The INKEY List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm Versus rhode Peptide Lip Treatment

The INKEY List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm Versus rhode Peptide Lip Treatment

This anti-aging lip moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate lips.

This anti-aging lip moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate lips.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides

Glyceryl Rosinate

Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Candelilla Cera

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil

Squalane

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Hydrogenated Olive Oil

Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glyceryl Behenate

Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables

Tribehenin

Sorbitan Isostearate

Tocopherol

Portulaca Pilosa Extract

Trihydroxystearin

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Sucrose Cocoate

Brassica Alba Sprout Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Glucomannan

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Glyceryl Rosinate, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Candelilla Cera, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Squalane, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Behenate, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Tribehenin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Portulaca Pilosa Extract, Trihydroxystearin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sucrose Cocoate, Brassica Alba Sprout Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Glucomannan

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Diisostearyl Malate

Polybutene

Microcrystalline Wax

Synthetic Beeswax

Synthetic Wax

Octyldodecanol

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate

Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate

Triethyl Citrate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Lactic Acid

Stevioside

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Disteardimonium Hectorite

O-Cymen-5-Ol

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Diisostearyl Malate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polybutene, Microcrystalline Wax, Synthetic Beeswax, Synthetic Wax, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Triethyl Citrate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Lactic Acid, Tribehenin, Stevioside, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Disteardimonium Hectorite, O-Cymen-5-Ol

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.

This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.

Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).

Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.

In cosmetics, it plays many roles:

One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.

For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.

Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil is from the seed of the Babassu palm plant. This plant is native to Brazil.

Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil contains many fatty acids with the most being lauric acid.

Like other plant oils, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil is hydrating and can help soften skin.

It is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight off damage from free-radical molecules.

One study found this oil might contain anti-inflammatory properties, but more research is needed.

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.

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.

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.

In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.

Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.

This ingredient is also known as cupuacu butter. It's a soft, creamy plant fat that works as a skin-conditioning agent and often marketed as the plant-based alternative to lanolin.

The composition of this butter is dominated by oleic acid, stearic acid, and smaller amounts of palmitic, linoleic, and arachidic acids. There's also a useful dose of phystosterols.

That fatty-acid-and-sterol combo is why this ingredient behaves like a richer cousin of shea butter: the lipids reinforce the skin's surface and slow water loss while the sterols help support the barrier.

There's some early research too: a mouse study found cupuacu butter emulgels had antioxidant activity and a measurable photoprotective effect against UVB damage.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient but those prone to congestion might prefer formulations with lower concentrations.

Fungal acne: Cupuacu butter's fatty acids are mostly "locked up" in triglycerides that Malassezia can't easily feed on, but the yeast can slowly break these down to access the free fatty acids. Therefore, 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.

Tribehenin is the triglyceride of glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient that helps soften and condition skin.

Safety-wise, this is a well-vetted ingredient. Repeated-insult patch tests of 0.38% tribehenin did not trigger sensitization.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because behenic acid falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia yeasts can feed on.

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