Coxir Intensive EGF Peptide Mask Pack Versus VZK Prebiotic Face Cream for Oily and Combination Skin

Coxir Intensive EGF Peptide Mask Pack Versus VZK Prebiotic Face Cream for Oily and Combination Skin

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Biosaccharide Gum-1 and Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Paraffinum Liquidum

Butylene Glycol

Dipropylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sodium Hyaluronate

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Niacinamide

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Propylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Polysorbate 60

Cyclomethicone

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Betaine

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract

Punica Granatum Fruit Extract

Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract

Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Ganoderma Lucidum Extract

Grifola Frondosa Extract

Phellinus Linteus Extract

Fomes Officinalis Extract

Sarcodon Aspratus Extract

Trametes Versicolor Extract

Inonotus Obliquus Extract

Agaricus Blazei Extract

Tricholoma Matsutake Extract

Propolis Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Copper Tripeptide-1

Dimethicone

Arachidyl Alcohol

Behenyl Alcohol

Arachidyl Glucoside

Polysorbate 20

Stearic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Arginine

Carbomer

Panthenol

Allantoin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Cyclomethicone, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Betaine, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Grifola Frondosa Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Sarcodon Aspratus Extract, Trametes Versicolor Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Agaricus Blazei Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Propolis Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Dimethicone, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 20, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Carbomer, Panthenol, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum

Isononyl Isononanoate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Biosaccharide Gum-1

C10-18 Triglycerides

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Beheneth-25

Tocopherol

Glycine Soja Oil

Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, C10-18 Triglycerides, Arachidyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Beheneth-25, Phenoxyethanol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Glycine Soja Oil, Parfum

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Arachidyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol made from the the arachidic acid found in peanut oil.

Despite having "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethanol.

This ingredient is a multitasker:

Just be sure to patch this ingredient if you have a peanut allergy (though this ingredient is highly processed and the allergenic proteins are typically removed).

This ingredient is a plant-based surfactant and emulsifier. It helps oil and water based ingredients mix evenly to improve formula stability without adding a "greasy" feel.

Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).

Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.

Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.

In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

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.

This ingredient is also known as Macadamia Seed Oil. It's an emollient with a fatty acid profile that closely mirrors the skin's own lipid makeup.

The palmitoleic acid content is especially notable as it's somewhat rare in plant oils. Palmitoleic acid is something your skin already makes naturally. It helps keep cell membranes structured and plays a role in fighting off harmful microbes.

This palmitoleic content is also part of why macademia seed oil absorbs quickly and doesn't leave much of a greasy residue.

It also contains oleic acid, linoleic acid, and phytosterols that can help reduce redness.

In vitro research has shown the oil to have meaningful antioxidant activity, protect fats in the skin from oxidative damage, and slow down the enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid.

A 2024 clinical study found it effective at improving skin hydratino and reducing wrinkle appearance when formulated into nanoemulsions.

Because it carries oleic acid (C18) and palmitic acid (C16), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the Malassezia yeast metabolizes in the C11-24 chain length range.

You'll also see this ingredient listed as: Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil.

This is the same ingredient; M. ternifolia is an older INCI naming convention for the edible macadamia nut, while M. integrifolia is the species actually cultivated for oil production. Both names refer to the same oil.

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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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!

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