Skin science article
Olay Wrinkle Correction Serum - Vitamin B3 + Collagen Peptides Versus L'Oreal Revitalift Triple Power Anti-Aging Serum
Olay Wrinkle Correction Serum - Vitamin B3 + Collagen Peptides Versus L'Oreal Revitalift Triple Power Anti-Aging Serum This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. T
Olay Wrinkle Correction Serum - Vitamin B3 + Collagen Peptides Versus L'Oreal Revitalift Triple Power Anti-Aging Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid and Capryloyl Salicylic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Dimethicone
Glycerin
Niacinamide
Butylene Glycol
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7
Panthenol
Hydroxyacetophenone
Dimethiconol
Polysorbate 20
Disodium EDTA
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Carbomer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Aminomethyl Propanol
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7, Panthenol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol
Dipropylene Glycol
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Propylene Glycol
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Alcohol Denat.
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
PEG-100 Stearate
Stearic Acid
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Potassium Hydroxide
Glyceryl Stearate
Silica
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Palmitic Acid
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Xanthan Gum
Cetyl Alcohol
Octyldodecanol
Tocopheryl Acetate
CI 15985
CI 19140
CI 77891
Mica
Linalool
Limonene
Citronellol
Benzyl Alcohol
Parfum
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Propylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Potassium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Palmitic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Octyldodecanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 77891, Mica, Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
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.
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!