Dr.G 8X Retinol Pink Peptide Booster Serum Versus Mary & May 6 Peptide Complex Serum

Dr.G 8X Retinol Pink Peptide Booster Serum Versus Mary & May 6 Peptide Complex Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Copper Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Betaine

Niacinamide

Squalane

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Saccharum Officinarum Extract

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Retinal

Panthenol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Cetearyl Olivate

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Sorbitan Olivate

Triisostearin

Tromethamine

Propanediol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Ceramide NP

Sorbitan Isostearate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Allantoin

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Tocopherol

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Cyanocobalamin

Beta-Glucan

Retinol

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Tocotrienols

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Ubiquinone

Cholesterol

Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate

Bakuchiol

Cetyl Palmitate

Retinyl Palmitate

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate

Linoleic Acid

Lecithin

PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24

Silybin

Retinyl Linoleate

Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate

Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Retinyl Retinoate

Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Copper Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Xanthan Gum

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Niacinamide, Squalane, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Retinal, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Sorbitan Olivate, Triisostearin, Tromethamine, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Allantoin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Cyanocobalamin, Beta-Glucan, Retinol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocotrienols, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Ubiquinone, Cholesterol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Bakuchiol, Cetyl Palmitate, Retinyl Palmitate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Linoleic Acid, Lecithin, PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Silybin, Retinyl Linoleate, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Retinyl Retinoate, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Xanthan Gum

Glycereth-26

Arginine

Carbomer

Caprylyl Glycol

Hexapeptide-11

Hexapeptide-9

Tripeptide-1

Water, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Arginine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-11, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

Copper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a skin repairing ingredient known for its ability to boost collagen, improve firmness, and support skin regeneration.

It is a complex made up of a naturally occurring peptide (glycine-histidine-lysine) and copper, an essential trace element.

While studying wound healing, researchers noticed GHK-Cu stimulated hair follicle enlargement and growth by keeping hair in its active growth phase longer. This has made it a promising ingredient for hair regrowth treatments.

Some people have reported increased facial hair. While GHK-Cu can make your hair follicles bigger, it usually doesn’t turn soft, barely-visible facial hairs into thick, dark ones.

Anecdotal reports suggest that overusing copper peptides might lead to premature aging due to excess free copper or enzyme imbalances. This claim isn’t backed by large-scale studies.

Unfortunately, there are limited human studies for this ingredient. While early results are promising, many studies are either small, in-vitro, or not rigorously controlled.

For example, there is a 1998 study that explored the effects of copper tripeptide, vitamin C, tretinoin, and melatonin on skin repair and collagen synthesis.

After one month, increased procollagen production was seen in 7 out of 10 participants using copper tripeptide (more than those using vitamin C, melatonin, or tretinoin.

While the study was exploratory, it offers early evidence that copper tripeptide may support collagen production. Larger, well-designed trials are still needed to confirm its potential and understand individual responses.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

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.

You might know this ingredient as Matrixyl. It is a synthetic peptide made up of five amino acids attached to a palmitic acid, a fatty acid that helps it absorb into skin more easily.

As a signal peptide, Matrixyl acts like a little messenger. Once it reaches your skin cells, it tells them to ramp up production of collagen, elastin, and other proteins that keep skin looking firm and smooth.

A 12 week clinical study found that a moisturizer containing just 3 ppm of Matrixyl led to a significant improvement in fine-lines and wrinkles. Another study showed an 18% reduction in wrinkle depth, 37% reduction in wrinkle thickness, and a 21% improvement in skin firmness after just 28 days of twice-daily use.

The coolest part is that it works at incredibly low concentrations (like 0.0003%) and it plays well with other actives.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel found it to be non-sensitizing across multiple tests and human patch tests also showed no irritation or sensitization.

Fun fact: Matrixyl was originally developed by French company Sederma and Procter & Gamble.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

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.

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.

It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser.

On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).

Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids.

This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.

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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