MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Aqua Essence Lifting Ampoule Versus The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum

MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Aqua Essence Lifting Ampoule Versus The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum

This anti-aging ampoule is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Lactococcus Ferment Lysate and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Isopentyldiol

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Panthenol

1,2-Hexanediol

Propanediol

Dipropylene Glycol

Xylitylglucoside

Anhydroxylitol

Xylitol

Betaine

Allantoin

Hydrolyzed Elastin

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Stomach Extract

Hair Extract

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Arginine

Glucose

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Trideceth-10

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Caprylyl Glycol

Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate

Xanthan Gum

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Alanine/Histidine/Lysine Polypeptide Copper Hcl

Copper Tripeptide-1

Dipeptide-2

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Glutathione

Thioctic Acid

Ubiquinone

Astaxanthin

Cholesterol

PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ceteth-3

Ceteth-5

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Carbomer

Benzyl Glycol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Parfum

Water, Butylene Glycol, Isopentyldiol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Betaine, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Stomach Extract, Hair Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Arginine, Glucose, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Trideceth-10, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Alanine/Histidine/Lysine Polypeptide Copper Hcl, Copper Tripeptide-1, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Glutathione, Thioctic Acid, Ubiquinone, Astaxanthin, Cholesterol, PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceteth-3, Ceteth-5, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Benzyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Parfum

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate

Pentapeptide-18

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine

Glycine

Alanine

Serine

Valine

Isoleucine

Proline

Threonine

Histidine

Phenylalanine

Aspartic Acid

Trehalose

Fructose

Maltose

Urea

Sodium PCA

PCA

Sodium Lactate

Citric Acid

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Hydroxide

Pentylene Glycol

Acacia Senegal Gum

Polysorbate 20

PPG-26-Buteth-26

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Ethoxydiglycol

Sodium Benzoate

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Trehalose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Urea, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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.

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.

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.

It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.

A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.

Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.

One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.

Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.

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.

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).

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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.

Glucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.

Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.

It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.

Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.

Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.

In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.

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.

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.

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.

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.

A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.

A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.

More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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