Skin science article
BYOMA Hydrating Serum Versus Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
BYOMA Hydrating Serum Versus Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream This hydrating serum is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed O
BYOMA Hydrating Serum Versus Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
This hydrating serum is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Butylene Glycol
Squalane
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dipropylene Glycol
Ceramide NP
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Cholesterol
Phytosphingosine
Stearic Acid
Oleic Acid
Hydroxyacetophenone
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Caprylyl Glycol
Glyceryl Oleate
Lactic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol
Sorbitan Isostearate
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Tocopherol
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Oleate, Lactic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract
Nymphaea Alba Root Extract
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Sh-Polypeptide-11
Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14
Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Alanine
Arginine
Glycine
Histidine
Isoleucine
Phenylalanine
Proline
Serine
Threonine
Valine
Acetyl Glutamine
Coconut Alkanes
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Aspartic Acid
Linoleic Acid
Linolenic Acid
Lecithin
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Sodium Lactate
Sodium PCA
PCA
Carbomer
Polysorbate 20
Polysorbate 60
Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Isomalt
1,2-Hexanediol
Chlorphenesin
Phenoxyethanol
Sodium Benzoate
Phenylpropanol
Glyceryl Caprylate
Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Acetyl Glutamine, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aspartic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Isomalt, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenylpropanol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
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.
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.
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).
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.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
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!
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.