Neutrogena Rapid Firming™ Peptide Contour Lift Face Cream Versus Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum

Neutrogena Rapid Firming™ Peptide Contour Lift Face Cream Versus Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Gluconolactone and Glycolic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Isohexadecane

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Gluconolactone

Glycerin

Propanediol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides

Glycolic Acid

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Glyceryl Dilaurate

Acetyl Dipeptide-31 Amide

Dimethicone

Acetyl Tyrosinamide

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Stearalkonium Hectorite

PEG-100 Stearate

Steareth-10

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Methyl Decenol

Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides

Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Squalane

Isostearic Acid

Propylene Carbonate

Glyceryl Stearate

Sclerotium Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

PEG-40 Stearate

Sodium Hydroxide

Polysorbate 60

Isopropyl Myristate

Ceteareth-20

Isobutyl Methyl Tetrahydropyranol

Sorbitan Isostearate

Isoceteth-10

Silica

Disodium EDTA

Methyldihydrojasmonate

Ethylene Brassylate

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Isohexadecane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Propanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides, Glycolic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Acetyl Dipeptide-31 Amide, Dimethicone, Acetyl Tyrosinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, PEG-100 Stearate, Steareth-10, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Methyl Decenol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Isostearic Acid, Propylene Carbonate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sclerotium Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-40 Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Isopropyl Myristate, Ceteareth-20, Isobutyl Methyl Tetrahydropyranol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Isoceteth-10, Silica, Disodium EDTA, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Ethylene Brassylate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

Cyclopentasiloxane

Niacinamide

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Polyethylene

Panthenol

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate

Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract

Polyacrylamide

Titanium Dioxide

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Ceramide AP

1,2-Hexanediol

Laureth-4

Laureth-7

Dimethiconol

Parfum

BHT

Citric Acid

Mica

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polyethylene, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract, Polyacrylamide, Titanium Dioxide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Laureth-4, Laureth-7, Dimethiconol, Parfum, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Mica

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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.

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).

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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