Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

My Honest Review on Cosrx The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum

I love Cosrx products. They always make innovative skincare and are constantly upgrading their skincare lineup to meet the latest market needs. Among all their products, I’m most intrigued to try out the 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum which comes in the form of

I love Cosrx products. They always make innovative skincare and are constantly upgrading their skincare lineup to meet the latest market needs.

Among all their products, I’m most intrigued to try out the 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum which comes in the form of watery essence!

ABOUT

This is a lightweight essence-type serum that’s formulated using 6 types of powerful peptides to boost your skin tone and texture. You use it as the first step of your skincare routine to boost the performance of other products that you’re putting on.

KEY INGREDIENTS

The 6 peptides here are:

  • SH-Polypeptide-121: Collagen Boosting & Plumping
  • Copper Tripeptide-1: Retexturize
  • Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate: Excess Sebum & Pore Care
  • Oligopeptide-68: Brightening
  • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8: Soothe & Reduce Skin Sensitivity
  • Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: Smooth Fine Lines & Firmness

PACKAGING

It comes in a minimalist but practical pump top that’s much more convenient and hygienic than twist open bottle.

TEXTURE

It comes in a watery consistency that feels slightly thicker than water but still gets absorbed really well by the skin without leaving any sticky or tacky finish. The texture makes this a great product for layering.

SCENT

It is fragrance free and scentless.

INGREDIENTS

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Polyquaternium-51, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Betaine, t-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, PCA, sh-Polypeptide-121, Serine, Alanine, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine HCl, Threonine, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Arginine, Tocopherol, Oligopeptide-68, Proline, Dextran, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Oleate

INGREDIENTS ANALYSIS

EFFICACY

This is a nicely formulated serum, or more precisely essence, that feels like water. It is not greasy or rich at all making it great for layering. It is jam packed of skin loving ingredients to offer multiple skin benefits from moisturizing, brightening to wrinkles repair. However, after using it for a few months, I honestly did not notice any special changes to my skin after using. It works well to hydrate and keeping my skin moist and supple. But nothing too unique after that. I didn’t notice any major improvements to my skin texture or skin tone. It’s hard to judge whether this has worked to boost the efficacy of my other products though but this product, when used alone, didn’t do much for me. I guess I need to use this as essence, instead of as a booster, if I were to see better results from it.

In short, this is a nice product but I am most probably not gonna repurchase after this.

FINAL RATING

3.5/5

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

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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. 031,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
  4. 04It is a:
  5. 05Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  6. 06Emollient, helping to soften skin
  7. 07Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  8. 08Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
  9. 09Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (also known as Argireline) is a synthetic hexapeptide that is often called a "topical Botox alternative".
  10. 10It works by mimicking how Botox relaxes muscles; it interferes with the signaling process that tells your facial muscles to contract. This can help soften expression lines like forehead wrinkles or crow's feet over time.
  11. 11The comparison to Botox does have limits because the molecule is water-loving and relatively large.
  12. 12Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 has a hard time absorbing deeply enough through the skin's outer barrier to actually reach the muscles.
  13. 13So whether it truly works the way Botox does at a biological level is still up for debate, but early clinical outcomes are fairly encouraging.
  14. 14A 12 week human study of a multi-ingredient regimen containing this ingredient saw:
  15. 15While some studies have observed improvements in wrinkle appearance, it is important to note that more consistent results are seen in multi-ingredient formulations (vs just Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 alone).
  16. 16Some research studies also used higher concentrations (up to 10%) while this ingredient is usually found in concentrations up to 0.005% in leave-on formulations.
  17. 17Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
  18. 18The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
  19. 19Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down o…
  20. 20The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

Related product references

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Comparison edit

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