Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum Versus Maelove Fade Away Brightening Serum

Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum Versus Maelove Fade Away Brightening Serum

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

This brightening serum is formulated around Alpha-Arbutin and Kojic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

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

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Alpha-Arbutin

Kojic Acid

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Curcuma Longa Leaf Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Amber Powder

Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil

Glutathione

1,2-Hexanediol

Sodium Gluconate

Sclerotium Gum

Tropolone

Sodium Hydroxide

Alcohol

Water, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Alpha-Arbutin, Kojic Acid, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Glutathione, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Gluconate, Sclerotium Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tropolone, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol

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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.

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).

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract is also known as Ivy Gourd Fruit Extract. It has skin conditioning properties.

The fruit is rich in flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, and sterols that show antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect in vitro. This is because the fruit contains a thick mucilage that forms a protective and soothing layer on the skin's surface.

The extract itself has demonstrated antioxidant, soothing, and potential anti-allergy properties.

Most of this research is done in vitro and dedicated clinical studies on topical application are still limited.

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.

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.

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.

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.

It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.

One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.

This ingredient is also known as Sepimax Zen.

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.

This ingredient comes from eggplant (or aubergine). It has skin conditioning properties due to its abundance of antioxidants like Chlorogenic Acid, Caffeic Acid, and Nasunin.

Nasunin is the pigment concentrated in the purple peel and has demonstrated the abilityu to neutralize free radicals and bind excess iron in lab studies.

Lab studies have shown that eggplant extracts can lower oxidative stress and protect skin cell membranes from damage. A 2025 study found that specific compounds in eggplant (particularly a phenolamide called N-Trans-Feruloylputrescine) may support skin health by neutralizing 2-nonenal, a byproduct linked to aging skin.

Overall, this is a gentle, well-tolerated ingredient that adds a little extra antioxidant support to your routine.

Those with nighshade vegetable allergies (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes) should patch test as eggplant is part of the same family.

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!

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