Skin science article
Vegamour GRO Hair Serum Versus BrioGeo Destined for Density™ Peptide Hair Serum for Thicker, Fuller Hair
Vegamour GRO Hair Serum Versus BrioGeo Destined for Density™ Peptide Hair Serum for Thicker, Fuller Hair What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Butylene Glycol Glycerin Alcohol Denat. Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate Caffeine Cur
Vegamour GRO Hair Serum Versus BrioGeo Destined for Density™ Peptide Hair Serum for Thicker, Fuller Hair
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Alcohol Denat.
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Caffeine
Curcuma Longa Callus Conditioned Media
Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil Expressed
Sodium Phytate
Pentylene Glycol
Limonene
Citric Acid
Sodium Benzoate
Potassium Sorbate
Lactic Acid
Trifolium Pratense/Vigna Radiata) Sprout Extract
Linalool
Sodium Hydroxide
Biotin
Alcohol
Phytic Acid
Linalyl Acetate
Pinene
Nicotiana Benthamiana Octapeptide-30 Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-9
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-86
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caffeine, Curcuma Longa Callus Conditioned Media, Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil Expressed, Sodium Phytate, Pentylene Glycol, Limonene, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Lactic Acid, Trifolium Pratense/Vigna Radiata) Sprout Extract, Linalool, Sodium Hydroxide, Biotin, Alcohol, Phytic Acid, Linalyl Acetate, Pinene, Nicotiana Benthamiana Octapeptide-30 Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-9, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-86
Propanediol
Betaine
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Copper Tripeptide-34
Niacinamide
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Coffea Arabica Seed Oil
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Carbomer
Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Acacia Senegal Gum
Xanthan Gum
Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
Tocopheryl Acetate
Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Lamium Album Extract
Plantago Psyllium Seed Extract
Panthenol
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Sodium Metabisulfite
Larix Europaea Wood Extract
Glycine
Tocopherol
Ubiquinone
Zinc Chloride
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Benzyl Alcohol
Caramel
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caffeine, Copper Tripeptide-34, Niacinamide, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Biotin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Carbomer, Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Lamium Album Extract, Plantago Psyllium Seed Extract, Panthenol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Glycine, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Zinc Chloride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Caramel
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Biotin is a B vitamin that is naturally produced by our bodies. It is also called Vitamin H.
Our bodies use biotin in the metabolism process. It also helps our bodies use enzymes and move nutrients around. A biotin deficiency can lead to brittle hair and nails.
More research is needed on applying biotin topically. However, taking biotin orally has been shown to help nourish the skin, hair, and nails. They play a role in forming skin-hydrating fatty acids.
Biotin is water-soluble. It can be found in foods such as fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and meat. Vitamin H stands for "haar" and "haut". These are the German words for hair and skin.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
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%.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
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!