Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C And EGF Serum Versus iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum

The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C And EGF Serum Versus iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. This calming serum is formulated around Hippoph

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C And EGF Serum Versus iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum

This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

This calming serum is formulated around Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract and Niacinamide to calm redness and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Sodium Hydroxide

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Phenoxyethanol

Benzyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Metabisulfite

Dehydroacetic Acid

Phytic Acid

Oligopeptide-1

Water, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phytic Acid, Oligopeptide-1

Glycerin

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Propolis Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Glycosyl Trehalose

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate

Dipropylene Glycol

Centella Asiatica Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract

Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract

Punica Granatum Fruit Extract

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Morus Alba Fruit Extract

Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Carbomer

Arginine

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Allantoin

Adenosine

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Water, Glycerin, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Propolis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Dipropylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Arginine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Adenosine, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Reviews

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.

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. 03Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  4. 04Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  5. 05Though 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.
  6. 06Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  7. 07Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  8. 08Your 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.
  9. 09Aquaporin-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.
  10. 10This 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.
  11. 11Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  12. 12Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  13. 13Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
  14. 14"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
  15. 15This 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.
  16. 16Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
  17. 17Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
  18. 18You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
  19. 19A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
  20. 20Fungal 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.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List Kaolin Mask

The Inkey List Kaolin Mask The Inkey List Kaolin Mask ingredients explained: Aqua, Kaolin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Stearic A…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

The Inkey List Beta Hydroxy Acid

The Inkey List Beta Hydroxy Acid The Inkey List Beta Hydroxy Acid ingredients explained: Aqua (Water), Propanediol, Betaine, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zinc Pca, Phenoxyethanol, Hy…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles