Geek & Gorgeous Power Peptides Serum Versus Transparent Lab Niacinamide Glow Cream

Geek & Gorgeous Power Peptides Serum Versus Transparent Lab Niacinamide Glow Cream

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide Ng to brighten dull-looking skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Panthenol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Dicaprylyl Ether

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate

Tetrapeptide-21

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Saccharide Isomerate

Allantoin

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Tapioca Starch

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Hydroxide

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Tetrapeptide-21, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Saccharide Isomerate, Allantoin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Tapioca Starch, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Niacinamide

Propanediol

Triheptanoin

Dimethicone

Betaine

Ethyl Macadamiate

Isosorbide Dicaprylate

Sodium PCA

Ceramide Ng

PCA

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate

Lysine

Serine

Alanine

Glycine

Lysine Hcl

Threonine

Arginine

Proline

Glutamic Acid

Gluconolactone

Matrixyl 3000

Magnesium Chloride

Potassium Chloride

Manganese Chloride

Aluminum Chloride

Copper Sulfate

Tocopherol

Phenethyl Alcohol

Caprylyl Glycol

Zinc Chloride

Malic Acid

Calcium Gluconate

Sodium Polyacrylate

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Sodium Lactate

Trideceth-6

Sodium Phytate

Lactic Acid

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Triheptanoin, Dimethicone, Betaine, Ethyl Macadamiate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Sodium PCA, Ceramide Ng, PCA, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Lysine, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Glutamic Acid, Gluconolactone, Matrixyl 3000, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Chloride, Aluminum Chloride, Copper Sulfate, Tocopherol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Zinc Chloride, Malic Acid, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Trideceth-6, Sodium Phytate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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.

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.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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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