Skin science article
MCoBeauty. Peptide Lip Treatment Versus Peach & Lily Collagen Cushion Peptide Lip Balm
MCoBeauty. Peptide Lip Treatment Versus Peach & Lily Collagen Cushion Peptide Lip Balm This anti-aging lip moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate lips. This anti-aging
MCoBeauty. Peptide Lip Treatment Versus Peach & Lily Collagen Cushion Peptide Lip Balm
This anti-aging lip moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate lips.
This anti-aging lip moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Collagen Extract to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate lips.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Diisostearyl Malate
Polyisobutene
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Microcrystalline Wax
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Octyldodecanol
Disteardimonium Hectorite
Synthetic Wax
Phenoxyethanol
Vanillin
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Zinc Carbonate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Parfum
Tribehenin
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Sorbitan Isostearate
Water
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Lactic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
1,2-Hexanediol
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Ethylhexylglycerin
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Diisostearyl Malate, Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Microcrystalline Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Octyldodecanol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Synthetic Wax, Phenoxyethanol, Vanillin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Zinc Carbonate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Tribehenin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sorbitan Isostearate, Water, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Squalane
Collagen Extract
Polyglutamic Acid
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Ceramide Ns
Ceramide NP
Ceramide AP
Ceramide As
Ceramide EOP
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Chlorella Ferment
Bisabolol
Butylene Glycol
Prunus Persica Fruit Extract
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Copper Tripeptide-1
Hexapeptide-9
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Dipeptide-2
Nonapeptide-1
Tripeptide-1
Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Stevioside
Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
Allantoin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Tocopherol
Glyceryl Caprylate
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Caprylyl Glycol
Pentylene Glycol
Polyisobutene, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Octyldodecanol, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Tribehenin, Synthetic Wax, Squalane, Collagen Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Water, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Chlorella Ferment, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Dipeptide-2, Nonapeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Stevioside, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol
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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
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Diisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.
Disteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
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.
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.
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.
In one study, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene showed better skin hydration levels than Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. As an emollient, it helps keep your skin soft and hydrated by trapping moisture in.
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is often used as a mineral oil replacement.
Microcrystalline Wax is derived from petroleum through a de-oiling process, then highly refined and purified before use in cosmetics.
In skincare formulations, it is used to improve texture and create a smooth, even consistency. It also helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating.
Octyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne: In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.
It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.
Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.
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.
Synthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.
Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.
It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.
This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.
Tribehenin is the triglyceride of glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient that helps soften and condition skin.
Safety-wise, this is a well-vetted ingredient. Repeated-insult patch tests of 0.38% tribehenin did not trigger sensitization.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because behenic acid falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia yeasts can feed on.
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!