IMAGE skincare the MAX Crème Versus ZO Skin Health Growth Factor Serum

IMAGE skincare the MAX Crème Versus ZO Skin Health Growth Factor Serum

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

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate 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

Cyclopentasiloxane

Dipropylene Glycol

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer

PEG-12 Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Sodium Phosphate

Panthenyl Triacetate

Magnesium Sulfate

Hydrolyzed Sericin

Ethyl Linoleate

Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture

Angelica Polymorpha Sinensis Root Extract

Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate

Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate

Acetyl Tyrosine

Dimethiconol

Oleyl Alcohol

Proline

Parfum

Tocopherol

Beta-Glucan

Adenosine Triphosphate

Sodium Chloride

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, PEG-12 Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Phosphate, Panthenyl Triacetate, Phospholipids, Magnesium Sulfate, Hydrolyzed Sericin, Ethyl Linoleate, Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture, Angelica Polymorpha Sinensis Root Extract, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Acetyl Tyrosine, Dimethiconol, Oleyl Alcohol, Proline, Parfum, Tocopherol, Beta-Glucan, Adenosine Triphosphate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol

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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.

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.

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.

This small molecule peptide has similar benefits to Argireline, the "botox" peptide.

According to the manufacturer, this peptide mimics snake venom to freeze muscles. This prevents muscle movement and contractions to prohibit the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

While this seems promising, research is lacking in proving this ingredient to be as effective as botox.

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.

We don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein yet.

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.

Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.

In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).

Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.

They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.

Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.

Some types of phospholipids include:

Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.

As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

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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