Olehenriksen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer Versus Lancôme Hydra-Zen Anti-Stress Cream Gel

Olehenriksen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer Versus Lancôme Hydra-Zen Anti-Stress Cream Gel

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Madecassoside to calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Glycerin

Methylpropanediol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Stearyl Alcohol

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Niacinamide

Acetyl Hexapeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Carnosine

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Collagen

Serine

Alanine

Glycine

Glutamic Acid

Lysine Hcl

Threonine

Arginine

Proline

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Sodium PCA

Sodium Lactate

Panthenol

Tocopherol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Betaine

PCA

Cyanocobalamin

Xylitol

Anhydroxylitol

Xylitylglucoside

Sorbitan Olivate

Carbomer

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Xanthan Gum

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Laurate

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Polysorbate 60

Butylene Glycol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Glycine Soja Oil

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Polysorbate 20

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Dimethicone

Sodium Phytate

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Citric Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Citral

Limonene

Linalool

Water, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Niacinamide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Carnosine, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Collagen, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Betaine, PCA, Cyanocobalamin, Xylitol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Laurate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Polysorbate 60, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycine Soja Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citral, Limonene, Linalool

Cyclohexasiloxane

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Alcohol Denat.

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

CI 14700

T-Butyl Alcohol

Madecassoside

Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract

Eugenol

Triethanolamine

Chlorphenesin

Salicylic Acid

Dimethiconol

Benzyl Alcohol

Isopropyl Myristate

Propylene Glycol

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Sorbitol

Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract

Disodium EDTA

Rosa Gallica Flower Extract

Disodium Phosphate

Butylphenyl Methylpropional

Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Alcohol Denat., Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, CI 14700, T-Butyl Alcohol, Madecassoside, Phenoxyethanol, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Eugenol, Triethanolamine, Chlorphenesin, Salicylic Acid, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Limonene, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Sorbitol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Disodium EDTA, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citric Acid, Parfum

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.

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.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

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.

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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