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Skin Actives Scientific High Potency EGF Serum Versus SkinMedica TNS® Advanced+ Serum

Skin Actives Scientific High Potency EGF Serum Versus SkinMedica TNS® Advanced+ Serum This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns No concerns Ingredients Side-by-s

Skin Actives Scientific High Potency EGF Serum Versus SkinMedica TNS® Advanced+ Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sh-Oligopeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Lactobacillus/Kelp Ferment Filtrate

Glycerin

Sodium PCA

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Sorbic Acid

Water, Lactobacillus/Kelp Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Human Neonatal Fibroblast Conditioned Media

Glycereth-7 Triacetate

Shea Butter Ethyl Esters

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

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.

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.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

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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. 03Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
  4. 04This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
  5. 05On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
  6. 06One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too st…
  7. 07Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
  8. 08You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
  9. 09Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  10. 10It 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.
  11. 11On 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.
  12. 12Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  13. 13You'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.
  14. 14Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  15. 15Safety-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.
  16. 16Adverse 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.
  17. 17Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
  18. 18It’s often used to:
  19. 19Propanediol 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.
  20. 20Water. 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.
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

Related product references

Product

SkinMedica Tns Advanced+ Serum

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Product

SkinMedica Tns Advanced+ Serum

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03

Comparison edit

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