Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Dieux Skin Instant Angel Versus Peach & Lily Peptide Pro Firming Moisturizer

Dieux Skin Instant Angel Versus Peach & Lily Peptide Pro Firming Moisturizer This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Linoleic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Colla

Dieux Skin Instant Angel Versus Peach & Lily Peptide Pro Firming Moisturizer

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Linoleic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Collagen Extract 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

Glycerin

Squalane

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Coconut Alkanes

Glyceryl Stearate

Meadowfoam Estolide

PEG-100 Stearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Phytosteryl Macadamiate

Triheptanoin

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Methylpropanediol

Linoleic Acid

Phospholipids

Phytosterols

Sodium Polyacrylate

Tribehenin

Caprylyl Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline

Sodium PCA

Urea

Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer

Hydroxyproline Palmitamide

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Isohexadecane

Ceramide Ng

Trehalose

Sodium Phytate

PEG-10 Phytosterol

Hexylene Glycol

Polysorbate 60

Palmitic Acid

Lactic Acid

Polyquaternium-51

Tocopherol

Triacetin

Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer

Sorbitan Isostearate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coconut Alkanes, Glyceryl Stearate, Meadowfoam Estolide, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Triheptanoin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Methylpropanediol, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Phytosterols, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Sodium PCA, Urea, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Hydroxyproline Palmitamide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Ceramide Ng, Trehalose, Sodium Phytate, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Palmitic Acid, Lactic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Tocopherol, Triacetin, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Butylene Glycol

Sorbitol

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydrogenated Polydecene

C10-18 Triglycerides

Stearic Acid

Cetearyl Glucoside

Collagen Extract

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Dipeptide-2

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Copper Tripeptide-1

Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Nonapeptide-1

Hexapeptide-9

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Serine

Methionine

Cysteine

Arginine

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Polyglutamic Acid

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Glyceryl Glucoside

Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate

Prunus Mume Fruit Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Adenosine

Sorbitan Stearate

Carbomer

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Phellinus Linteus Extract

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Glucose

Ethylhexylglycerin

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Pentylene Glycol

Tropolone

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Water, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Polydecene, C10-18 Triglycerides, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Collagen Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Dipeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Nonapeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Serine, Methionine, Cysteine, Arginine, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Polyglutamic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Glucoside, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Stearate, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glucose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

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.

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%.

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).

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.

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.

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.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

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.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Butylene Glycol
  3. 03Sorbitol
  4. 04Glycerin
  5. 05Cetearyl Alcohol
  6. 06Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
  7. 071,2-Hexanediol
  8. 08Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
  9. 09Hydrogenated Polydecene
  10. 10C10-18 Triglycerides
  11. 11Stearic Acid
  12. 12Cetearyl Glucoside
  13. 13Collagen Extract
  14. 14Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
  15. 15Dipeptide-2
  16. 16Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
  17. 17Sh-Oligopeptide-1
  18. 18Copper Tripeptide-1
  19. 19Tripeptide-1
  20. 20Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side