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Elizavecca Milky Piggy EGF Elastic Retinol Cream Versus Some By Mi AHA, BHA, PHA 30 Days Miracle Cream

Elizavecca Milky Piggy EGF Elastic Retinol Cream Versus Some By Mi AHA, BHA, PHA 30 Days Miracle Cream This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This acne moistu

Elizavecca Milky Piggy EGF Elastic Retinol Cream Versus Some By Mi AHA, BHA, PHA 30 Days Miracle Cream

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This acne moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Niacinamide to clear breakouts and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Swiftlet Nest Extract

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Beeswax

Cetyl Alcohol

Glycerin

Polysorbate 60

Dipropylene Glycol

Retinol

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sodium Polyacrylate

Allantoin

PEG-100 Stearate

Adenosine

Carbomer

Betaine

Propylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Polysorbate 20

Arginine

Alcohol

1,2-Hexanediol

Ceteth-3

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Tocopheryl Acetate

Cetyl Phosphate

Cholesterol

PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water

Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Ceteth-5

Disodium EDTA

Glyceryl Stearate

Parfum

Swiftlet Nest Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Beeswax, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Dipropylene Glycol, Retinol, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantoin, PEG-100 Stearate, Adenosine, Carbomer, Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 20, Arginine, Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ceteth-3, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetyl Phosphate, Cholesterol, PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Water, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ceteth-5, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum

Centella Asiatica Extract 70.78%

Niacinamide

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Coral Extract

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Lavandula Angustifolia Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Origanum Vulgare Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Thymus Vulgaris Extract

Fructan

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract

Solanum Lycopersicum Seed Extract

Hamamelis Virginiana Flower Extract

Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract

Saccharide Isomerate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Madecassoside

Madecassic Acid

Asiaticoside

Asiatic Acid

Ceramide NP

Oleanolic Acid

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Inulin Lauryl Carbamate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Cetearyl Glucoside

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Lactobionic Acid

Citric Acid

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Benzyl Glycol

Raspberry Ketone

Mentha Piperita Oil

Limonene

Centella Asiatica Extract 70.78%, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Coral Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Origanum Vulgare Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Fructan, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Seed Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Flower Extract, Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Betaine, Allantoin, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Oleanolic Acid, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lactobionic Acid, Citric Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Raspberry Ketone, Disodium EDTA, Mentha Piperita Oil, Limonene

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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.

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

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%.

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.

This ingredient helps:

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

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.

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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Comparison edit

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