The Derma Co 20% Actives Peptide-Stem Cell Hair Growth Serum Versus Wishcare Hair Growth Serum Concentrate

The Derma Co 20% Actives Peptide-Stem Cell Hair Growth Serum Versus Wishcare Hair Growth Serum Concentrate

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract

Lupinus Albus Seed Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Pisum Sativum Sprout Extract

Sodium Benzoate

Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate

Glycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

Ocimum Basilicum Hairy Root Culture Extract

Sodium Metabisulfite

Larix Europaea Wood Extract

Glycine

Zinc Chloride

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract

Xanthan Gum

Lecithin

PPG-26-Buteth-26

Apigenin

Oleanolic Acid

Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1

Sclerotium Gum

Sodium Gluconate

Ethoxydiglycol

Tocopherol

Water, Butylene Glycol, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pisum Sativum Sprout Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ocimum Basilicum Hairy Root Culture Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Glycine, Zinc Chloride, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Apigenin, Oleanolic Acid, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Ethoxydiglycol, Tocopherol

Propylene Glycol

Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment

Redensyl

Baicalin

Cetrimonium Chloride

Keratin

Palmeth-2

Caffeine

Biotin

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, Redensyl, Baicalin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Keratin, Palmeth-2, Caffeine, Biotin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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