IMAGE skincare the MAX Crème Versus Mary Kay TimeWise Age Minimize 3D Night Cream - Normal/Dry

IMAGE skincare the MAX Crème Versus Mary Kay TimeWise Age Minimize 3D Night Cream - Normal/Dry

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Centella Asiatica Extract to soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Resveratrol to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Dimethicone

Sucrose Palmitate

Cetyl Alcohol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Glyceryl Linoleate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Phenoxyethanol

Stearic Acid

Citrus Grandis Peel Oil

Limonene

Butylene Glycol

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Pullulan

Sclerotium Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

Ceteth-10 Phosphate

Dicetyl Phosphate

Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Isomalt

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Propylene Glycol

Centella Asiatica Extract

Glycine Soja Sterols

Linoleic Acid

Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract

Phospholipids

PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer

Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract

Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract

Potassium Sorbate

Echinacea Purpurea Extract

Citric Acid

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Benzoate

Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture

Pvp

Sodium Lactate

Carbomer

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Glycine Soja Protein

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

Superoxide Dismutase

Lecithin

Polysorbate 20

PEG-8

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Phaseolus Radiatus Meristem Cell Culture Extract

Polyacrylamide

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract

Argania Spinosa Callus Culture Extract

Plankton Extract

Sodium Dextran Sulfate

Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Citral

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Laureth-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Biotin

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Sucrose Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Limonene, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Isomalt, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Propylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Phospholipids, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture, Pvp, Sodium Lactate, Carbomer, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Glycine Soja Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Superoxide Dismutase, Lecithin, Polysorbate 20, PEG-8, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Phaseolus Radiatus Meristem Cell Culture Extract, Polyacrylamide, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Argania Spinosa Callus Culture Extract, Plankton Extract, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Citral, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Laureth-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Biotin

Isohexadecane

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Isocetyl Stearate

Cetyl Esters

Caprylyl Methicone

Niacinamide

Oligopeptide-1

Resveratrol

Prunus Mume Leaf Extract

Arachidyl Glucoside

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Panthenol

Arachidyl Alcohol

Ceteareth-20

Behenyl Alcohol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Polysorbate 80

Ethoxydiglycol

Methyldihydrojasmonate

Ethylene Brassylate

Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes

Ethyl Linalool

Isobutyl Methyl Tetrahydropyranol

Methylenedioxyphenyl Methylpropanal

Phenylisohexanol

Trimethylbenzenepropanol

Methyl Benzodioxepinone

Triethanolamine

Disodium EDTA

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Titanium Dioxide

Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Butylene Glycol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isocetyl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Caprylyl Methicone, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Oligopeptide-1, Resveratrol, Prunus Mume Leaf Extract, Arachidyl Glucoside, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Sucrose Palmitate, PEG-100 Stearate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Behenyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 80, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Glyceryl Linoleate, Ethoxydiglycol, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Ethylene Brassylate, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Ethyl Linalool, Isobutyl Methyl Tetrahydropyranol, Methylenedioxyphenyl Methylpropanal, Phenylisohexanol, Trimethylbenzenepropanol, Methyl Benzodioxepinone, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Titanium Dioxide

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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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.

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

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.

Glyceryl Linoleate isn't fungal acne safe.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

This ingredient is used in skincare as a delivery system.

It works by "encapsulating" active ingredients with its unique ring shape that is water-loving on the outside and oil-loving on the inside. This improves the stability and absorption of the product into the skin.

According to a manufacturer, it also offer some moisturizing effects.

Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.

PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.

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.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

We don't have a description for Sucrose Palmitate yet.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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