Cvara Botanicals Majafirm Treatment Serum Versus Geek & Gorgeous Power Peptides Serum

Cvara Botanicals Majafirm Treatment Serum Versus Geek & Gorgeous Power Peptides Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract to soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Isododecane

Glycerin

Cetyl Esters

Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Acetyl Heptapeptide-9

Gold

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-50

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52

Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-18

Withania Somnifera Root Extract

Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Arnica Montana Flower Extract

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil

Squalane

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Jojoba Esters

Allantoin

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil

Cetearyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

Phytosterols

Lecithin

Cetyl Alcohol

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Ceteareth-20

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ceteth-10

Laureth-4

Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3

Dimethicone

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Citric Acid

Polyvinyl Alcohol

1,2-Hexanediol

Vanillin

Hydroxyacetophenone

Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isododecane, Glycerin, Cetyl Esters, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acetyl Heptapeptide-9, Gold, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-50, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52, Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-18, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Allantoin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Phytosterols, Lecithin, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Ceteareth-20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceteth-10, Laureth-4, Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3, Dimethicone, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Citric Acid, Polyvinyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Vanillin, Hydroxyacetophenone

Pentylene Glycol

Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate

Panthenol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Dicaprylyl Ether

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate

Tetrapeptide-21

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Saccharide Isomerate

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Tapioca Starch

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Hydroxide

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Tetrapeptide-21, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Saccharide Isomerate, Allantoin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Tapioca Starch, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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.

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.

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate is a synthetic targeting peptide. It's made up of seven amino acids with a palmitic acid tail attached.

This fatty acid attachment increases the molecule's hydrophobicity, improves stability, reduces enzyme degradation, and enhances its ability to cross the skin's lipid barrier (this is a common challenge for peptides).

As a targeting peptide, it sits on the outer shell of an encapsulated ingredient system and seeks out receptors on collagen and elastin producing cells in skin.

Once it binds, the cell internalizes the capsule and releases the active payload inside; it essentially acts as a GPS guiding ingredients to the right place.

It also mimicks the skin's natural growth factors to support skin firmness by upping production of collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs).

Most of the evidence for this ingredient comes from manufacturer in vitro data, so independent clinical trials are still limited. However, the underlying mechanism is well-supported by the broader cosmetic peptide literature.

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.

This ingredient is a combination of two AHAs, lactic acid and glycolic acid. It has exfoliating properties

We don't have a description for Polyvinyl Alcohol yet.

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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