IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Moisturizer Versus Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Moisturizer Versus Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract and Ceramide NP to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Ethylhexyl Isononanoate

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Glyceryl Stearate

Dimethicone

Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride

PEG-100 Stearate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Stearyl Behenate

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Cetearyl Alcohol

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Polyethylene

PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone

Phenyl Methicone

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Stearyl Stearate

PEG-150 Distearate

Stearic Acid

Palmitic Acid

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Ceramide NP

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Ceteareth-20

Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate

Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea

Glycosphingolipids

Ceramide AP

Meadowfoam Estolide

Glycine Soja Sterols

Cetearyl Glucoside

Betaine

Sodium Hyaluronate

Polyquaternium-51

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Aleuritic Acid

Yeast Extract

Glycoproteins

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Squalane

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Allantoin

Carbomer

Glucose

Tromethamine

Eruca Sativa Leaf Extract

Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate

Buteth-3

Tributyl Citrate

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Ethylhexylglycerin

Niacinamide

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Citric Acid

Retinyl Retinoate

Polylactic Acid

Canola Oil

Cholesteryl Nonanoate

Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Colloidal Oatmeal

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Steareth-20

N-Hydroxysuccinimide

Chrysin

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Chlorhexidine Digluconate

Potassium Sorbate

Panthenol

Persea Gratissima Oil

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Beta-Glucan

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Caprylyl Glycol

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Cholesteryl Isostearate

Cholesteryl Chloride

BHT

Silica

Dipropylene Glycol

Magnolia Acuminata Bark Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Lithospermum Officinale Extract

Agaricus Bisporus Extract

Saccharum Officinarum Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Zinc PCA

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract

Hydrolyzed Silk

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Disodium EDTA

1,2-Hexanediol

CI 42090

CI 19140

Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Stearyl Behenate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyethylene, PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone, Phenyl Methicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearyl Stearate, PEG-150 Distearate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Glycosphingolipids, Ceramide AP, Meadowfoam Estolide, Glycine Soja Sterols, Cetearyl Glucoside, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyquaternium-51, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Aleuritic Acid, Yeast Extract, Glycoproteins, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Carbomer, Glucose, Tromethamine, Eruca Sativa Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Buteth-3, Tributyl Citrate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ethylhexylglycerin, Niacinamide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Retinyl Retinoate, Polylactic Acid, Canola Oil, Cholesteryl Nonanoate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Colloidal Oatmeal, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Steareth-20, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Panthenol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Beta-Glucan, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Caprylyl Glycol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cholesteryl Isostearate, Cholesteryl Chloride, BHT, Silica, Dipropylene Glycol, Magnolia Acuminata Bark Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Lithospermum Officinale Extract, Agaricus Bisporus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Zinc PCA, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 42090, CI 19140

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract

Nymphaea Alba Root Extract

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-9

Sh-Polypeptide-11

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Alanine

Arginine

Glycine

Histidine

Isoleucine

Phenylalanine

Proline

Serine

Threonine

Valine

Acetyl Glutamine

Coconut Alkanes

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Aspartic Acid

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Lecithin

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Sodium Lactate

Sodium PCA

PCA

Polysorbate 20

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Xanthan Gum

Isomalt

Chlorphenesin

Tocopherol

Sodium Benzoate

Phenylpropanol

Glyceryl Caprylate

Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract

Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Acetyl Glutamine, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aspartic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Isomalt, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenylpropanol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract

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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

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.

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).

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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.

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.

This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.

It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".

"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.

This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.

Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:

Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.

A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.

Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

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.

Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.

Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.

In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.

Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.

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.

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.

In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.

Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.

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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