Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Moisturizer (Fragrance Free) Versus COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream

Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Moisturizer (Fragrance Free) Versus COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream

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

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Allantoin to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Isohexadecane

Dimethicone

Isopropyl Isostearate

Stearyl Alcohol

Polyacrylamide

Panthenol

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract

Tapioca Starch

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Caprylyl Glycol

Dimethiconol

Laureth-7

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Glucoside

Palmitic Acid

Stearic Acid

Cetyl Alcohol

Behenyl Alcohol

Disodium EDTA

PEG-100 Stearate

Titanium Dioxide

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

1,2-Hexanediol

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Isostearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyacrylamide, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Tapioca Starch, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Laureth-7, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, PEG-100 Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol

Snail Secretion Filtrate

Betaine

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butylene Glycol

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Carbomer

Ethyl Hexanediol

Arginine

Sodium Polyacrylate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Allantoin

Xanthan Gum

Adenosine

Myristic Acid

Snail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Palmitic Acid, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Adenosine, Water, Myristic Acid

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.

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.

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.

Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.

In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.

Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.

The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.

The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.

In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.

It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.

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.

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.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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!

Similar Comparisons