MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Volume Lifting Pro All In One Podo Ampoule Versus MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Volume Lifting All In One Essence Pro

MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Volume Lifting Pro All In One Podo Ampoule Versus MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Volume Lifting All In One Essence Pro

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

This anti-aging essence is formulated around Collagen Extract and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Water

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Wine Extract

Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract

Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Chloride

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Xanthan Gum

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Ectoin

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Butylene Glycol

Glycolipids

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Caprylyl Glycol

Resveratrol

Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate

Dextran

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Potassium Hyaluronate

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Hexapeptide-9

Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol

Tocopherol

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3

Nonapeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Copper Tripeptide-1

Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Parfum

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Wine Extract, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ectoin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butylene Glycol, Glycolipids, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Resveratrol, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Dextran, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hexapeptide-9, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Tocopherol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Nonapeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Parfum

Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether

Methylpropanediol

Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether

Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate

Pentaerythrityl Stearate/Caprate/Caprylate/Adipate

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

Trilaureth-4 Phosphate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Cetearyl Alcohol

Bisabolol

Xylitylglucoside

Myristic Acid

Sorbitan Oleate

Anhydroxylitol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Xylitol

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Prunella Vulgaris Extract

Fucus Vesiculosus Extract

Ceramide NP

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract

Collagen Extract

Lactobacillus/Centella Asiatica Extract Ferment Filtrate

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Hydrolyzed Elastin

Laminaria Japonica Extract

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract

Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract

Ascorbic Acid

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Panthenol

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Alanine/Histidine/Lysine Polypeptide Copper Hcl

Hexapeptide-11

Madecassic Acid

Asiaticoside

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Asiatic Acid

Biotin

Soluble Collagen

Collagen

Collagen Amino Acids

Folic Acid

Pyridoxine

Pentylene Glycol

Rosin Hydrolyzed Collagen

Cyanocobalamin

Soluble Collagen Crosspolymer

Atelocollagen

Potassium Myristoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen

Linoleic Acid

Riboflavin

Beta-Carotene

Inositol

Thiamine Hcl

Water, Glycerin, Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Methylpropanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Pentaerythrityl Stearate/Caprate/Caprylate/Adipate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Xylitylglucoside, Myristic Acid, Sorbitan Oleate, Anhydroxylitol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Xylitol, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Prunella Vulgaris Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Ceramide NP, Ectoin, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Collagen Extract, Lactobacillus/Centella Asiatica Extract Ferment Filtrate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Tripeptide-1, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Alanine/Histidine/Lysine Polypeptide Copper Hcl, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-11, Hexapeptide-9, Niacinamide, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Nonapeptide-1, Asiatic Acid, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Biotin, Soluble Collagen, Collagen, Collagen Amino Acids, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine, Tocopherol, Pentylene Glycol, Rosin Hydrolyzed Collagen, Cyanocobalamin, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen Crosspolymer, Atelocollagen, Potassium Myristoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Linoleic Acid, Riboflavin, Beta-Carotene, Inositol, Thiamine Hcl, 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.

This ingredient is more commonly known as Zhi Mu root. You might see this ingredient listed under 'Volufiline' products.

That's because 'Volufiline' is comprised of this ingredient and Hydrogenated Polyisobutene.

Zhi Mu root is rich in sarsasapogenin. This compound has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.

It is commonly used in East Asian medicine.

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.

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:

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

Ectoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. It can be synthetically created for skincare use.

This ingredient is an osmolyte; Osmolytes help organisms survive osmotic shock (it protects them from extreme conditions). It does this by influencing the properties of biological fluids within cells.

When applied to the skin, ectoin helps bind water molecules to protect our skin. The water forms a sort of armor for the parts of our skin cells, enzymes, proteins, and more.

Besides this, ectoin has many uses in skincare:

A study from 2004 found ectoin to counteract the damage from UV-A exposure at different cell levels. It has also been shown to protect skin against both UV-A, UV-B rays, infrared light, and visible light.

Studies show ectoin to have dual-action pollution protection: first, it protects our skin from further pollution damage. Second, it helps repair damage from pollution.

In fact, ectoin has been shown to help with:

Fun fact: In the EU, ectoin is used in inhalation medication as an anti-pollution ingredient.

Ectoin is a highly stable ingredient. It has a wide pH range of 1-9. Light, oxygen, and temperature do not affect this ingredient.

The chemical name for this ingredient is Tetrahydromethylpyrimidine Carboxylic Acid.

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.

Hexapeptide-9 is a signaling peptide that is made to mimic a fragment found naturally in collagen IV and XVII.

