In Your Face Bio Peptide EGF6 Firming Serum Versus CellDerma GF5 Next Generation

In Your Face Bio Peptide EGF6 Firming Serum Versus CellDerma GF5 Next Generation

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sh-Oligopeptide-1 and Copper Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Rosa Damascena Flower Water

Squalane

Pentylene Glycol

Water

Lecithin

Acetyl Glutamine

Propanediol

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-9

Sh-Polypeptide-11

Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Copper Tripeptide-1

Glycerin

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil

Arginine

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Sphingomonas Ferment Extract

Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract

Maltodextrin

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Boswellia Serrata Oil

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Squalane, Pentylene Glycol, Water, Lecithin, Acetyl Glutamine, Propanediol, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Arginine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Maltodextrin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Boswellia Serrata Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Butylene Glycol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Acetyl Hexapeptide-30

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide Ag

Ceramide Ng

Ceramide EOP

Bacillus

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Dextran

Cholesterol

Calcium Hydroxymethionine

3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Glyceryl Stearate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Polysorbate 20

Dipropylene Glycol

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Phenoxyethanol

Potassium Sorbate

Citric Acid

Water, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Acetyl Hexapeptide-30, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ag, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide EOP, Arginine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bacillus, Acetyl Glutamine, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dextran, Cholesterol, Calcium Hydroxymethionine, 3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid

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

We don't have a description for Acetyl Glutamine yet.

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.

It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.

A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.

Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.

One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.

Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.

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).

Copper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a skin repairing ingredient known for its ability to boost collagen, improve firmness, and support skin regeneration.

It is a complex made up of a naturally occurring peptide (glycine-histidine-lysine) and copper, an essential trace element.

While studying wound healing, researchers noticed GHK-Cu stimulated hair follicle enlargement and growth by keeping hair in its active growth phase longer. This has made it a promising ingredient for hair regrowth treatments.

Some people have reported increased facial hair. While GHK-Cu can make your hair follicles bigger, it usually doesn’t turn soft, barely-visible facial hairs into thick, dark ones.

Anecdotal reports suggest that overusing copper peptides might lead to premature aging due to excess free copper or enzyme imbalances. This claim isn’t backed by large-scale studies.

Unfortunately, there are limited human studies for this ingredient. While early results are promising, many studies are either small, in-vitro, or not rigorously controlled.

For example, there is a 1998 study that explored the effects of copper tripeptide, vitamin C, tretinoin, and melatonin on skin repair and collagen synthesis.

After one month, increased procollagen production was seen in 7 out of 10 participants using copper tripeptide (more than those using vitamin C, melatonin, or tretinoin.

While the study was exploratory, it offers early evidence that copper tripeptide may support collagen production. Larger, well-designed trials are still needed to confirm its potential and understand individual responses.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

sh-Oligopeptide-1 is a peptide found naturally in our bodies. Peptides are the building blocks for collagen and elastin in our skin.

In cosmetics, this ingredient is bioengineered to be identical to a human gene that codes for epidermal growth factor (EGF). EGF are signal molecules that simulate cell growth and healing.

Studies find EGF help with:

In South Korea and China, EGF is considered a controversial ingredient. The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has cracked down on companies with products including EGF due to false advertisement claims.

According to Dr. Zoe Draelos, growth factors have some drawbacks:

There is also controversy surrounding growth factors. The controversy is due to their mitogenic activity, or their ability to increase the number of cells. It is best to avoid using growth factors if you have psoriasis or are at risk of skin cancer. However, it should be noted EGF are not mutagenic - meaning they will not cause cancer.

This peptide has similar properties to Sh-Oligopeptide-1.

There is also controversy surrounding EGF. The controversy is due to their mitogenic activity, or their ability to increase the number of cells. It is best to avoid using growth factors if you have psoriasis or are at risk of skin cancer. However, it should be noted EGF are not mutagenic - meaning they will not cause cancer.

Sh-Polypeptide-1 is a signal peptide that tells our cells to create more fibroblast cells. Fibroblasts maintain skin structure and plays a role in wound healing.

It is important to note this ingredient is mitogenic and not mutagenic. Meaning it will stimulate cell multiplication, and will not cause cancer.

Sh-Polypeptide-11 is a signal protein that tells our skin to create more fibroblast cells. Fibroblasts maintain skin structure and plays a role in wound healing.

Sh-Polypeptide-9 is a signal peptide that tells our body to create more blood vessels.

It is important to note, this ingredient is mitogenic and not mutagenic. Meaning it will stimulate cell multiplication, and will not cause cancer.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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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