Skin science article
Hydropeptide Power Lift Versus ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense
Hydropeptide Power Lift Versus ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This barrier-rep
Hydropeptide Power Lift Versus ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Laminaria Digitata Extract and Beta-Glucan to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Butylene Glycol
Silybum Marianum Ethyl Ester
Glycerin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Cetearyl Alcohol
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
Behenyl Alcohol
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Isononyl Isononanoate
Arachidyl Alcohol
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
Oryza Sativa Bran
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Panthenol
Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine
Caprylyl Glycol
1,2-Hexanediol
Arachidyl Glucoside
Menthoxypropanediol
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Xanthan Gum
Cetearyl Glucoside
Sorbitan Laurate
Squalane
Cyclodextrin
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Buddleja Davidii Extract
Disodium EDTA
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Sodium Hyaluronate
Polysorbate 60
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Sodium Benzoate
Citric Acid
Potassium Sorbate
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Pyridoxine Tris-Hexyldecanoate
Arbutin
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Tropolone
Myristoyl Tripeptide-31
Sodium Metabisulfite
Hexapeptide-10
Diacetyl Boldine
Triethyl Citrate
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Cupressus Sempervirens Oil
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract
Rosa Damascena Flower Extract
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water, Butylene Glycol, Silybum Marianum Ethyl Ester, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Oryza Sativa Bran, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Panthenol, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Menthoxypropanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Laurate, Squalane, Cyclodextrin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Disodium EDTA, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 60, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Pyridoxine Tris-Hexyldecanoate, Arbutin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tropolone, Myristoyl Tripeptide-31, Sodium Metabisulfite, Hexapeptide-10, Diacetyl Boldine, Triethyl Citrate, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Pentylene Glycol
Steareth-20
Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract
Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture
Retinyl Palmitate
Tocopherol
Micrococcus Lysate
Hexylene Glycol
Lactose
Galactoarabinan
Lecithin
Schizophyllan
Beta-Glucan
Carbomer
Cellulose
Maltodextrin
C14-22 Alcohols
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Sodium Hydroxide
Phenoxyethanol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Parfum
CI 77007
Limonene
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Steareth-20, Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Micrococcus Lysate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Lactose, Galactoarabinan, Lecithin, Schizophyllan, Beta-Glucan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Cellulose, Maltodextrin, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Glucoside, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, CI 77007, Limonene
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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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Cetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
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%.
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.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
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!