Foxtale Rapid Spot Reduction Drops Versus Conscious Chemist The Defender Peptide Retinol Night Cream

Foxtale Rapid Spot Reduction Drops Versus Conscious Chemist The Defender Peptide Retinol Night Cream

This brightening serum is formulated around Tranexamic Acid and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propylene Glycol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Tranexamic Acid

Glycerin

C15-19 Alkane

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

Butylene Glycol

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Sodium Oleate

Oligopeptide-68

Disodium EDTA

Ceteareth-20

Niacinamide

Betaine

Squalane

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Octenidine Hcl

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Silica

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopherol

Sodium Hydroxide

Parfum

Water, Propylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tranexamic Acid, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Oleate, Oligopeptide-68, Disodium EDTA, Ceteareth-20, Niacinamide, Betaine, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum

Isopropyl Myristate

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Sodium Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Lauryl Glucoside

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Alcohol

Glyceryl Oleate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Allantoin

Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil

Retinol

Polysorbate 20

BHA

Lecithin

Acetyl Glutamine

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-9

Sh-Polypeptide-11

Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Caprylyl Glycol

Hexapeptide-11

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Bisabolol

Adansonia Digitata Oil

Caffeine

BHT

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Ubiquinone

Water, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Lauryl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Allantoin, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, BHA, Lecithin, Acetyl Glutamine, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hexapeptide-11, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Adansonia Digitata Oil, Caffeine, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Ubiquinone

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

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%.

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.

Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.

As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

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.

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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