Skin science article
CHOSEN Peptide Therapy Intense Repair Creme Versus The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum
CHOSEN Peptide Therapy Intense Repair Creme Versus The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum This barrier-repair treatment is formulated around Squalane and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging serum is
CHOSEN Peptide Therapy Intense Repair Creme Versus The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum
This barrier-repair treatment is formulated around Squalane and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Lactococcus Ferment Lysate and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Squalane
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Polyglyceryl-4 Olivate
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Glycerin
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Mannitol
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Tocopherol
Phenoxyethanol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Squalane, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-4 Olivate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Glycerin, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Mannitol, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Pentapeptide-18
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Allantoin
Glycine
Alanine
Serine
Valine
Isoleucine
Proline
Threonine
Histidine
Phenylalanine
Arginine
Aspartic Acid
Trehalose
Fructose
Glucose
Maltose
Urea
Sodium PCA
PCA
Sodium Lactate
Citric Acid
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Sodium Chloride
Sodium Hydroxide
Butylene Glycol
Pentylene Glycol
Acacia Senegal Gum
Xanthan Gum
Carbomer
Polysorbate 20
PPG-26-Buteth-26
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ethoxydiglycol
Sodium Benzoate
Caprylyl Glycol
Chlorphenesin
Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Trehalose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Urea, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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!