First Aid Beauty Bounce-Boosting Serum with Collagen + Peptides Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment

First Aid Beauty Bounce-Boosting Serum with Collagen + Peptides Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Bakuchiol to soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Glycerin

C9-12 Alkane

Soluble Collagen

Ceramide NP

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Acetyl Hydroxyproline

Sodium Hyaluronate

Bakuchiol

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Tocopherol

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Glycine

Histidine

Hydrolyzed Corn Protein

Alanine

Sorbitan Olivate

Isoleucine

Leucine

Lysine

Phenylalanine

Proline

Serine

Arginine

Cetearyl Olivate

Threonine

Tyrosine

Valine

Aspartic Acid

Butylene Glycol

Carbomer

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glutamic Acid

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Hydroxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

Water, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, C9-12 Alkane, Soluble Collagen, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hydroxyproline, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bakuchiol, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Tocopherol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycine, Histidine, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Alanine, Sorbitan Olivate, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Arginine, Cetearyl Olivate, Threonine, Tyrosine, Valine, Aspartic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glutamic Acid, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA

Propylene Glycol

Oryza Sativa Hull Powder

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Sclerotium Gum

Diazolidinyl Urea

Sodium PCA

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Lactate

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

PCA

Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract

Linalool

Caramel

Parfum

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Lavandula Hybrida Oil

Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Oryza Sativa Hull Powder, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sclerotium Gum, Diazolidinyl Urea, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium PCA, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Sorbate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, PCA, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Serine, Valine, Linalool, Caramel, Threonine, Isoleucine, Proline, Parfum, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Sodium Hydroxide, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Alanine is an amino acid and is already found in the human body. Our skin uses alanine to build collagen, elastin, and keratin.

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.

It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.

A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.

Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.

One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.

Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.

Aspartic Acid is an amino acid that our bodies produce naturally. It is an antioxidant.

Our body uses Aspartic Acid to help build collagen and elastin. It also plays a role in hydrating skin.

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.

Glycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.

Histidine is a semi-essential amino acid used by our bodies to create protein. It has humectant and skin conditioning properties.

Our bodies use histidine to create filaggrin - filaggrin is a structural protein that the skin uses in maintaining skin barrier.

One study found histidine and carnosine to be a dynamic duo for your skin:

Oral histidine has also been found to help with filaggrin-deficit skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis.

Why is it considered a semi-essential amino acid? This is because adults are able to create it but children must get it from their diet.

Isoleucine is an amino acid that helps reinforce our skin barrier. This amino acid plays a role in creating protein for the body.

Fun fact: Isoleucine is found in meat, fish, dairy, legumes, and nuts.

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.

Phenylalanine is an amino acid. It is a skin soothing and hydrating ingredient. Amino acids play a crucial role in wound healing and skin hydration.

This ingredient is also used to help even out skin tone due to its ability to disrupt the melanin production process.

Two structures of phenylalanine exist: L-phenylalanine and D-phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine is essential, this means our bodies cannot produce it naturally and we must get it from foods. Our bodies convert D-phenylalanine to neurotransmitters, and D-phenylalanine is found in our bodies naturally.

Some foods that contain L-phenylalanine include eggs, soybeans, beef, milk.

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.

Proline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can make it on its own. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.

It makes up about 23% of the collagen molecule (collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm) and is involved in your skin's natural hyaluronic acid production. When applied topically, proline can penetrate the skin fairly well due to its small molecular size.

Reviews of this ingredient have found it to be neither a dermal irritant nor a sensitizer.

Fun fact: Proline can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.

Serine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.

Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.

Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Threonine is an amino-acid. It helps hydrate the skin and has antioxidant benefits.

Our skin uses threonine for creating collagen and elastin. Humans are not able to create threonine and must get it through eating foods such as fish, lentils, poultry, sesame seeds, and more.

Valine is one of the essential amino acids (meaning your body can't make it on its own and has to get it from food).

In skincare, it's usually synthetically-made or pulled from plant proteins like soy.

It's one of the small building blocks that make up your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the built-in system that helps skin hold onto water. So its main job in a formula is to give the skin gentle hydration and help it feel more comfortable.

Typical amounts are very tiny: roughly 0.00004%-0.5% in leave on products and up to 1% in rinse-off ones.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel has looked at this ingredient and found no evidence of it being a skin irritant or allergen at cosmetic levels.

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!

Similar Comparisons