Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Dr. Barbara Sturm Night Serum Versus Q + A Peptide Serum

Dr. Barbara Sturm Night Serum Versus Q + A Peptide Serum Detailed comparison of Dr. Barbara Sturm Night Serum versus Q + A Peptide Serum. This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This anti-ag

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Dr. Barbara Sturm Night Serum Versus Q + A Peptide Serum Detailed comparison of Dr. Barbara Sturm Night Serum versus Q + A Peptide Serum. This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder and Tripeptide-29 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. Water Butylene Glycol Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract Alcohol Sodium Hyaluronate Glycerin Magnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan Onopordum Acanthium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract Cassia Alata Leaf Extract Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate Phragmites Karka Extract Poria Cocos Extract Plankton Extract Xanthan Gum Ethylhexylglycerin Phenoxyethanol Sodium Benzoate Water, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract, Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Magnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Onopordum Acanthium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phragmites Karka Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Plankton Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate Propylene Glycol Betaine Pentylene Glycol Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder Sodium Phytate Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract Biosaccharide Gum-1 Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract Sodium Levulinate Tripeptide-29 Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Magnesium PCA Lactic Acid Glyceryl Caprylate Cocoyl Proline Sodium Anisate Citric Acid Water, Propylene Glycol, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Sodium Phytate, Glycerin, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Tripeptide-29, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Magnesium PCA, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cocoyl Proline, Sodium Anisate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. 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. Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc. The trade name for this ingredient is Leucidal. Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid. This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product. Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods). 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 prett