Skin science article
Schaf Skincare Moisturizer Versus Olehenriksen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer
Schaf Skincare Moisturizer Versus Olehenriksen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair moisturi
Schaf Skincare Moisturizer Versus Olehenriksen Strength Trainer Peptide Boost Moisturizer
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Sodium Hyaluronate
Niacinamide
Propanediol
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Squalane
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Chrysin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Stearic Acid
Coco-Caprylate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Ubiquinone
Glyceryl Stearate
Tocopherol
Cetyl Alcohol
Xanthan Gum
Allantoin
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Coco-Caprylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ubiquinone, Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopherol, Cetyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Glycerin
Methylpropanediol
Cetearyl Alcohol
Stearyl Alcohol
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Carnosine
Ceramide NP
Ceramide AP
Ceramide EOP
Collagen
Serine
Alanine
Glycine
Glutamic Acid
Lysine Hcl
Threonine
Arginine
Proline
Hyaluronic Acid
Linoleic Acid
Linolenic Acid
Sodium PCA
Sodium Lactate
Panthenol
Tocopheryl Acetate
Betaine
PCA
Cyanocobalamin
Xylitol
Anhydroxylitol
Xylitylglucoside
Carbomer
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Sorbitan Laurate
Phytosphingosine
Cholesterol
Polysorbate 60
Butylene Glycol
Hydroxyacetophenone
Glycine Soja Oil
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Polysorbate 20
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Dimethicone
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Citric Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Phenoxyethanol
Parfum
Citral
Limonene
Linalool
Water, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Niacinamide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Carnosine, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Collagen, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Betaine, PCA, Cyanocobalamin, Xylitol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Laurate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Polysorbate 60, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycine Soja Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citral, Limonene, Linalool
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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.
Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc. The trade name for this ingredient is Leucidal.
Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid.
This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product.
Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
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.
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.
Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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.