Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Fenty Beauty Bright Fix Eye Brightener Versus Fenty Beauty Thicc N Smooth Rich Peptide Eye Cream

Fenty Beauty Bright Fix Eye Brightener Versus Fenty Beauty Thicc N Smooth Rich Peptide Eye Cream This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Co

Fenty Beauty Bright Fix Eye Brightener Versus Fenty Beauty Thicc N Smooth Rich Peptide Eye Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Isododecane

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Glycerin

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Trimethylsiloxysilicate

PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone

Sodium Chloride

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate

Phenoxyethanol

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Aluminum Hydroxide

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Silica

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Pentylene Glycol

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Citric Acid

Fructose

Sodium Hydroxide

Urea

Sodium Hyaluronate

Allantoin

Maltose

Sodium Lactate

Sodium PCA

Trehalose

Glucose

Disodium Phosphate

Polysorbate 60

Sodium Phosphate

CI 77491

CI 77492

CI 77499

CI 77891

CI 77163

Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Silica, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Pentylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Fructose, Sodium Hydroxide, Urea, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Maltose, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Trehalose, Glucose, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phosphate, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 77163

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Stearic Acid

Propanediol

Trioctyldodecyl Citrate

Niacinamide

Squalane

Arachidyl Alcohol

Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes

Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Caffeine

Hyaluronic Acid

Polyglutamic Acid

Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide

Manganese PCA

Magnesium PCA

Zinc PCA

Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil

Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil

Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

Malpighia Glabra Fruit Juice

Escin

Panthenol

Tocopherol

Gluconolactone

Synthetic Beeswax

Maltodextrin

Arachidyl Glucoside

Behenyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Caprylate

Lauroyl Lysine

Sodium Polyacrylate

Xanthan Gum

Mica

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Sorbitan Isostearate

Sodium Benzoate

Caprylyl Glycol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Propanediol, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Niacinamide, Squalane, Arachidyl Alcohol, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caffeine, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide, Sodium PCA, Manganese PCA, Magnesium PCA, Zinc PCA, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Juice, Escin, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Gluconolactone, Synthetic Beeswax, Maltodextrin, Glucose, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lauroyl Lysine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Mica, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Dimethicone, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, CI 77491

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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.

Ci 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.

Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.

Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.

Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.

It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.

Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Glucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.

Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.

It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.

Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.

Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.

In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

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.

Sodium PCA (the salt of PCA) is one of the most well-established humectants in skincare.

Why is it so special? Your skin already makes it naturally; it's a natural component of your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the mix of water-binding compounds inside your skin cells that keeps things soft and hydrated.

As a cosmetic ingredient, it grabs water and holds it in the upper layers of skin to smooth roughness and ease dehydration.

There's some clinical support for the NMF approach with a study showing that a cream built to mimic the skin's NMF significantly boosted hydration.

Safety-wise, this ingredient non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and non-phototoxic in testing, with minimal skin absorption.

It also works really well with other hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and typical usage is somewhere between 0.2-4%.

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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