Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

DRMTLGY Peptide Night Cream Versus Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Cream

DRMTLGY Peptide Night Cream Versus Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Cream This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles. This calming night moisturizer is formulated around Centella As

DRMTLGY Peptide Night Cream Versus Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Cream

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles.

This calming night moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Leaf Water and Panthenol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glyceryl Stearate

Propanediol

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Glycerin

Isopropyl Palmitate

Undecane

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

PEG-100 Stearate

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2

Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Tridecane

Allantoin

Tocopherol

Glycol Distearate

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Butylene Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Dextran

Magnesium Chloride

Phenoxyethanol

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Xanthan Gum

Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Undecane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tridecane, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Glycol Distearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Dextran, Magnesium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum

Centella Asiatica Leaf Water

Panthenol

Diisostearyl Malate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Cetearyl Alcohol

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

1,2-Hexanediol

PEG-8

Polyacrylate-13

Palmitic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Beeswax

Stearic Acid

Polyisobutene

Asiaticoside

Madecassic Acid

Asiatic Acid

Spirulina Platensis Powder

Alcohol

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Sorbitan Isostearate

Adenosine

Citrus Grandis Peel Oil

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Centella Asiatica Extract

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Dextrin

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil

Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture

Madecassoside

Citric Acid

Achillea Millefolium Extract

Artemisia Absinthium Extract

Arnica Montana Flower Extract

Gentiana Lutea Root Extract

Sucrose Laurate

Sodium Glycerophosphate

Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract

Potassium Magnesium Aspartate

Lysolecithin

Magnesium Gluconate

Calcium Gluconate

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Propanediol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Diisostearyl Malate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-8, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate-13, Palmitic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Beeswax, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Polyisobutene, Asiaticoside, Carbomer, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Spirulina Platensis Powder, Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, Adenosine, Ceramide AP, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Madecassoside, Citric Acid, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Sucrose Laurate, Sodium Glycerophosphate, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Potassium Magnesium Aspartate, Lysolecithin, Magnesium Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.

Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).

Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

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%.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.

You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.

The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.

Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.

PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.

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.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

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 Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
  4. 04As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
  5. 05It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
  6. 06A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
  7. 07Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  8. 08Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  9. 09Though 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.
  10. 10Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
  11. 11Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
  12. 12It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
  13. 13Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
  14. 14A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
  15. 15Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
  16. 16You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
  17. 17The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
  18. 18Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
  19. 19Ceramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.
  20. 20It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

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03

Comparison edit

Read side by side