COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum Versus The Purest Solutions Peptide Complex Serum

COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum Versus The Purest Solutions Peptide Complex Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate 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

Dipropylene Glycol

Glycerin

Pentylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Copper Tripeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-121

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Oligopeptide-68

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Allantoin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Acetyl Glucosamine

Serine

Alanine

Glycine

Threonine

Arginine

Proline

Betaine

Sodium PCA

Sodium Lactate

PCA

Glutamic Acid

Lysine Hcl

Tocopherol

Dextran

Glycine Soja Oil

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Butylene Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Polyquaternium-51

Disodium EDTA

Citric Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

T-Butyl Alcohol

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Oleate

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-121, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Oligopeptide-68, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Tocopherol, Dextran, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Polyquaternium-51, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Oleate

Phenethyl Alcohol

Propylene Glycol

Cetearyl Isononanoate

Sodium Polyacrylate

Propanediol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Ceteareth-20

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Glyceryl Stearate

Trideceth-6

Acmella Oleracea Extract

Ceteareth-12

Cetyl Palmitate

Erythritol

Carrageenan

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Water, Phenethyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glyceryl Stearate, Trideceth-6, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Ceteareth-12, Cetyl Palmitate, Sodium PCA, Pentylene Glycol, Erythritol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Carrageenan, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

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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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (also known as Argireline) is a synthetic hexapeptide that is often called a "topical Botox alternative".

It works by mimicking how Botox relaxes muscles; it interferes with the signaling process that tells your facial muscles to contract. This can help soften expression lines like forehead wrinkles or crow's feet over time.

The comparison to Botox does have limits because the molecule is water-loving and relatively large.

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 has a hard time absorbing deeply enough through the skin's outer barrier to actually reach the muscles.

So whether it truly works the way Botox does at a biological level is still up for debate, but early clinical outcomes are fairly encouraging.

A 12 week human study of a multi-ingredient regimen containing this ingredient saw:

While some studies have observed improvements in wrinkle appearance, it is important to note that more consistent results are seen in multi-ingredient formulations (vs just Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 alone).

Some research studies also used higher concentrations (up to 10%) while this ingredient is usually found in concentrations up to 0.005% in leave-on formulations.

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).

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.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

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.

Sodium PCA (the salt of PCA) is one of the most well-established humectants in skincare.

Why is it so special? Your skin already makes it naturally; it's a natural component of your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the mix of water-binding compounds inside your skin cells that keeps things soft and hydrated.

As a cosmetic ingredient, it grabs water and holds it in the upper layers of skin to smooth roughness and ease dehydration.

There's some clinical support for the NMF approach with a study showing that a cream built to mimic the skin's NMF significantly boosted hydration.

Safety-wise, this ingredient non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and non-phototoxic in testing, with minimal skin absorption.

It also works really well with other hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and typical usage is somewhere between 0.2-4%.

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.

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