Skin science article
Cécred Restoring Hair & Edge Drops Versus Verb Density Peptide Hair Serum
Cécred Restoring Hair & Edge Drops Versus Verb Density Peptide Hair Serum What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Propanediol Butylene Glycol Glycerin Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3 Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 Lactobacillus Saccharomyc
Cécred Restoring Hair & Edge Drops Versus Verb Density Peptide Hair Serum
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Propanediol
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Lactobacillus
Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Nicotiana Benthamiana Octapeptide-30 Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Biotin
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-9
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-86
Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Panthenol
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Dextran
Sodium Phytate
Parfum
Citric Acid
Potassium Sorbate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Phenoxyethanol
Linalool
Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Nicotiana Benthamiana Octapeptide-30 Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Biotin, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-9, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-86, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Panthenol, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Dextran, Sodium Phytate, Parfum, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool
1,2-Hexanediol
Niacinamide
Glycine Soja Germ Extract
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Arginine
Xanthan Gum
Calcium Gluconate
Gluconolactone
Lactic Acid
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Polysorbate 20
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
Hydroxyacetophenone
T-Butyl Alcohol
Sodium Benzoate
Camphor
Beta-Caryophyllene
Limonene
Geraniol
Geranyl Acetate
Hexyl Cinnamal
Linalyl Acetate
L-Alpha-Pinene
L-Beta-Pinene
Gamma-Terpinene
Terpinolene
Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Arginine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Calcium Gluconate, Gluconolactone, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Parfum, Polysorbate 20, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Camphor, Beta-Caryophyllene, Limonene, Geraniol, Geranyl Acetate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, L-Alpha-Pinene, L-Beta-Pinene, Gamma-Terpinene, Terpinolene
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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.
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 is a lab-made molecule that combines two parts: biotin (vitamin B7) and Tripeptide-1. Together, they form a peptide that’s often used in hair and eyelash products.
In-vitro studies show this ingredient helps hair bulb cells grow faster and product more structual proteins. This helps keep hair securely anchored in the follicle.
A small human study using a mascara with 2% Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 reported lashes that were about 17% longer and 19% thicker after one month.
One study from 2025 compared topical spray vs. a combined tropical/oral treatment. The combination group saw greater increases in total hair count.
While these early results are encouraging, most of the data comes from in-vitro experiments (in test tubes) or small, short-term trials.
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 looks promising for supporting hair strength and growth but there’s not yet strong clinical evidence to confirm how well it works.
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.
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.
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.
Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
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!