Medik8 Liquid Peptides Versus Dermalogica Pro-Collagen Banking Serum

Medik8 Liquid Peptides Versus Dermalogica Pro-Collagen Banking Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Carnosine and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Trehalose and Carnosine to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Inulin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Panthenol

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Carnosine

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Caprylyl Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Citric Acid

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Sodium Benzoate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Tetrapeptide-21

Pentapeptide-18

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Pantolactone

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Glyceryl Caprylate

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Phenylpropanol

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Potassium Sorbate

Xanthan Gum

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Inulin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Carnosine, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tetrapeptide-21, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Pantolactone, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Phenylpropanol, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum

Pentylene Glycol

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Propanediol

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Trehalose

Oryza Sativa Bran Water

Ethoxydiglycol

Triheptanoin

Arginine PCA

Diglycerin

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Collagen Amino Acids

Glycine Soja Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil

Santalum Album Oil

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Rosa Damascena Flower Oil

Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract

Helianthus Annuus Extract

Juniperus Virginiana Oil

Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Cistus Ladaniferus Leaf/Stem Extract

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Tocopheryl Acetate

Tocopherol

Phospholipids

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Polyglutamic Acid

Glycolipids

Glycine Soja Sterols

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sclerotium Gum

Polyquaternium-80

Didecyldimonium Chloride

Dianthus Caryophyllus Flower Extract

Methylpropanediol

Cetearyl Alcohol

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Phytic Acid

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Limonene

Linalool

Water, Pentylene Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Trehalose, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Butylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Triheptanoin, Arginine PCA, Diglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Collagen Amino Acids, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Cistus Ladaniferus Leaf/Stem Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Carnosine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglutamic Acid, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sclerotium Gum, Polyquaternium-80, Didecyldimonium Chloride, Dianthus Caryophyllus Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Methylpropanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Phytic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Linalool

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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).

Carnosine is a dipeptide made from two amino acids.

This ingredient helps:

Glycation is the process of sugars binding to and damaging proteins. Too much sugar in our skin can lead to damaged collagen, contributing to factors of aging.

Carnosine is water-soluble and is not able to travel deeper layers of skin. This leads to some doubt about whether it can boost collagen in skin, since collagen is located in the deeper layers of skin.

Fun fact: Carnosine can be naturally found in our muscles and brain.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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 Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.

Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.

As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.

Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.

Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.

Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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.

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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