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Skin science article

Le Mieux TGF-B Booster Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides

Le Mieux TGF-B Booster Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides This anti-aging serum is formulated around Hyaluronic Acid and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Carnosine and Palmitoyl Tri

Le Mieux TGF-B Booster Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Hyaluronic Acid and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Carnosine and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

C12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate

Superoxide Dismutase

Saccharomyces Polypeptides

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Ceramide Ns

Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment

Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment

Saccharomyces/Manganese Ferment

Riboflavin

Phospholipids

Folic Acid

Enteromorpha Compressa Extract

Glycoproteins

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Serine

Proline

Alanine

Glutamic Acid

Niacinamide

Parfum

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Undecylenoyl Glycine

Capryloyl Glycine

Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, C12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Superoxide Dismutase, Saccharomyces Polypeptides, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Ceramide Ns, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Manganese Ferment, Riboflavin, Phospholipids, Folic Acid, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Glycoproteins, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Serine, Proline, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Niacinamide, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Capryloyl Glycine

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Inulin

Panthenol

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Carnosine

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Citric Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Tetrapeptide-21

Pentapeptide-18

Pantolactone

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Glyceryl Caprylate

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Phenylpropanol

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Potassium Sorbate

Xanthan Gum

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Inulin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Carnosine, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tetrapeptide-21, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Pantolactone, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Phenylpropanol, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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).

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.

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.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a synthetic signal lipopeptide. This just means it is a three amino acid chain bolted onto a palmitic acid tail so it can slip through the skin's lipid barrier.

This peptide has a "build more, lose less" approach.

It's designed to mimic the collagen-stimulating activity in your skin by copying a snippet of one of your skin's own matrix proteins. This nudges fibroblasts into making more collagen while inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down skin protein.

The manufacturer's in vivo study of 45 volunteers found 1% and 2.5% reduced the appearance of wrinkles by 7% and 12% respectively, after using it twice daily for 84 days.

This is in the expected range for peptides; they're slow and cumulative actives and not overnight fixers.

Typical use levels range from 1-3% and this ingredient gets along with pretty much everything.

On the fungal acne front: Although palmitic acid sits in the chain length that Malassezia can feed on, this ingredient has it locked in an amine bond. This makes it hard for Malassezia to access as a source of food, and therefore fungal acne safe.

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.

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

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Glycerin
  3. 03Butylene Glycol
  4. 04Inulin
  5. 05Sodium Hyaluronate
  6. 06Panthenol
  7. 07Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
  8. 08Carnosine
  9. 09Carbomer
  10. 10Polysorbate 20
  11. 11Caprylyl Glycol
  12. 12Phenoxyethanol
  13. 13Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
  14. 14Dunaliella Salina Extract
  15. 15Ethylhexylglycerin
  16. 16Citric Acid
  17. 17Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
  18. 18Sodium Benzoate
  19. 19Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
  20. 20Tetrapeptide-21
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

Medik8 Liquid Peptides

Medik8 Liquid Peptides Medik8 Liquid Peptides ingredients explained: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Copper Heptapeptide-14 Pantot…

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Product

Medik8 Liquid Peptides

Medik8 Liquid Peptides Ingredients in Medik8 Liquid Peptides explained: benefits, concerns, and detailed analysis of 33 ingredients including Water, Glycerin, and Butylene Glycol A highly r…

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Medik8 Liquid Peptides (2021)

Medik8 Liquid Peptides (2021) Medik8 Liquid Peptides (2021) ingredients explained: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Inulin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosacchari…

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03

Comparison edit

Read side by side