Skin science article
Paula's Choice Peptide Booster Versus Le Mieux TGF-B Booster
Paula's Choice Peptide Booster Versus Le Mieux TGF-B Booster This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Hyaluronic Ac
Paula's Choice Peptide Booster Versus Le Mieux TGF-B Booster
This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Hyaluronic Acid and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Myristoyl Hexapeptide-16
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17
Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate
Azelaoyl Bis-Dipeptide-10
Glycoproteins
Phospholipids
Adenosine
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Arginine
Valine
Glycine
Alanine
Glutamic Acid
Serine
Threonine
Yeast Extract
Isoleucine
Proline
Histidine
Phenylalanine
PCA
Phytic Acid
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Sodium PCA
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract
Dextran
Hydrolyzed Silk
Lecithin
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
C12-16 Pareth-9
Trideceth-12
Sodium Lactate
Carbomer
Aspartic Acid
Polysorbate 20
Butylene Glycol
Caprylyl Glycol
PEG-8
C11-15 Pareth-7
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Ectoin
Citrate Buffer
Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Sodium Hydroxide
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Glycerin, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Myristoyl Hexapeptide-16, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate, Azelaoyl Bis-Dipeptide-10, Glycoproteins, Phospholipids, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Arginine, Valine, Glycine, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Threonine, Yeast Extract, Isoleucine, Proline, Histidine, Phenylalanine, PCA, Phytic Acid, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium PCA, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract, Dextran, Hydrolyzed Silk, Lecithin, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, C12-16 Pareth-9, Trideceth-12, Sodium Lactate, Carbomer, Aspartic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-8, C11-15 Pareth-7, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ectoin, Citrate Buffer, Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin
Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
C12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate
Superoxide Dismutase
Saccharomyces Polypeptides
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Ceramide Ns
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Saccharomyces/Manganese Ferment
Riboflavin
Folic Acid
Enteromorpha Compressa Extract
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Niacinamide
Parfum
Undecylenoyl Glycine
Capryloyl Glycine
Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, C12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Superoxide Dismutase, Saccharomyces Polypeptides, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Ceramide Ns, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Manganese Ferment, Riboflavin, Phospholipids, Folic Acid, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Glycoproteins, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Serine, Proline, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Niacinamide, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Capryloyl Glycine
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alanine is an amino acid and is already found in the human body. Our skin uses alanine to build collagen, elastin, and keratin.
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).
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.
Glutamic Acid is an amino acid that is found in all living organisms. Our bodies use this to help nerve cells in the brain communicate with other cells.
In cosmetics, glutamic acid is a famous humectant. It draws water from the air to your skin, keeping your skin hydrated (like hyaluronic acid).
An in-vitro study from 2024 found glutamic acid to play a role in inhibiting inflammation and thus a potential skin-soothing ingredient.
Other studies show it to be have potential wound healing, skin barrier repair, and hair growth properties.
Glutamic acid has poor solubility in water and other solvents.
Glycoproteins are proteins with sugar chains attached to them. They're naturally found throughout your body, including your skin's extracellular matrix.
In your skin, glycoproteins work alongside collagen and other structural proteins to keep everything held together and functioning properly. Their sugar components make them great at binding water and keeping the skin hydrated. They also part of the extracellular matrix that plays a direct role in wound healing.
The glycoproteins found in skincare are most commonly derived from yeast, algae, or plant sources.
In-vitro studies have shown that yeast-derived glycoproteins can boost cellular oxygen content and increase energy production in skin cells.
In general, this is a well-tolerated humectant and skin conditioning ingredient. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has found no signs of irritation, adverse effects, or abnormal reactions from this ingredient.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Proline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can make it on its own. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.
It makes up about 23% of the collagen molecule (collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm) and is involved in your skin's natural hyaluronic acid production. When applied topically, proline can penetrate the skin fairly well due to its small molecular size.
Reviews of this ingredient have found it to be neither a dermal irritant nor a sensitizer.
Fun fact: Proline can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.
Serine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.
Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.
Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.