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Skin science article

MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Volume Tox Cream Versus Chanel Le Lift Creme

MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Volume Tox Cream Versus Chanel Le Lift Creme This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Adenosine and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Volume Tox Cream Versus Chanel Le Lift Creme

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Adenosine and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester and Palmitoyl Oligopeptide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Methylpropanediol

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Cyclopentasiloxane

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Olivate

Cyclohexasiloxane

Sorbitan Olivate

Glyceryl Stearate

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Cetearyl Glucoside

Arginine

Carbomer

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Isohexadecane

Trehalose

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Xanthan Gum

Adenosine

Polysorbate 80

Sodium Hyaluronate

Disodium EDTA

Sorbitan Oleate

Glycine Soja Oil

Desamido Collagen

Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract

Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract

Fructan

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Butylene Glycol

Parfum

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Bixa Orellana Seed Oil

Propanediol

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Sorbitan Laurate

Propylene Glycol

Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans

Nonoxynol-14

Phenoxyethanol

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Tocopherol

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Benzyl Glycol

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Astaxanthin

Ethyl Hexanediol

Hydrolyzed Elastin

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Caprylyl Glycol

Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Copper Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Hyaluronic Acid

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Hexapeptide-9

Raspberry Ketone

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Arginine, Carbomer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Trehalose, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Oleate, Glycine Soja Oil, Desamido Collagen, Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Fructan, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Propanediol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Laurate, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Nonoxynol-14, Phenoxyethanol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Benzyl Glycol, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Astaxanthin, Ethyl Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Caprylyl Glycol, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hexapeptide-9, Raspberry Ketone, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Alcohol

Triethylhexanoin

Camellia Kissi Seed Oil

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Dipropylene Glycol

Boron Nitride

Tocopheryl Acetate

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Silk

Phytic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Citrate

Hydrochloric Acid

Citric Acid

CI 14700

CI 19140

Water, Alcohol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Camellia Kissi Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Boron Nitride, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Phytic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Hydrochloric Acid, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, CI 14700, CI 19140

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 Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester is a peptide composed of amino acids arginine and tyrosine.

This peptide is considered a neurotransmitter peptide, meaning it has pain-relieving and relaxing properties. It has the ability to calm skin irritation from external factors such as chemical stinging or heat.

Neurotransmitter peptides are also often called "botox in a bottle". This is because these peptides have the ability to relax the muscles.

Though relaxing the muscles can prevent expression lines (as we have seen in botox), the studies do not show these peptides to be a botox replacement. The effects of this muscle relaxation is also short-term, as opposed to longer-term results from botox.

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).

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Cetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.

Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.

Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.

Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.

This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.

This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide is a form of peptide. It is created by blending peptides with palmitic acid. Peptides are building blocks for protein.

This ingredients tells our body to create more collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes connective tissue. Boosting collagen production leads to a healthier skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier means having firm and hydrated skin.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

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.

Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.

PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.

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.

Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.

As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

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.

Sorbitan Laurate is created from lauric acid and derivatives from sorbitol. It is an emulsifier.

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.

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.

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

02

Product index

Related product references

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03

Comparison edit

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