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Neogen Dermatology V.biome Firming Cream Versus Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

Neogen Dermatology V.biome Firming Cream Versus Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier. This anti-aging moisturizer is f

Neogen Dermatology V.biome Firming Cream Versus Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Panthenol

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Niacinamide

1,2-Hexanediol

Diisostearyl Malate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract

Stearyl Alcohol

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Hydrogenated Olive Oil Lauryl Esters

Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Dimethicone

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Ethylhexylglycerin

Xanthan Gum

Thuja Occidentalis Leaf Oil

Adenosine

Sorbitan Isostearate

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate

Coptis Japonica Extract

Ascorbic Acid

Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract

Collagen Extract

Cyanocobalamin

Maltodextrin

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate

Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate

Calcium Pantothenate

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Polyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate

Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract

Sodium Polyphosphate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Pyridoxine Hcl

Sodium Ascorbate

Lecithin

Polysorbate 20

Menadione

Tricalcium Phosphate

Silica

Copper Tripeptide-1

Biotin

Pyridoxine

Folic Acid

Tocopherol

Tripeptide-1

Riboflavin

Thiamine Hcl

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Linoleic Acid

Tripeptide-2

Hexapeptide-1

Beta-Carotene

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Hexapeptide-9

Nonapeptide-1

Disodium EDTA

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diisostearyl Malate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract, Stearyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Lauryl Esters, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethicone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Thuja Occidentalis Leaf Oil, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Coptis Japonica Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Collagen Extract, Cyanocobalamin, Maltodextrin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Sodium Polyphosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine Hcl, Sodium Ascorbate, Lecithin, Polysorbate 20, Menadione, Tricalcium Phosphate, Silica, Copper Tripeptide-1, Biotin, Pyridoxine, Folic Acid, Tocopherol, Tripeptide-1, Riboflavin, Thiamine Hcl, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Linoleic Acid, Tripeptide-2, Hexapeptide-1, Beta-Carotene, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Disodium EDTA

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract

Nymphaea Alba Root Extract

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-9

Sh-Polypeptide-11

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Alanine

Arginine

Glycine

Histidine

Isoleucine

Phenylalanine

Proline

Serine

Threonine

Valine

Acetyl Glutamine

Coconut Alkanes

Sodium Hyaluronate

Aspartic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Sodium Lactate

Sodium PCA

PCA

Carbomer

Polysorbate 60

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Isomalt

Caprylyl Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Benzoate

Phenylpropanol

Glyceryl Caprylate

Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract

Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Acetyl Glutamine, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aspartic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Isomalt, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenylpropanol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract

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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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

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.

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.

It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.

Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.

This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.

Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.

Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).

Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.

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 is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.

It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.

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.

Linoleic Acid is also known as Vitamin F. It is a fatty acid with emollient and skin conditioning properties.

Our top layer of skin, or epidermis, naturally contains high amounts of linoleic acid.

Your body uses linoleic acid to build ceramides and prostaglandins. Ceramides keep your skin's barrier hydrated and strong while prosaglandins help control inflammation and healing.

Needless to say, linoleic acid is crucial for having a strong skin barrier.

One study found applying linoleic acid rich sunflower oil to be more effective at repairing the skin barrier than olive oil.

This ingredient can also help treat acne by softening sebum to prevent clogged pores. Another study found using 2.5% linoleic acid gel for 4 weeks showed a 25% reduction in small comedones.

Studies show it can also help lighten hyperpigmentation or sun spots by disrupting the melanin production process. It also helps your skin shed melanin pigment from your skin caused by UV exposure.

Due to its role in the production of the fatty acid prostaglandin, linoleic acid can also help reduce inflammation and support wound healing.

Fun fact: Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid. This means our bodies cannot create it on its own and we need to get it through foods such as nuts and vegetable oils.

Just know this ingredient is not always fungal-acne safe because it is a long-chain fatty acid (with 18 carbon atoms) that directly feeds the Malassezia yeast responsible for fungal acne.

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".

"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.

This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.

Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:

Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.

A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.

Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.

In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.

Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.

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.

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. 03Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  4. 04Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  5. 05Though 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.
  6. 06Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  7. 07Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  8. 08Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  9. 09Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
  10. 10Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
  11. 11It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
  12. 12Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
  13. 13A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
  14. 14Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
  15. 15Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
  16. 16It plays several roles in a formula:
  17. 17Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
  18. 18Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
  19. 19However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
  20. 20Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

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