Skin science article
Perricone MD High Potency Growth Factor Firming & Lifting Serum Versus SkinMedica TNS® Advanced+ Serum
Perricone MD High Potency Growth Factor Firming & Lifting Serum Versus SkinMedica TNS® Advanced+ Serum This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. What's inside Key Ingredients Bene
Perricone MD High Potency Growth Factor Firming & Lifting Serum Versus SkinMedica TNS® Advanced+ Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Butylene Glycol
Heptyl Undecylenate
Lecithin
Alcohol Denat.
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Niacinamide
Pentaerythrityl Adipate/Caprate/Caprylate/Heptanoate
Phosphatidylcholine
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Hydrolyzed Egg Shell Membrane
Tricaprylin
Retinol
Tocopherol
BHT
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Dipropylene Glycol
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Stearic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Glyceryl Stearate
PEG-100 Stearate
Spermidine
Sodium Polyacrylate
Phenoxyethanol
Parfum
Limonene
Linalool
Hydroxycitronellal
Citronellol
Benzyl Alcohol
Geraniol
Water, Butylene Glycol, Heptyl Undecylenate, Lecithin, Alcohol Denat., Polymethyl Methacrylate, Niacinamide, Pentaerythrityl Adipate/Caprate/Caprylate/Heptanoate, Phosphatidylcholine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrolyzed Egg Shell Membrane, Tricaprylin, Retinol, Tocopherol, BHT, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Spermidine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol
Pentylene Glycol
Human Neonatal Fibroblast Conditioned Media
Glycereth-7 Triacetate
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Glycerin
Ethoxydiglycol
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Whey Protein
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Saccharide Isomerate
Dimer Tripeptide-43
Vitis Vinifera Flower Cell Extract
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Hydroxyacetophenone
Tocopheryl Acetate
Propanediol
Xanthan Gum
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Sclerotium Gum
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Pullulan
Sodium Citrate
Polysorbate 20
Aminomethyl Propanol
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Human Neonatal Fibroblast Conditioned Media, Glycereth-7 Triacetate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Whey Protein, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Dimer Tripeptide-43, Vitis Vinifera Flower Cell Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propanediol, Xanthan Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Sclerotium Gum, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Lecithin, Pullulan, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Polysorbate 20, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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.
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.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
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!