Skin science article
DRMTLGY Needle-Less Serum Versus Niod Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 (CAIS3)
DRMTLGY Needle-Less Serum Versus Niod Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 (CAIS3) This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tripeptide-
DRMTLGY Needle-Less Serum Versus Niod Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 (CAIS3)
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tripeptide-29 and Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Pisum Sativum Extract
Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Ceramide EOP
Glucosamine Hcl
Glycosaminoglycans
Ceramide NP
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Ceramide AP
Phytosphingosine
Cholesterol
Niacinamide
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
Methylglucoside Phosphate
Copper Lysinate/Prolinate
Panthenol
Tocopheryl Acetate
Phenoxyethanol
Polysorbate 20
Ethylhexylglycerin
Disodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Carbomer
Xanthan Gum
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pisum Sativum Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP, Glucosamine Hcl, Glycosaminoglycans, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Niacinamide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum
Tripeptide-29
Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate
Tripeptide-1
Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Glycogen
Propanediol
Pentylene Glycol
Dextran
Dimethyl Isosorbide
Ethoxydiglycol
Isoceteth-20
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Caprylyl Glycol
Chlorphenesin
Water, Glycerin, Tripeptide-29, Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate, Tripeptide-1, Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Glycogen, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Dextran, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ethoxydiglycol, Isoceteth-20, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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.
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.
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.
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!