Skin science article
Oasis 7 Vitamin C Serum Versus Coxir Intensive EGF Peptides Serum
Oasis 7 Vitamin C Serum Versus Coxir Intensive EGF Peptides Serum This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide an
Oasis 7 Vitamin C Serum Versus Coxir Intensive EGF Peptides Serum
This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
2,3-Butanediol
Betaine
Dipropylene Glycol
Hydroxyacetophenone
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Carbomer
Caprylyl Glycol
Tromethamine
1,2-Hexanediol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Xanthan Gum
Sodium Phytate
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract
Niacinamide
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Pueraria Lobata Root Extract
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Glycine Soja Oil
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Ascorbic Acid
Retinol
Tocopherol
Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Collagen
Potassium Hyaluronate
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Lactobacillus Ferment
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Sh-Polypeptide-22
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 2,3-Butanediol, Betaine, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Niacinamide, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycine Soja Oil, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ascorbic Acid, Retinol, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Collagen, Potassium Hyaluronate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-22
PEG/PPG-18/4 Copolymer
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Tripeptide-1
Pentapeptide-13
Nonapeptide-1
Copper Tripeptide-1
Arginine
Allantoin
PPG-26-Buteth-26
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Adenosine
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Pyrus Malus Leaf Extract
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Thymus Vulgaris Extract
Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Camellia Sinensis Callus Culture Extract
Prunus Persica Fruit Extract
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Bambusa Vulgaris Callus Culture Extract
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Tropolone
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, PEG/PPG-18/4 Copolymer, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-1, Pentapeptide-13, Nonapeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Carbomer, Arginine, Allantoin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Pyrus Malus Leaf Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Callus Culture Extract, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Callus Culture Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Tropolone
Reviews
Be the first to review
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
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
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.
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer is made up of glycerin and polyacrylic acid. It helps hydrate your skin as a humectant.
This ingredient forms a hydrogel that delivers moisturizing, water-based ingredients to the skin. It is also used to thicken a product and to give it a smooth texture.
Acrylic acid itself is toxic, but the polymer form (this ingredient) is too large to penetrate skin, making it non-toxic.
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser.
On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
sh-Oligopeptide-1 is a peptide found naturally in our bodies. Peptides are the building blocks for collagen and elastin in our skin.
In cosmetics, this ingredient is bioengineered to be identical to a human gene that codes for epidermal growth factor (EGF). EGF are signal molecules that simulate cell growth and healing.
Studies find EGF help with:
In South Korea and China, EGF is considered a controversial ingredient. The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has cracked down on companies with products including EGF due to false advertisement claims.
According to Dr. Zoe Draelos, growth factors have some drawbacks:
There is also controversy surrounding growth factors. The controversy is due to their mitogenic activity, or their ability to increase the number of cells. It is best to avoid using growth factors if you have psoriasis or are at risk of skin cancer. However, it should be noted EGF are not mutagenic - meaning they will not cause cancer.
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!