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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!

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

02

Product index

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03

Comparison edit

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