Minimalist Copper Peptide + PDRN 1.25% Face Serum Versus The Ordinary Multi Peptides + Copper Peptide 1%

Minimalist Copper Peptide + PDRN 1.25% Face Serum Versus The Ordinary Multi Peptides + Copper Peptide 1%

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium DNA to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Lactococcus Ferment Lysate and Copper Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Niacinamide

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Ethoxydiglycol

Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate

Propanediol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium DNA

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Pentylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Niacinamide, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ethoxydiglycol, Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium DNA, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Glycerin

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Pentapeptide-18

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

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

Acacia Senegal Gum

Xanthan Gum

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Sodium Benzoate

Caprylyl Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Copper Tripeptide-1, 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, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Dimethyl Isosorbide (often shortened to DMI) is a sugar-derived solvent made from sorbitol. It's used to dissolve tricky ingredients and help them mix smoothly into a formula.

Many actives sit as gritty crystals when undissolved, so DMI swoops in to full dissolve them. This helps improve texture, stability, and how evenly an active is distributed.

It does have a penetration-enhancing reputation that is a bit more nuanced than marketing suggests; a cell study on human skin found that 10% DMI didn't significantly boost the permeation of Hydroquinone, Salicylic Acid, or Octadecenedioic Acid compared to controls (though it did improve their solubility in the formula itself).

Typical usage concentrations usually range from 1-10% depending on the formula's needs; this ingredient is also well tolerated at these levels.

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.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

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.

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!

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