Dr. Brandt Skincare Collagen Serum Versus Osmosis Beauty Catalyst AC-11 DNA Repair C Serum

Dr. Brandt Skincare Collagen Serum Versus Osmosis Beauty Catalyst AC-11 DNA Repair C Serum

This serum is formulated around Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten and support scar healing.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Glycerin

Xanthan Gum

Triheptanoin

Phenoxyethanol

Dimethicone

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Glycine Soja Germ Extract

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Glycine

Sorbitol

Lecithin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil

Proline

Phospholipids

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydroxyproline

Alanine

Glutamic Acid

Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl

Butylene Glycol

Arginine

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Methylsilanol Hydroxyproline Aspartate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Pentylene Glycol

Salicylic Acid

Benzyl Alcohol

Tocopherol

Potassium Sorbate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-20

Linalool

Limonene

Geraniol

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Triheptanoin, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycine, Sorbitol, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil, Proline, Phospholipids, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyproline, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Butylene Glycol, Arginine, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Methylsilanol Hydroxyproline Aspartate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Pentylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-20, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol

Sodium Bicarbonate

Ketoglutaric Acid

Ascorbic Acid

Lysine Hcl

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Zinc Gluconate

Alcohol Denat.

Citrus Grandis Peel Oil

Uncaria Tomentosa Extract

Copper Gluconate

Acetyl Cysteine

Tocopheryl Acetate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate

Magnesium Chloride

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Water, Sodium Bicarbonate, Ketoglutaric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Glycine, Propanediol, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Alanine, Zinc Gluconate, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Uncaria Tomentosa Extract, Copper Gluconate, Acetyl Cysteine, Phospholipids, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Glycerin, Magnesium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Alanine is an amino acid and is already found in the human body. Our skin uses alanine to build collagen, elastin, and keratin.

Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.

This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.

As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.

The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.

This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.

It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.

Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.

At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.

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.

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.

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.

Glycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.

Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.

In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).

Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.

They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.

Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.

Some types of phospholipids include:

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Proline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can make it on its own. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.

It makes up about 23% of the collagen molecule (collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm) and is involved in your skin's natural hyaluronic acid production. When applied topically, proline can penetrate the skin fairly well due to its small molecular size.

Reviews of this ingredient have found it to be neither a dermal irritant nor a sensitizer.

Fun fact: Proline can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.

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.

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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