Skin science article
Clarins Double Serum Complete Age-Defying Concentrate Versus Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ Advanced Serum Concentrate
Clarins Double Serum Complete Age-Defying Concentrate Versus Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ Advanced Serum Concentrate This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This anti-agi
Clarins Double Serum Complete Age-Defying Concentrate Versus Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ Advanced Serum Concentrate
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Squalane
Hexyl Laurate
Glycerin
Pentylene Glycol
Propanediol
Silybum Marianum Seed Oil
Butylene Glycol
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Parfum
Fructose
Tromethamine
Carbomer
Hydroxyacetophenone
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Escin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract
Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Disodium EDTA
Maltodextrin
Xanthan Gum
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Persea Gratissima Oil Unsaponifiables
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Caramel
Hippophae Rhamnoides Kernel Extract
Sodium Lactate
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Oenothera Biennis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Harungana Madagascariensis Extract
Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract
Mangifera Indica Leaf Extract
Sodium Benzoate
Citric Acid
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Tocopherol
Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract
Coco-Glucoside
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract
Glycine Soja Oil
Arundo Donax Stem Extract
Jania Rubens Extract
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Citrate
Malpighia Emarginata Seed Extract
Arbutus Unedo Fruit Extract
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
CI 14700
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water, Squalane, Hexyl Laurate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Silybum Marianum Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Parfum, Fructose, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Escin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil Unsaponifiables, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Caramel, Hippophae Rhamnoides Kernel Extract, Sodium Lactate, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Harungana Madagascariensis Extract, Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract, Mangifera Indica Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Arundo Donax Stem Extract, Jania Rubens Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Citrate, Malpighia Emarginata Seed Extract, Arbutus Unedo Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, CI 14700, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Isopropyl Palmitate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
PEG-100 Stearate
Phosphatidylcholine
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Dimethyl Mea
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Tyrosine
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Glycolic Acid
Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Copper Tripeptide-1
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Magnesium Aspartate
Zinc Gluconate
Copper Gluconate
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Retinyl Palmitate
Ceteareth-20
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
Dimethicone
Caprylyl Glycol
Polysorbate 20
Phenoxyethanol
Sorbic Acid
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Phosphatidylcholine, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Dimethyl Mea, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tyrosine, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Glycolic Acid, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Ceteareth-20, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate
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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.
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.
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
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.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
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!