Skin science article
MooGoo Bakuchiol Anti-Ageing Active Serum Versus Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum
MooGoo Bakuchiol Anti-Ageing Active Serum Versus Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum This anti-aging serum is formulated around Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil and Bakuchiol to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier. Th
MooGoo Bakuchiol Anti-Ageing Active Serum Versus Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil and Bakuchiol to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sh-Oligopeptide-1 and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride PEG-4 Esters
Bakuchiol
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Tocopherol
Cetearyl Alcohol
Phospholipids
Glycine Soja Oil
Glycolipids
Glycine Soja Sterols
Xanthan Gum
Lecithin
Sclerotium Gum
Pullulan
Sodium Citrate
Potassium Sorbate
Piroctone Olamine
Citric Acid
Water, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride PEG-4 Esters, Bakuchiol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Piroctone Olamine, Citric Acid
Glycerin
Heptyl Glucoside
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
Acacia Senegal Gum
Polysorbate 20
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Dimethyl Sulfone
Ornithine
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Copper Lysinate/Prolinate
Methylglucoside Phosphate
Crocus Chrysanthus Bulb Extract
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Pentapeptide-18
Pentapeptide-48
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Ethylhexylglycerin
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Caprylyl Glycol
Levulinic Acid
P-Anisic Acid
Sodium Gluconate
Propanediol
Maltodextrin
Sodium Hydroxide
Heptanol
Phenethyl Alcohol
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Glycerin, Heptyl Glucoside, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Polysorbate 20, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Glycolipids, Dimethyl Sulfone, Ornithine, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Crocus Chrysanthus Bulb Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Pentapeptide-18, Pentapeptide-48, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Levulinic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Propanediol, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Heptanol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
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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.
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
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.
Glycolipids are natural, sustainable biosurfactants. They are both surfactants (cleansing agents) and emollients.
Made from lipids and sugars, in-vitro studies show glycolipids are a gentle alternative to conventional surfactants. They also possess foaming properties to give cleaning products a nice texture.
One manufacturer study found their glycolipid also demonstrated sebum reduction and helped reduced oiliness after four weeks. This means it can also be great for scalp care.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Sclerotium Gum is a natural sugar-based fiber made by fermenting a fungus called Sclerotium rolfsii. It's often used as the plant-friendly alternative for synthetic thickeners like carbomer.
In skincare, it works as a thickener, gel former, and stabilizer that keeps heavy ingredients suspended so a product does not separate.
It is non-ionic and forms a triple helix in solution. This is just a fancy way of saying it builds a smooth, cushiony, and non-sticky gel that feels silkier than many other gums.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it is very sturdy and holds up across a wide pH range (~2-11). It's also good at resisting heat and hydrolysis.
Since it holds water at the skin surface, it can provide some light hydration as well.
Typical use levels are around 0.25-2%; formulators usually use 0.2-0.5% to thicken lotions and up to 2% for a firmer gel base.
This ingredient has been found safe in cosmetics with no meaningful evidence of skin sensitization.
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.