Skin science article
VT Cosmetics PDRN Reedle Shot 100 Versus VT Cosmetics Reedle Shot Lifting Serum
VT Cosmetics PDRN Reedle Shot 100 Versus VT Cosmetics Reedle Shot Lifting Serum This smoothing treatment is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium DNA to refine skin texture and soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Collagen
VT Cosmetics PDRN Reedle Shot 100 Versus VT Cosmetics Reedle Shot Lifting Serum
This smoothing treatment is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium DNA to refine skin texture and soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Collagen Extract and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Sorbitol
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Niacinamide
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Magnesium Sulfate
Hyaluronic Acid
Dipropylene Glycol
Polyurethane-15
1,2-Hexanediol
Hydroxyacetophenone
Diisostearyl Malate
Sorbitan Olivate
Synthetic Beeswax
Silica
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Butylene Glycol
Adenosine
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Disodium EDTA
Centella Asiatica Extract
Glutathione
Glycerin
Squalane
Tocopherol
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Centella Asiatica Callus Extracellular Vesicles
Sodium Hyaluronate
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Tripeptide-1
Sucrose
Hexapeptide-9
Copper Tripeptide-1
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Sodium DNA
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Mineral Salts
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Madecassoside
Madecassic Acid
Propolis Extract
Asiaticoside
Asiatic Acid
Potassium Hyaluronate
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Sorbitol, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Magnesium Sulfate, Hyaluronic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyurethane-15, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Diisostearyl Malate, Sorbitan Olivate, Synthetic Beeswax, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Butylene Glycol, Adenosine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Disodium EDTA, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glutathione, Glycerin, Squalane, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Centella Asiatica Callus Extracellular Vesicles, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tripeptide-1, Sucrose, Hexapeptide-9, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sodium DNA, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Mineral Salts, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Propolis Extract, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Potassium Hyaluronate
Collagen Extract
Glycolipids
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Heptyl Undecylenate
Human Umbilical Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conditioned Media Extract
PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol
Cholesterol
Panthenol
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Carbomer
Tromethamine
Xanthan Gum
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Hydrolyzed Elastin
Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Parfum
Water, Glycerin, Collagen Extract, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycolipids, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Heptyl Undecylenate, Human Umbilical Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conditioned Media Extract, PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol, Cholesterol, Panthenol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Tocopherol, Parfum
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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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
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.
Centella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is one of the most researched botanical extracts in skincare with decades of studies backing its effects on inflammation, collagen, and the skin barrier.
That research keeps pointing back to the same four triterpenoid saponins: Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid.
These compounds allow centella to dial back inflammation, encourage the skin to build and hold onto collagen, support the barrier and hydration, and bring solid antioxidant activity to protect against signs of aging.
Centella also carries a nice supporting cast of Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and amino acids. Put it all together and you get an ingredient that soothes, hydrates, and protects, all at once.
Most of centella's magic comes from the four big compounds (Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid). These are the actives doing the heavy lifting in almost every centella study.
Here is the short version of what they do in the skin:
So it is not just soothing for the sake of soothing. Centella calms the skin AND helps it rebuild.
Just FYI, not all centella on an ingredient list is the same. What you are getting actually depends on the extract:
Fun fact on the ratios: the leaves tend to be richest in Madecassoside and Asiaticoside, and lower in the two acids. The exact amounts shift with where the plant is grown and how it is processed. This means purity really does vary brand to brand.
Centella is one of the most easygoing actives out there.
It layers well with basically everything: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and vitamin C, and also pairs nicely with stronger actives like retinoids and exfoliating acids where it can help take the edge off irritation.
On the safety side, centella and its triterpenes are classified as weak sensitizers, meaning allergic reactions are possible but uncommon.
Patch tests at 1% and 5% came back negative in test panels, and creams at typical use levels did not cause allergic reactions across large groups of people.
But as with any new active, a patch test is still a smart move for very reactive skin.
Centella is widely used because it is effective at low percentages. For context, human safety testing found no meaningful irritation from creams containing centella extract at everyday use levels (the tested amounts were well under 1%).
The irritancy threshold in animal testing was also above 30% (so real-world formulas sit far below anything concerning).
In collagen lab studies, higher concentrations drove more collagen synthesis, so serums built around centella tend to feature it more prominently.
Bottom line: you will find centella working nicely anywhere from a fraction of a percent up to hero-ingredient levels depending on whether it is a supporting soother or the main event.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
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.
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser.
On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
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!