hers Minoxidil Solution Versus The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

hers Minoxidil Solution Versus The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Minoxidil 2%

Alcohol

Propylene Glycol

Water

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Lauric Acid

Decyl Glucoside

Parfum

Sodium Chloride

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

Glycerin

Glycol Distearate

Potassium Hydroxide

Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate

Xylitol

Lactitol

Glyceryl Oleate

Coco-Glucoside

Polyquaternium-67

Laureth-4

Chlorphenesin

Citric Acid

Lactic Acid

Sodium Acetate

Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract

Linalool

Isopropyl Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Tocopherol

Benzoic Acid

Dehydroacetic Acid

Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate

Lecithin

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Minoxidil 2%, Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauric Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Potassium Hydroxide, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Xylitol, Lactitol, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Glucoside, Polyquaternium-67, Laureth-4, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Acetate, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Linalool, Isopropyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate

Propanediol

Butylene Glycol

Caffeine

Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3

Larix Europaea Wood Extract

Pisum Sativum Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Glycine Soja Germ Extract

Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Apigenin

Oleanolic Acid

Arginine

Glycine

Calcium Gluconate

Zinc Chloride

Gluconolactone

Dextran

Maltodextrin

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Xanthan Gum

Pentylene Glycol

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Polysorbate 20

PPG-26-Buteth-26

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Sodium Metabisulfite

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caffeine, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Pisum Sativum Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Apigenin, Oleanolic Acid, Arginine, Glycine, Calcium Gluconate, Zinc Chloride, Lactic Acid, Gluconolactone, Dextran, Maltodextrin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Polysorbate 20, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

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.

Lactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.

Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.

Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.

Like glycolic acid, it can:

Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.

Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.

To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.

Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.

Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.

When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.

Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.

Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

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.

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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