Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer Versus Dermalogica MultiVitamin Power Recovery Mask

Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer Versus Dermalogica MultiVitamin Power Recovery Mask This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This wash off mask is made with Panthenol an

Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer Versus Dermalogica MultiVitamin Power Recovery Mask

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This wash off mask is made with Panthenol and Tocopheryl Acetate for a rinse-off barrier-support boost.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Squalane

Glycerin

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Pentylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Butylene Glycol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Gigartina Stellata Extract

Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate

Tridecapeptide-1

Oligopeptide-1

Sodium Phytate

Propanediol

Lecithin

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Cyanocobalamin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Dimethicone, Squalane, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Gigartina Stellata Extract, Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate, Tridecapeptide-1, Oligopeptide-1, Sodium Phytate, Propanediol, Lecithin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Cyanocobalamin, Phenoxyethanol

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Di-C12-15 Alkyl Fumarate

Glycereth-7 Triacetate

Panthenol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil

Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate

Stearyl Alcohol

Sorbitan Stearate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Lactic Acid

Retinyl Palmitate

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Chondrus Crispus

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Glycine Soja Oil

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Extract

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Arctium Majus Root Extract

Symphytum Officinale Root Extract

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Zea Mays Oil

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Vegetable Oil

Sodium PCA

Linoleic Acid

Beta-Glucan

Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide

Caprylyl Glycol

Phospholipids

Beta-Carotene

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Tocopherol

Sodium Polyacrylate

Sclerotium Gum

Decylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol

Sodium Lactate

Allantoin

Ammonium Glycyrrhizate

PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Polysorbate 20

Sorbic Acid

Aminomethyl Propanol

Potassium Hydroxide

Carbomer

Menthoxypropanediol

Disodium EDTA

Citric Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Chlorphenesin

Sodium Dehydroacetate

BHT

Potassium Sorbate

CI 75120

Water, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Di-C12-15 Alkyl Fumarate, Glycereth-7 Triacetate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Lactic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Chondrus Crispus, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Symphytum Officinale Root Extract, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Zea Mays Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Vegetable Oil, Sodium PCA, Dimethicone, Linoleic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Caprylyl Glycol, Phospholipids, Beta-Carotene, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sclerotium Gum, Decylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Allantoin, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polysorbate 20, Sorbic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Menthoxypropanediol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, CI 75120

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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

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.

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.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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. 031,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
  4. 04It is a:
  5. 05Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  6. 06Emollient, helping to soften skin
  7. 07Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  8. 08Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
  9. 09Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
  10. 10As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
  11. 11It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
  12. 12A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
  13. 13Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  14. 14Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  15. 15Though 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.
  16. 16Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
  17. 17What it does:
  18. 18Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
  19. 19Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
  20. 20Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

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03

Comparison edit

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