Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Murad Resurgence Rapid Collagen Infusion Versus PCA Skin Clinicalm 1%

Murad Resurgence Rapid Collagen Infusion Versus PCA Skin Clinicalm 1% This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Urea and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This calming treatment is formulated around 4-T-Butylcyclohexa

Murad Resurgence Rapid Collagen Infusion Versus PCA Skin Clinicalm 1%

This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Urea and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This calming treatment is formulated around 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol and Asiaticoside to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Glycerin

Pentylene Glycol

Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Stearic Acid

Cetearyl Olivate

Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer

Sorbitan Olivate

Butylene Glycol

Honey

Urea

Yeast Amino Acids

Trehalose

Inositol

Taurine

Betaine

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Alaria Esculenta Extract

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Codium Tomentosum Extract

Hydrogenated Olive Oil

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables

Sodium Hyaluronate

Collagen Amino Acids

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Sodium PCA

Sodium Lactate

Zinc Gluconate

Ascorbic Acid

Chitosan

Propyl Gallate

Polysorbate 20

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Aminomethyl Propanol

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Linalool

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Water, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Honey, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Codium Tomentosum Extract, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Sodium Hyaluronate, Collagen Amino Acids, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Zinc Gluconate, Ascorbic Acid, Chitosan, Propyl Gallate, Polysorbate 20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Linalool, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Hydrocortisone 1%

Alcohol Denat.

Squalane

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil

Xanthan Gum

4-T-Butylcyclohexanol

1,2-Hexanediol

Mel

Carbomer

Phospholipids

Asiaticoside

Beta-Glucan

Bisabolol

Lysine Hcl

Sodium Hydroxide

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Ceramide NP

Sorbic Acid

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hyaluronic Acid

Sphingolipids

Tocopherol

Tropolone

Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid

Hydrocortisone 1%, Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Olivate, Squalane, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Mel, Carbomer, Phospholipids, Asiaticoside, Beta-Glucan, Bisabolol, Lysine Hcl, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Ceramide NP, Sorbic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sphingolipids, Tocopherol, Tropolone, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid

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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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 Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.

You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.

These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.

This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.

Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

This ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.

The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.

Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.

The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.

Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.

It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).

Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.

Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.

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.

Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.

This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.

This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.

Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.

Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.

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!

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 Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
  3. 03Glycerin
  4. 04Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
  5. 05Myristyl Myristate
  6. 06Cetearyl Alcohol
  7. 07Cetyl Alcohol
  8. 08Stearic Acid
  9. 09Dimethicone
  10. 10Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
  11. 11Glyceryl Stearate
  12. 12Ceteareth-20
  13. 13Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
  14. 14Phenoxyethanol
  15. 15Tocopheryl Acetate
  16. 16Isohexadecane
  17. 17Caprylyl Glycol
  18. 18Pentylene Glycol
  19. 19Xanthan Gum
  20. 20Ethylhexylglycerin
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

PCA Skin Acne Cream

PCA Skin Acne Cream PCA Skin Acne Cream ingredients explained: Benzoyl Peroxide (5%), Water, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Se…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum

PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum ingredients explained: Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side