Numbuzin 9+ NAD Bio Lifting-Sil Essence Versus Geek & Gorgeous Power Peptides Serum

Numbuzin 9+ NAD Bio Lifting-Sil Essence Versus Geek & Gorgeous Power Peptides Serum

This anti-aging essence is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Polyglycerin-3

Butylene Glycol

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Propanediol

Dimethicone

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Methylpropanediol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Sodium Polyacrylate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Carbomer

Xanthan Gum

Pentylene Glycol

Tromethamine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Palmitic Acid

Stearic Acid

Sodium Phytate

Cholesterol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Adenosine Triphosphate

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide

Beta-Glucan

Tocopherol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Copper Gluconate

Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment

Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment

Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment

Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment

Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment

Capryloyl Dipeptide-17

Thioctic Acid

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Glutathione

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Haematococcus Pluvialis Oil

Potassium Hydroxide

Resveratrol

Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone

Sorbitan Laurate

Steareth-20

Astaxanthin

Sodium Lactate

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12

Panthenol

Polysorbate 20

Sodium Citrate

Chlorhexidine Digluconate

Dextran

Hexapeptide-2

Magnesium Chloride

Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Dipeptide-2

Potassium Sorbate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine

Citric Acid

Biotin

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3

Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Dipeptide-4

Hexapeptide-11

Pentapeptide-18

Tripeptide-3

Sh-Decapeptide-7

Sh-Octapeptide-4

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide

Hexapeptide-9

Oligopeptide-3

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Ubiquinone

Copper Tripeptide-1

Caffeoyl Tripeptide-1

Caffeoyl Sh-Octapeptide-4

Galloyl Pentapeptide-33

Kojyl Carboxy Dipeptide-23

Nicotinoyl Tripeptide-1

Octapeptide-7

Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Decapeptide-9

Sh-Oligopeptide-9

Sh-Pentapeptide-19

Asparagine

Glutamine

Tryptophan

Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-22

Sh-Polypeptide-3

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9

Carnosine

Nonapeptide-1

Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polyglycerin-3, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Cholesterol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine Triphosphate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Copper Gluconate, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Capryloyl Dipeptide-17, Thioctic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glutathione, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Resveratrol, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Sorbitan Laurate, Steareth-20, Astaxanthin, Sodium Lactate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12, Panthenol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Citrate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Dextran, Hexapeptide-2, Magnesium Chloride, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Dipeptide-2, Potassium Sorbate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Citric Acid, Biotin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Dipeptide-4, Hexapeptide-11, Pentapeptide-18, Tripeptide-3, Sh-Decapeptide-7, Sh-Octapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Hexapeptide-9, Oligopeptide-3, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Ubiquinone, Copper Tripeptide-1, Caffeoyl Tripeptide-1, Caffeoyl Sh-Octapeptide-4, Galloyl Pentapeptide-33, Kojyl Carboxy Dipeptide-23, Nicotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Octapeptide-7, Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Decapeptide-9, Sh-Oligopeptide-9, Sh-Pentapeptide-19, Asparagine, Glutamine, Tryptophan, Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Polypeptide-3, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Carnosine, Nonapeptide-1

Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Dicaprylyl Ether

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate

Tetrapeptide-21

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Saccharide Isomerate

Allantoin

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Tapioca Starch

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Sodium Hydroxide

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Tetrapeptide-21, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Saccharide Isomerate, Allantoin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Tapioca Starch, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Reviews

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.

Carbomer 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.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 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.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite 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.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical 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.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl 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.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

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.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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 used in skincare as a delivery system.

It works by "encapsulating" active ingredients with its unique ring shape that is water-loving on the outside and oil-loving on the inside. This improves the stability and absorption of the product into the skin.

According to a manufacturer, it also offer some moisturizing effects.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

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%.

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.

Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.

Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.

The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).

Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.

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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