Skin science article
Lumene Overnight Care Lash & Eyebrow Serum Versus Essence Grow Like A Boss Lash & Brow Growth Serum
Lumene Overnight Care Lash & Eyebrow Serum Versus Essence Grow Like A Boss Lash & Brow Growth Serum What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Alcohol Denat. Butylene Glycol Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Juice Empetrum Nigrum Fr
Lumene Overnight Care Lash & Eyebrow Serum Versus Essence Grow Like A Boss Lash & Brow Growth Serum
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Alcohol Denat.
Butylene Glycol
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Juice
Empetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice
Hydroxyacetophenone
Phenoxyethanol
Cellulose Gum
Propanediol
1,2-Hexanediol
Sodium Gluconate
Caprylyl Glycol
Panthenol
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Glycerin
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Sodium Hydroxide
Ethylhexylglycerin
Apigenin
Oleanolic Acid
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Potassium Sorbate
Water, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Juice, Empetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Cellulose Gum, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Gluconate, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Apigenin, Oleanolic Acid, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Potassium Sorbate
Isopentyldiol
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Nephelium Lappaceum Seed Extract
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
Camellia Japonica Seed Extract
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Maltodextrin
Water, Isopentyldiol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Nephelium Lappaceum Seed Extract, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Camellia Japonica Seed Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Hydroxyacetophenone, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Maltodextrin, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
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
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 is a lab-made molecule that combines two parts: biotin (vitamin B7) and Tripeptide-1. Together, they form a peptide that’s often used in hair and eyelash products.
In-vitro studies show this ingredient helps hair bulb cells grow faster and product more structual proteins. This helps keep hair securely anchored in the follicle.
A small human study using a mascara with 2% Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 reported lashes that were about 17% longer and 19% thicker after one month.
One study from 2025 compared topical spray vs. a combined tropical/oral treatment. The combination group saw greater increases in total hair count.
While these early results are encouraging, most of the data comes from in-vitro experiments (in test tubes) or small, short-term trials.
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 looks promising for supporting hair strength and growth but there’s not yet strong clinical evidence to confirm how well it works.
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).
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.
Hydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
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!