Skin science article
Youth To The People Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum Versus Youth To The People Adaptogen Soothe + Hydrate Activated Mist with Peptides
Youth To The People Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum Versus Youth To The People Adaptogen Soothe + Hydrate Activated Mist with Peptides This anti-aging serum is formulated around Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the loo
Youth To The People Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum Versus Youth To The People Adaptogen Soothe + Hydrate Activated Mist with Peptides
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles.
This hydrating treatment is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Ganoderma Lucidum Extract to hydrate skin and calm redness.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Pentylene Glycol
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-28
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Synthetic Sapphire
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Nephelium Lappaceum Peel Extract
Sodium PCA
Glutathione
Malachite Extract
Citric Acid
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Polyglutamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Sodium Lactate
Carbomer
Propanediol
Polysorbate 20
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Xanthan Gum
Phenoxyethanol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-28, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Synthetic Sapphire, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Nephelium Lappaceum Peel Extract, Sodium PCA, Glutathione, Malachite Extract, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Polyglutamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Carbomer, Propanediol, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Pentapeptide-59
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Phenethyl Alcohol
Maltodextrin
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Betaine
Potassium Sorbate
Withania Somnifera Extract
Ocimum Tenuiflorum Extract
Rhodiola Rosea Extract
Lactic Acid
Sodium Benzoate
Water, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Pentapeptide-59, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Maltodextrin, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Xanthan Gum, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Glycerin, Withania Somnifera Extract, Ocimum Tenuiflorum Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Extract, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
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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
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
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.
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.