It is classified as a matrikine peptide and works by telling your skin cells (especially fibroblasts) to ramp up collagen and hyaluronic acid production.

In-vitro studies show it can enhance epidermal regeneration, boost synthesis of collagen types I, III, and IV, and improved markers of skin differentiation.

Think of skin differentiation like this: your skin cells are born at the bottom and slowly travel up to the surface as they "grow up". As they move up, they start producing specific proteins that make your skin do its job well. Two of these proteins are keratin (it makes your skin tough) and filaggrin (it breaks apart into tiny molecules to keep your skin hydrated). So Hexapeptide-9 has shown to help skin cells grow up properly and make stronger, more hydrated skin.

A manufacturer also reports increased collagen production by 117% and hyaluronic acid production by 267%.

Just know much of the published data comes from manufacturer-sponsored studies. There is a recent clinical trial showing promising anti-aging results but the evidence base is still growing.

Generally, this ingredient is well-tolerated and there's no harm in using it as a supportive ingredient in your routine.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.

Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.

The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.

The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.

A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

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.

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.

It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.

Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.

Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.

Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.

This ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.

You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.

According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:

One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.

Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.

This ingredient is water-soluble.

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate is a positively charged version of hyaluronic acid.

This small change does a lot in a formula:

Regular hyaluronic acid carries a negative charge and so does the surface of your skin. This means the two repel each other and hyaluronic acid can be washed away easily. The positive charge here does the opposite: it makes the ingredient cling to your skin (also called "substantivity") so it keeps hydrating even in rinse-off products where it lays down a light, moisture-holding film.

The research backs this up too; a 2025 clinical study on a shower gel containing 0.1% positively charged hyaluronic acid increased skin hydration by 6.6% versus the baseline and 11.1% versus the placebo. This was measured 6 hours after 1 minute of contact and rinse, and on volunteers with very dry skin.

The same team's lab work showed it adhered to skin far better than unmodified hyaluronic acid (+107% vs. low molecular weight, +23% versus high molecular weight). They also found it increased two proteins tied to skin hydration, aquaporin-3 by 16% and filaggrin by 35%.

A separate 2024 study reached a similar conclusion and credited the hydrating benefits to its film-forming properties.

Both studies used the ingredient at 0.1% which also matches how much it usually shows up in products (at fractions of a percent).

One honesty note worth keeping in mind: the published research comes from the company that manufactures the ingredient so independent data would strengthen the picture. However, the results are consistent and the mechanism makes sense.

As a Hyaluronic Acid derivative, it has a well-tolerated profile and suits most skin types.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

Nonapeptide-1 is created from amino acids including arginine and lysine.

It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Emerging studies show Nonapeptide-1 to help with reducing pigmentation and brightening the skin. It has shown to prevent the activation of tyrosinase, an enzyme in the skin that begins the process of melanin creation. Melanin is responsible for giving skin a tan or dark spots.

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.

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.

Potassium hyaluronate (PH) is a salt form of hyaluronic acid and has similar skin hydrating benefits.

Similar to hyaluronic acid, PH is able to draw and hold moisture to your skin. This helps keep skin soft and hydrated.

Fun fact: PH is used in eye drops and injectable treatments for joint disorders. It has lubricating and tissue-repair properties.

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.

Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.

Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:

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:

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.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

Tripeptide-1, also known as GHK), is a small, three-amino-acid peptide made up of glycine, histidine, and lysine.

This ingredient is a signal peptide and tell your skin to start producing fresh collagen, elastin, and other key structural proteins. This helps maintain firmness and reduces the look of fine-lines/wrinkles.

GHK is also unique because is also acts as a carrier peptide. It binds to and transports copper ions (forming the complex GHK-Cu). This form has been studied for decades and is known to stimulate wound healing, boost antioxidant defenses, and promote collagen/elastin synthesis.

In-vitro studies show both GHK and GHK-CU increase fibroblast activity that enhances the production of collagen, elastin, fibronectin, and other extracellular matrix components.

Both of these compounds also help balance enzymes that control collagen breakdown.

Human studies (in-vivo) using GHK-Cu creams have reported visible improvements to skin density, elasticity, and wrinkle depth after several weeks of use.

A small clinical study also found topical collagen tripeptide improved wrinkle appearance and skin elasticity in women after four weeks.

While these results are promising, most research is based on GHK-Cu or its derivatives rather than Tripeptide-1 alone (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a famous derivative of GHK). However, the consensus still supports GHK as a potent skin-signaling molecule that can encourage regeneration and maintain youthful looking skin.

Fun fact: GHK is a naturally occurring fragment of type 1 collagen that can be found in human plasma, saliva, and urine.

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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