Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Turbo Serum Versus Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Collagen Serum

Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Turbo Serum Versus Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Collagen Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Rosa Centifolia Flower Water

Propanediol

Alcohol Denat.

Squalene

Tetrapeptide-17

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-19

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Tripeptide-10 Citrulline

Tripeptide-1

Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Acetyl Hexapeptide-30

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Pentapeptide-18

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-20

Sodium Hyaluronate

Arginine

Tocopheryl Acetate

Retinyl Palmitate

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Isopropyl Myristate

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Gluconolactone

Xanthan Gum

Lecithin

Carbomer

Dextran

Triethanolamine

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Caprylyl Glycol

Propylene Glycol

Diazolidinyl Urea

Methylparaben

Propylparaben

Isobutylparaben

Ethylparaben

Butylparaben

Phenoxyethanol

CI 17200

Water, Glycerin, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Propanediol, Alcohol Denat., Squalene, Tetrapeptide-17, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-19, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Tripeptide-10 Citrulline, Tripeptide-1, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Acetyl Hexapeptide-30, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Isopropyl Myristate, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Gluconolactone, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Carbomer, Dextran, Triethanolamine, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, CI 17200

Collagen

Dimethicone

Polysilicone-11

Caffeine

Squalane

Soluble Collagen

Collagen Amino Acids

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Hydroxyproline

Sodium Citrate

Citric Acid

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Hydroxystearic Acid

Magnesium Chloride

Polysorbate 80

Sodium Hydroxide

Sorbitan Isostearate

Decyl Glucoside

Lauryl Glucoside

Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Disodium EDTA

Isohexadecane

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Mica

Collagen, Water, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Glycerin, Caffeine, Squalane, Soluble Collagen, Collagen Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyproline, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxystearic Acid, Magnesium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Isohexadecane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Mica

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.

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.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a synthetic signal lipopeptide. This just means it is a three amino acid chain bolted onto a palmitic acid tail so it can slip through the skin's lipid barrier.

This peptide has a "build more, lose less" approach.

It's designed to mimic the collagen-stimulating activity in your skin by copying a snippet of one of your skin's own matrix proteins. This nudges fibroblasts into making more collagen while inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down skin protein.

The manufacturer's in vivo study of 45 volunteers found 1% and 2.5% reduced the appearance of wrinkles by 7% and 12% respectively, after using it twice daily for 84 days.

This is in the expected range for peptides; they're slow and cumulative actives and not overnight fixers.

Typical use levels range from 1-3% and this ingredient gets along with pretty much everything.

On the fungal acne front: Although palmitic acid sits in the chain length that Malassezia can feed on, this ingredient has it locked in an amine bond. This makes it hard for Malassezia to access as a source of food, and therefore fungal acne safe.

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.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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!

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