Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Garnier Vitamin C 2-In-1 Brightening Serum Cream Versus Haruharu Wonder Centella Phyto & 5 Peptide Concentrate Cream

Garnier Vitamin C 2-In-1 Brightening Serum Cream Versus Haruharu Wonder Centella Phyto & 5 Peptide Concentrate Cream This brightening day moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade th

Garnier Vitamin C 2-In-1 Brightening Serum Cream Versus Haruharu Wonder Centella Phyto & 5 Peptide Concentrate Cream

This brightening day moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Madecassoside to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

Dimethicone

Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Triethanolamine

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

Octyldodecanol

Isopropyl Isostearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Behenyl Alcohol

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract

Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract

Tin Oxide

Stearic Acid

Titanium Dioxide

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Glucoside

PEG-100 Stearate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Silica

Myristic Acid

Palmitic Acid

Adenosine

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Hydroxyacetophenone

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Citric Acid

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate

Chlorphenesin

Mica

CI 77891

Linalool

Geraniol

Limonene

Citronellol

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dimethicone, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Triethanolamine, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octyldodecanol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Tin Oxide, Stearic Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Silica, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Adenosine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Chlorphenesin, Mica, CI 77891, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene, Citronellol, Parfum

Butylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

1,2-Hexanediol

Cetyl Palmitate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Sorbitan Palmitate

Sorbitan Olivate

Glyceryl Stearate

Stearyl Alcohol

Xanthan Gum

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Myristyl Alcohol

Squalane

Caffeine

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Pentylene Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Phytosterols

Lauryl Alcohol

Centella Asiatica Extract

Hydrolyzed Pea Protein

Madecassoside

Asiaticoside

Caprylyl Glycol

Xylitylglucoside

Anhydroxylitol

Copper Tripeptide-1

Xylitol

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Asiatic Acid

Madecassic Acid

Glucose

Ceramide NP

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract

Oligopeptide-32

Oligopeptide-29

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Myristyl Alcohol, Squalane, Caffeine, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phytosterols, Lauryl Alcohol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Xylitol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Glucose, Ceramide NP, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Oligopeptide-32, Oligopeptide-29, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

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.

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.

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 031,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
  4. 04It is a:
  5. 05Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  6. 06Emollient, helping to soften skin
  7. 07Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  8. 08Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
  9. 09Adenosine 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.
  10. 10The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
  11. 11Your 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 o…
  12. 12The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
  13. 13A 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…
  14. 14A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
  15. 15On 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.
  16. 16This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
  17. 17Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
  18. 18Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
  19. 19Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
  20. 20The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

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