Skin science article
Derma E Firming DMAE Eye Lift - Peptides & Vitamin B3 Versus Perricone MD Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Eyelid Lift Serum
Derma E Firming DMAE Eye Lift - Peptides & Vitamin B3 Versus Perricone MD Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Eyelid Lift Serum This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine ski
Derma E Firming DMAE Eye Lift - Peptides & Vitamin B3 Versus Perricone MD Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Eyelid Lift Serum
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Niacinamide
Coco-Caprylate
Stearyl Alcohol
Glycerin
Propanediol
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Glyceryl Stearate
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Diheptyl Succinate
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Dimethyl Mea
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Sodium Hyaluronate
Thioctic Acid
Panthenol
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Caffeine
Allantoin
Xanthan Gum
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Phenoxyethanol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Coco-Caprylate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Dimethyl Mea, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hyaluronate, Thioctic Acid, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caffeine, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Pantethine
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
S-Palmitoylglutathione
Acetyl Tyrosine
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Silica Cetyl Silylate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Silica
CI 77891
CI 77491
Water, Propanediol, Pantethine, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, S-Palmitoylglutathione, Dimethyl Mea, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Acetyl Tyrosine, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Xanthan Gum, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Silica Cetyl Silylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, CI 77891, CI 77491
Reviews
Be the first to review
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for Dimethyl Mea yet.
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 used in skincare as a delivery system.
It works by "encapsulating" active ingredients with its unique ring shape that is water-loving on the outside and oil-loving on the inside. This improves the stability and absorption of the product into the skin.
According to a manufacturer, it also offer some moisturizing effects.
This synthetic, signal peptide has unique skin conditioning properties in that is a matrikine-mimetic compound.
First of all, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 is a signal peptide; signal peptides tell the body to create more collagen.
What is a matrikine-mimetic compound?
This peptide has the ability to mimic matrikines in skin. Our skin created matrikines by breaking down matrix proteins into peptides.
Matrikines play a role in:
Though further research is needed, this ingredient seems pretty promising. In one study, women over the age of 40 with visible photoaging used a vitamin C serum with this ingredient for 56 days (15% ascorbid acid, 5 ppm palmitoyl tripeptide‐38). The results found improvement in skin roughness and skin tone.
This peptide is also part of the famous Matrixyl synthe’6, a blend of ingredients that also includes glycerin, water, and hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin.
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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
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!
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.