Marc Anthony Grow Long Scalp & Hair Serum Versus The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

Marc Anthony Grow Long Scalp & Hair Serum Versus The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Biotin

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Caffeine

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Saccharum Officinarum Extract

Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Menthol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

Polyquaternium-10

Polyquaternium-11

Polyquaternium-37

Polyquaternium-55

Hexapeptide-11

PPG-1 Trideceth-6

Glycerin

Zinc PCA

Citric Acid

Cetrimonium Chloride

Hexylene Glycol

Butylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Betaine

Isopropyl Alcohol

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Linalool

Benzyl Alcohol

Benzyl Salicylate

Citronellol

Hydroxycitronellal

Water, Propanediol, Biotin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Menthol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-11, Polyquaternium-37, Polyquaternium-55, Hexapeptide-11, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Glycerin, Zinc PCA, Citric Acid, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Betaine, Isopropyl Alcohol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal

Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3

Larix Europaea Wood Extract

Pisum Sativum Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Glycine Soja Germ Extract

Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract

Apigenin

Oleanolic Acid

Arginine

Glycine

Calcium Gluconate

Zinc Chloride

Lactic Acid

Gluconolactone

Dextran

Maltodextrin

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Xanthan Gum

Pentylene Glycol

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Polysorbate 20

PPG-26-Buteth-26

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Sodium Metabisulfite

Chlorphenesin

Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caffeine, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Pisum Sativum Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Apigenin, Oleanolic Acid, Arginine, Glycine, Calcium Gluconate, Zinc Chloride, Lactic Acid, Gluconolactone, Dextran, Maltodextrin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Polysorbate 20, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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.

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.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.

As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.

Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.

You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.

Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.

Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

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.

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.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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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