Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides

Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides This brightening serum is formulated around Gluconolactone to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Carnosine and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to sof

Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides

This brightening serum is formulated around Gluconolactone to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Artocarpus Lakoocha Wood Extract

Gluconolactone

Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine

Glycerin

Lactic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hyaluronate

Xanthan Gum

Calcium Gluconate

Sodium Metabisulfite

Tetrapeptide-30

Hydroxyresveratrol

Water, Butylene Glycol, Artocarpus Lakoocha Wood Extract, Gluconolactone, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Tetrapeptide-30, Hydroxyresveratrol

Inulin

Panthenol

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Carnosine

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Caprylyl Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Citric Acid

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

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

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

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

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.

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.

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.

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

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  4. 04Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  5. 05Your 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.
  6. 06Aquaporin-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.
  7. 07This 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.
  8. 08Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  9. 09Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  10. 10Sodium 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.
  11. 11Both 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.
  12. 12Sodium 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.
  13. 13It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
  14. 14Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
  15. 15We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
  16. 16Sodium 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.
  17. 17In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
  18. 18Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
  19. 19Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
  20. 20Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

Medik8 Oxy-r Peptides

Medik8 Oxy-r Peptides Medik8 Oxy-r Peptides ingredients explained: Aqua (Water), Butylene Glycol, Artocarpus Lakoocha Wood Extract, Hydroxyresveratrol, Gluconolactone, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Al…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides

Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides Ingredients in Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides explained: benefits, concerns, and detailed analysis of 15 ingredients including Water, Butylene Glycol, and Artocarpus Lakoocha W…

Source: skinsort.comView reference →

Product

Medik8 Liquid Peptides

Medik8 Liquid Peptides Ingredients in Medik8 Liquid Peptides explained: benefits, concerns, and detailed analysis of 33 ingredients including Water, Glycerin, and Butylene Glycol A highly r…

Source: skinsort.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side