Numbuzin No.9 Secret Firming Serum Versus Mary & May 6 Peptide Complex Serum

Numbuzin No.9 Secret Firming Serum Versus Mary & May 6 Peptide Complex Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Copper Tripeptide-1 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

Glycerin

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Propanediol

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Niacinamide

Dimethicone

Butylene Glycol

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil

Adenosine

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Palmitic Acid

Stearic Acid

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Glyceryl Caprylate

Sodium Polyacrylate

Xanthan Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Disodium EDTA

Carbomer

Tromethamine

Linalool

Limonene

Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Propanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Adenosine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Linalool, Limonene

Glycereth-26

Arginine

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Copper Tripeptide-1

Hexapeptide-11

Hexapeptide-9

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Tripeptide-1

Water, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Arginine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-11, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1

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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

Adenosine 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.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your 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 on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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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