Skin science article
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream Versus innisfree Collagen Peptide Firming Ampoule Cream
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream Versus innisfree Collagen Peptide Firming Ampoule Cream This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This anti-aging
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream Versus innisfree Collagen Peptide Firming Ampoule Cream
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Copper Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Glycerin
Cetearyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract
Nymphaea Alba Root Extract
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Sh-Polypeptide-11
Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14
Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Alanine
Arginine
Glycine
Histidine
Isoleucine
Phenylalanine
Proline
Serine
Threonine
Valine
Acetyl Glutamine
Coconut Alkanes
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Aspartic Acid
Linoleic Acid
Linolenic Acid
Lecithin
Butylene Glycol
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Sodium Lactate
Sodium PCA
PCA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Carbomer
Polysorbate 20
Polysorbate 60
Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
Isomalt
1,2-Hexanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Chlorphenesin
Phenoxyethanol
Tocopherol
Sodium Benzoate
Phenylpropanol
Glyceryl Caprylate
Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Acetyl Glutamine, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aspartic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Isomalt, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenylpropanol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
Squalane
Methyl Trimethicone
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Dibutyl Adipate
Sucrose Polystearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Sea Water
Niacinamide
Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Palmitic Acid
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Stearic Acid
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Dextrin
Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrolyzed Extensin
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Pentylene Glycol
Sodium Metaphosphate
Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Tromethamine
Ethylhexylglycerin
Adenosine
Artemisia Vulgaris Oil
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Santalum Album Oil
Propanediol
Mannitol
Achillea Millefolium Extract
Myristic Acid
Arachidic Acid
Glycine Max Polypeptide
Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Copper Tripeptide-1
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Acetyl Heptapeptide-4
Ceramide NP
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Soluble Collagen
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Sodium Hydroxide
Hexapeptide-9
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Methyl Trimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Sucrose Polystearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sea Water, Niacinamide, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Stearic Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dextrin, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Metaphosphate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Santalum Album Oil, Propanediol, Mannitol, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Glycine Max Polypeptide, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Tocopherol, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Ceramide NP, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexapeptide-9, Acetyl Octapeptide-3
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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
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.
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.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
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.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
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!
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.