SK-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum Versus The Ordinary "Buffet" + Copper Peptides 1%

SK-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Essence Serum Versus The Ordinary "Buffet" + Copper Peptides 1%

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Copper Tripeptide-1 and Lactococcus Ferment Lysate to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate

Niacinamide

Pentylene Glycol

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Isopropyl Isostearate

Dimethicone

Squalane

Xylitol

Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer

Boron Nitride

Panthenol

PEG-20 Sorbitan Cocoate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Phenoxyethanol

Benzyl Alcohol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate

PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone

Aminomethyl Propanol

Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract

Laureth-7

Methylparaben

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

PEG-100 Stearate

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract

Parfum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract

Polyquaternium-7

Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Methylsilanol Tri-PEG-8 Glyceryl Cocoate

Methicone

CI 77891

CI 77492

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dimethicone, Squalane, Xylitol, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Boron Nitride, Panthenol, PEG-20 Sorbitan Cocoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Aminomethyl Propanol, Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract, Laureth-7, Methylparaben, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Polyquaternium-7, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Methylsilanol Tri-PEG-8 Glyceryl Cocoate, Methicone, CI 77891, CI 77492

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Pentapeptide-18

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Sodium Hyaluronate

Allantoin

Glycine

Alanine

Serine

Valine

Isoleucine

Proline

Threonine

Histidine

Phenylalanine

Arginine

Aspartic Acid

Trehalose

Fructose

Glucose

Maltose

Urea

Sodium PCA

PCA

Sodium Lactate

Citric Acid

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Hydroxide

Acacia Senegal Gum

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Sodium Benzoate

Caprylyl Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Trehalose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Urea, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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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.

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.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

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!

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.

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