Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Versus L'Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Versus L'Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This hydrating ser

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Versus L'Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum

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

This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Isohexadecane

Distarch Phosphate

Niacinamide

Isopropyl Isostearate

Dimethicone

Panthenol

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Tripeptide-3

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hydroxyacetophenone

Butylene Glycol

Dimethiconol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Glucoside

Palmitic Acid

Stearic Acid

Stearyl Alcohol

Cetyl Alcohol

Behenyl Alcohol

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

PEG-100 Stearate

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Titanium Dioxide

Mica

Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Distarch Phosphate, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-3, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Titanium Dioxide, Mica

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

PEG-60

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Secale Cereale Seed Extract

Calcium Pantothenate

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Pentylene Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-60, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Calcium Pantothenate, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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.

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.

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

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
  4. 04This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
  5. 05As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
  6. 06The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
  7. 07This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
  8. 08It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
  9. 09Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
  10. 10At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
  11. 11Benzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
  12. 12As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
  13. 13Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
  14. 14Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
  15. 15Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
  16. 16Benzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
  17. 17In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicyla…
  18. 18While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
  19. 19However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
  20. 20Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

Biba de Sousa Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Biba de Sousa Hyaluronic Acid Serum Ingredients in Biba de Sousa Hyaluronic Acid Serum explained: benefits, concerns, and detailed analysis of 10 ingredients including Water, Glycerin, and …

Source: skinsort.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

04

Ask the journal

Related questions

01Is Serum Good for All Skin Types?

Serums are a form of skincare that can be added to any routine no matter what your skin type is. All skin types can benefit from the use of a serum since there are so many different formulations that can target specific skincare concerns. “Serums are used for hydration,to aid [or] maintain the skin barrier, or treat skin issues like acne or rosacea,” says Dr. Lewis. The type of serum that you may use should depend on the skin issue you’re trying to target. Think of serums as a treatment for the skin. “Some serums can reverse damage and help prevent free radicals that cause the signs of aging skin,” adds Dr. Lewis.

Source · www.skincare.com
02What Skin Types Should Use Hyaluronic Acid?

“Hyaluronic acid is particularly helpful for those experiencing dry skin, and for those desiring a plumping effect,” explains Dr. King. But, if you have an oily skin type, don’t discredit hyaluronic acid from your routine just yet. Despite the excess sebum that you may experience, it’s important to keep your skin hydrated so that it doesn’t overcompensate and produce even more oil as a result. Besides your skin type, you should also look at the condition of your skin to decide if it’s time to begin using hyaluronic acid. “If your skin is starting to look dull, flaky and you’re seeing more pronounced fine lines and wrinkles, that’s a pretty good indication that it’s time to add this ingredient to your routine,” adds O’Conner.

Source · www.skincare.com