Mad About Skin Copper Peptide Serum Versus Theramid Copper Peptide

Mad About Skin Copper Peptide Serum Versus Theramid Copper Peptide

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Matrixyl 3000 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Matrixyl 3000

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Sodium Hyaluronate

Copper Gluconate

1,2-Hexanediol

T-Butyl Alcohol

Carbomer

Chlorphenesin

Pentylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Matrixyl 3000, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Gluconate, 1,2-Hexanediol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol

Propanediol

Dimethicone

Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate

Betaine

Isododecane

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Copper Tripeptide-1

Bifida Ferment Lysate

PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone

Magnesium Sulfate

Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Acetyl Hexapeptide-1

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-9

Sh-Polypeptide-11

Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract

Acetyl Glutamine

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables

Propylene Carbonate

Lecithin

Caprylyl Glycol

Dextran

Tocopherol

Acetic Acid

Lactic Acid

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Benzoate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Betaine, Isododecane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Copper Tripeptide-1, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Acetyl Glutamine, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Propylene Carbonate, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Dextran, Tocopherol, Acetic Acid, Lactic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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