Skin science article
PCA Skin Exlinea Pro Peptide Serum Versus Hydropeptide Power Lift
PCA Skin Exlinea Pro Peptide Serum Versus Hydropeptide Power Lift This anti-aging serum is formulated around Acetyl Octapeptide-3 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii But
PCA Skin Exlinea Pro Peptide Serum Versus Hydropeptide Power Lift
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Acetyl Octapeptide-3 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Pentylene Glycol
Glyceryl Isostearate
Isostearyl Isostearate
C13-15 Alkane
Betaine
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Xanthan Gum
Methyl Gluceth-20
Oryza Sativa Starch
Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate
Sodium Levulinate
Caprylyl Glycol
Levulinic Acid
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Sodium Hydroxide
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Butylene Glycol
Pectin
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Arginine
Proline
Serine
Glucose
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Disodium Phosphate
Polysorbate 60
Sodium Phosphate
Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Isostearate, Isostearyl Isostearate, C13-15 Alkane, Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Methyl Gluceth-20, Oryza Sativa Starch, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Sodium Levulinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Levulinic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Butylene Glycol, Pectin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Arginine, Proline, Serine, Glucose, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phosphate
Silybum Marianum Ethyl Ester
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Cetearyl Alcohol
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
Behenyl Alcohol
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Isononyl Isononanoate
Arachidyl Alcohol
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
Oryza Sativa Bran
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Panthenol
Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine
1,2-Hexanediol
Arachidyl Glucoside
Menthoxypropanediol
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Cetearyl Glucoside
Sorbitan Laurate
Squalane
Cyclodextrin
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Buddleja Davidii Extract
Disodium EDTA
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Sodium Benzoate
Citric Acid
Potassium Sorbate
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Pyridoxine Tris-Hexyldecanoate
Arbutin
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Tropolone
Myristoyl Tripeptide-31
Sodium Metabisulfite
Hexapeptide-10
Diacetyl Boldine
Triethyl Citrate
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Cupressus Sempervirens Oil
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract
Rosa Damascena Flower Extract
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water, Butylene Glycol, Silybum Marianum Ethyl Ester, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Oryza Sativa Bran, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Panthenol, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Menthoxypropanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Laurate, Squalane, Cyclodextrin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Disodium EDTA, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 60, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Pyridoxine Tris-Hexyldecanoate, Arbutin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tropolone, Myristoyl Tripeptide-31, Sodium Metabisulfite, Hexapeptide-10, Diacetyl Boldine, Triethyl Citrate, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It 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.
A 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.
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.
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).
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.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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.