Farmacy Lip Smoothie Versus The INKEY List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm

Farmacy Lip Smoothie Versus The INKEY List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm

This smoothing lip moisturizer is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to refine skin texture.

This anti-aging lip moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate lips.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Diisostearyl Malate

Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Polybutene

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Synthetic Wax

Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer

Euphorbia Cerifera Wax

Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Glycerin

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Curcuma Longa Leaf Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Melia Azadirachta Extract

Tocopherol

Tribehenin

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Malic Acid

Lactic Acid

Sorbitan Isostearate

Amber Powder

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer

Aroma

Limonene

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Diisostearyl Malate, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polybutene, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Synthetic Wax, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Extract, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Malic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Amber Powder, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Aroma, Limonene

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides

Glyceryl Rosinate

Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter

Candelilla Cera

Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil

Squalane

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Hydrogenated Olive Oil

Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil

Glyceryl Behenate

Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables

Portulaca Pilosa Extract

Trihydroxystearin

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Sucrose Cocoate

Brassica Alba Sprout Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Glucomannan

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Glyceryl Rosinate, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Candelilla Cera, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Squalane, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Behenate, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Tribehenin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Portulaca Pilosa Extract, Trihydroxystearin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sucrose Cocoate, Brassica Alba Sprout Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Glucomannan

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.

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%.

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.

In cosmetics, it plays many roles:

One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.

For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.

Though this ingredient might sound like a juicy fruit extract, it's actually the fat pressed from the mango seed kernel (or the pit).

In skincare, it behaves more like shea butter and cocoa butter than like a plant active.

The fatty acid makeup of mango seed butter makes it special; it's typically rich in stearic acid and oleic acid, with small amounts of palmitic and linoleic acid.

This combo helps it melt on skin, feel creamy, and leave behind a protective "seal" that slows down water loss.

It also contains a small amount of "extras" like tocopherols (vitamin E) and phytosterols, which are often used to support skin soothing.

Due to its fatty acid content (like oleic acid), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. In vitro studies have shown that Oleic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.

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.

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.

Tribehenin is the triglyceride of glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient that helps soften and condition skin.

Safety-wise, this is a well-vetted ingredient. Repeated-insult patch tests of 0.38% tribehenin did not trigger sensitization.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because behenic acid falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia yeasts can feed on.

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