical studies have found turmeric/curcumin to be generally well-tolerated and useful across conditions like eczema and mild inflammation.

One thing working in its favor is that curcumin barely penetrates; in lab skin-permeation testing, the curcuminoids mostly stayed in the outermost layer of skin. This is a good thing because its soothing and antioxidant activity is a surface-level job anyway.

At this time, industry data shows there's no single "correct" cosmetic percentage. It's used across a wide range depending on the product and varies from tiny fractions of a percent up to a few percent.

Allergy-wise, curcumin is a documented (but uncommon) contact allergen. It can also cross react with related plants, so anyone with a turmeric/ginger/cinnamon allergy or reactive skin should patch test first.

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.

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract is from the Neem tree. Neem trees originate from India.

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

The flowers of this tree are lilac colored.

This ingredient is also known as neem leaf extract. It contains natural compounds like nimbidin, quercetin, and other polyphenols that give it antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activity.

Lab studies have shown neem leaf extract can inhibit acne-related bacteria and help calm skin. Animal studies on wound gels using 1-3% neem leaf extract found it sped up healing without causing irritation.

A wound-healing study testing gels with the extract at 1%, 2%, and 3% concentrations and found none of them irritated the skin.

Most commercial products also use it in a similar low range (typically under 5%).

Allergy-wise, there are some case reports on neem oil causing allergic contact dermatitis so people with plant/botanical sensitivities may want to patch test first.

We don't have a description for Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract yet.

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract comes from the Holy Basil plant. Holy Basil is native to India.

Holy Basil is rich in antioxidants due to its high romarinic acid, ferulic acid, and rutin content. This gives it skin brightening and soothing properties.

While Holy Basil has many claims to help fight acne, more research is needed.

One thing to note is the presence of tannins; tannins are naturally found in nature. However, this compound may be skin-sensitizing.

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.

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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