Skin science article
Mad Hippie Corrective Peptide Serum Versus Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Serum
Mad Hippie Corrective Peptide Serum Versus Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Serum This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier. This anti-aging seru
Mad Hippie Corrective Peptide Serum Versus Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tripeptide-10 Citrulline and Acetyl Octapeptide-3 to soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Propanediol
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Sodium Hyaluronate
Apium Graveolens Seed Extract
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Squalane
Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Sorbitan Trioleate
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Polyglucuronic Acid
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-22
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
Phenethyl Alcohol
Caprylyl Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Stearyl Alcohol
Polyglutamic Acid
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Lecithin
Ceramide NP
Tocopherol
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Propanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Sodium Hyaluronate, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Squalane, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Sorbitan Trioleate, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyglucuronic Acid, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-22, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyglutamic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
Isopropyl Myristate
Mannitol
Butylene Glycol
Natto Gum
Tripeptide-10 Citrulline
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Hexapeptide-11
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Sodium Polyglutamate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Retinyl Palmitate
Ascorbic Acid
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Acrylates Copolymer
Magnesium Chloride
Polysorbate 20
Dimethyl Isosorbide
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Disodium Phosphate
Carbomer
Dextran
Sodium Lactate
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Xanthan Gum
Triethanolamine
Sodium Phosphate
Octyldodecanol
Silica
Sodium Propoxyhydroxypropyl Thiosulfate Silica
Sodium Hydroxide
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Glycerin, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Isopropyl Myristate, Squalane, Mannitol, Butylene Glycol, Natto Gum, Tripeptide-10 Citrulline, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hexapeptide-11, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Polyglutamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Lecithin, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Acrylates Copolymer, Magnesium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Disodium Phosphate, Carbomer, Dextran, Sodium Lactate, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Sodium Phosphate, Octyldodecanol, Silica, Sodium Propoxyhydroxypropyl Thiosulfate Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This peptide is more commonly known as Thymulen 4 BG.
It is derived from a youth hormone called thymopoietin. Thymopoietin helps regulate the immune system and decreases naturally with age.
According to the manufacturer, this peptide boosts the skin's immune defenses and regenerates the outer layers of skin.
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.
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.
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.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
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!