Glymed Plus Peptide Serum Versus Glymed Plus Oxygen Treatment Cream

Glymed Plus Peptide Serum Versus Glymed Plus Oxygen Treatment Cream

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

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Acetyl Sh-Heptapeptide-1

Butylene Glycol

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Caprylyl Glycol

Carbomer

Copper Tripeptide-1

Dimethyl Mea

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glycereth-26

Glycerin

Glycine

Hexylene Glycol

Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Lecithin

Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Panthenol

Pentylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Polysorbate 20

Propanediol

Rosa Centifolia Flower Water

Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hydroxide

Sorbitol

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Water

Xanthan Gum

Phenethyl Alcohol

Acetyl Sh-Heptapeptide-1, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Copper Tripeptide-1, Dimethyl Mea, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Glycine, Hexylene Glycol, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Lecithin, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Propanediol, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Water, Xanthan Gum, Phenethyl Alcohol

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Isononyl Isononanoate

Tropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Hydroxystearyl Glucoside

Hydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract

Lactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract

Salvia Officinalis Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Hydroxystearyl Alcohol

Citrus Grandis Peel Oil

Sodium Phytate

Water, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Tropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxystearyl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract, Sorbitol, Lactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Hydroxystearyl Alcohol, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.

Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.

As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.

It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.

Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.

THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).

Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.

Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.

Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.

A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).

While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.

THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

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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