MEDI-PEEL Gold Age Tox H8 Cream Versus MEDI-PEEL Peptide-Tox Bor Cream

MEDI-PEEL Gold Age Tox H8 Cream Versus MEDI-PEEL Peptide-Tox Bor Cream

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract and Copper Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Dipropylene Glycol

Niacinamide

1,2-Hexanediol

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Carbomer

Dimethicone

Panthenol

Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate

Arachidyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Glyceryl Stearate

Squalane

Glyceryl Glucoside

Stearyl Alcohol

Stearic Acid

Palmitic Acid

C12-16 Alcohols

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Adenosine

Caprylyl Glycol

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Illicium Verum Fruit Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Collagen

Proline

Hydroxyproline

Vegetable Amino Acids

Natto Gum

Silk Extract

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Copper Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Oligopeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Cetearyl Alcohol

Arachidyl Glucoside

Benzyl Glycol

Behenyl Alcohol

Ceramide NP

Ceramide Ns

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Hydrolyzed Elastin

Sericin

Ceramide As

Ceramide AP

Gold

Lysine

Glycine

Alanine

Glutamic Acid

Serine

Leucine

Tryptophan

Aspartic Acid

Glutamine

Valine

Threonine

Isoleucine

Phenylalanine

Histidine

Methionine

Cystine

Tyrosine

Asparagine

Ceramide EOP

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

CI 19140

CI 16255

Tromethamine

Parfum

Limonene

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Glyceryl Glucoside, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, C12-16 Alcohols, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Collagen, Proline, Hydroxyproline, Vegetable Amino Acids, Natto Gum, Silk Extract, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Oligopeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Benzyl Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Sericin, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Gold, Lysine, Glycine, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Leucine, Tryptophan, Aspartic Acid, Glutamine, Valine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Histidine, Methionine, Cystine, Tyrosine, Asparagine, Ceramide EOP, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, CI 19140, CI 16255, Tromethamine, Parfum, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

C14-22 Alcohols

Triethylhexanoin

Cetearyl Olivate

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Sorbitan Olivate

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

Simethicone

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Tocopherol

Allantoin

Arginine

Trehalose

Sorbitan Isostearate

Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract

Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate

Lactobacillus Ferment

Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate

Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract

Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate

Lactococcus Ferment

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Jania Rubens Extract

Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract

Malt Extract

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Polysorbate 60

Disodium EDTA

Water, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C14-22 Alcohols, Triethylhexanoin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Sorbitan Olivate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Simethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Arginine, Trehalose, Panthenol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate, Lactococcus Ferment, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Jania Rubens Extract, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Malt Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Parfum

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

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (also known as Argireline) is a synthetic hexapeptide that is often called a "topical Botox alternative".

It works by mimicking how Botox relaxes muscles; it interferes with the signaling process that tells your facial muscles to contract. This can help soften expression lines like forehead wrinkles or crow's feet over time.

The comparison to Botox does have limits because the molecule is water-loving and relatively large.

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 has a hard time absorbing deeply enough through the skin's outer barrier to actually reach the muscles.

So whether it truly works the way Botox does at a biological level is still up for debate, but early clinical outcomes are fairly encouraging.

A 12 week human study of a multi-ingredient regimen containing this ingredient saw:

While some studies have observed improvements in wrinkle appearance, it is important to note that more consistent results are seen in multi-ingredient formulations (vs just Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 alone).

Some research studies also used higher concentrations (up to 10%) while this ingredient is usually found in concentrations up to 0.005% in leave-on formulations.

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).

Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.

Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.

In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.

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.

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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Copper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a skin repairing ingredient known for its ability to boost collagen, improve firmness, and support skin regeneration.

It is a complex made up of a naturally occurring peptide (glycine-histidine-lysine) and copper, an essential trace element.

While studying wound healing, researchers noticed GHK-Cu stimulated hair follicle enlargement and growth by keeping hair in its active growth phase longer. This has made it a promising ingredient for hair regrowth treatments.

Some people have reported increased facial hair. While GHK-Cu can make your hair follicles bigger, it usually doesn’t turn soft, barely-visible facial hairs into thick, dark ones.

Anecdotal reports suggest that overusing copper peptides might lead to premature aging due to excess free copper or enzyme imbalances. This claim isn’t backed by large-scale studies.

Unfortunately, there are limited human studies for this ingredient. While early results are promising, many studies are either small, in-vitro, or not rigorously controlled.

For example, there is a 1998 study that explored the effects of copper tripeptide, vitamin C, tretinoin, and melatonin on skin repair and collagen synthesis.

After one month, increased procollagen production was seen in 7 out of 10 participants using copper tripeptide (more than those using vitamin C, melatonin, or tretinoin.

While the study was exploratory, it offers early evidence that copper tripeptide may support collagen production. Larger, well-designed trials are still needed to confirm its potential and understand individual responses.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

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.

We don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Elastin yet.

Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.

In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.

Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.

The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.

In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.

It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.

You might know this ingredient as Matrixyl. It is a synthetic peptide made up of five amino acids attached to a palmitic acid, a fatty acid that helps it absorb into skin more easily.

As a signal peptide, Matrixyl acts like a little messenger. Once it reaches your skin cells, it tells them to ramp up production of collagen, elastin, and other proteins that keep skin looking firm and smooth.

A 12 week clinical study found that a moisturizer containing just 3 ppm of Matrixyl led to a significant improvement in fine-lines and wrinkles. Another study showed an 18% reduction in wrinkle depth, 37% reduction in wrinkle thickness, and a 21% improvement in skin firmness after just 28 days of twice-daily use.

The coolest part is that it works at incredibly low concentrations (like 0.0003%) and it plays well with other actives.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel found it to be non-sensitizing across multiple tests and human patch tests also showed no irritation or sensitization.

Fun fact: Matrixyl was originally developed by French company Sederma and Procter & Gamble.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

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.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

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 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.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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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