Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Philosophy Dose of Wisdom Bouncy Skin Reactivating Serum Versus Peach & Lily Copper Peptide Pro Firming Serum

Philosophy Dose of Wisdom Bouncy Skin Reactivating Serum Versus Peach & Lily Copper Peptide Pro Firming Serum This hydrating serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Squalane to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging serum

Philosophy Dose of Wisdom Bouncy Skin Reactivating Serum Versus Peach & Lily Copper Peptide Pro Firming Serum

This hydrating serum is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Squalane to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Copper Tripeptide-1 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Propanediol

Alcohol Denat.

Xanthan Gum

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Hydroxyacetophenone

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Maltodextrin

Squalane

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Methylpropanediol

Sodium Citrate

Citric Acid

Parfum

Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract

Carbomer

Lactobacillus

Sodium PCA

Sodium Hydroxide

Polysorbate 60

Adenosine

PEG-8

Mica

Sorbitan Isostearate

Tocopherol

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Pentylene Glycol

Limonene

Silica

Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Hyaluronic Acid

Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract

Silanetriol

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Agave Americana Leaf Extract

Citral

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Ascorbic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Titanium Dioxide

Water, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Alcohol Denat., Xanthan Gum, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Maltodextrin, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Parfum, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Carbomer, Lactobacillus, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Adenosine, PEG-8, Mica, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Pentylene Glycol, Limonene, Silica, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract, Silanetriol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Agave Americana Leaf Extract, Citral, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Titanium Dioxide

Dipropylene Glycol

Betaine

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Tetrapeptide-21

Tetrapeptide-30

Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Dipeptide-2

Tripeptide-1

Hexapeptide-9

Nonapeptide-1

Collagen Extract

Serine

Methionine

Cysteine

Arginine

Acmella Oleracea Extract

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Cichorium Intybus Root Extract

Helianthus Tuberosus Root Extract

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Fomes Officinalis Extract

Lentinus Edodes Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Potassium Hyaluronate

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Cynanchum Atratum Extract

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Gellan Gum

Butylene Glycol

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Polyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate

Polyquaternium-51

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tetrapeptide-21, Tetrapeptide-30, Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Dipeptide-2, Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Collagen Extract, Serine, Methionine, Cysteine, Arginine, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Sodium PCA, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Helianthus Tuberosus Root Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Gellan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Adenosine, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol

Reviews

Be the first to review

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

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

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.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.

Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.

The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.

The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.

A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Sodium PCA (the salt of PCA) is one of the most well-established humectants in skincare.

Why is it so special? Your skin already makes it naturally; it's a natural component of your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the mix of water-binding compounds inside your skin cells that keeps things soft and hydrated.

As a cosmetic ingredient, it grabs water and holds it in the upper layers of skin to smooth roughness and ease dehydration.

There's some clinical support for the NMF approach with a study showing that a cream built to mimic the skin's NMF significantly boosted hydration.

Safety-wise, this ingredient non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and non-phototoxic in testing, with minimal skin absorption.

It also works really well with other hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and typical usage is somewhere between 0.2-4%.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

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. 03Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  4. 04Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  5. 05Your 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.
  6. 06Aquaporin-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.
  7. 07This 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.
  8. 08Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  9. 09Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  10. 10Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
  11. 11Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
  12. 12The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
  13. 13Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
  14. 14This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
  15. 15The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
  16. 16A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
  17. 17These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
  18. 18Water. 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.
  19. 19So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
  20. 20You'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!
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side