iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Extreme Cream Firming & Lifting Moisturizer Versus MediCube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream

iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Extreme Cream Firming & Lifting Moisturizer Versus MediCube PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium DNA to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

C13-15 Alkane

Squalane

Propanediol

Polyglyceryl-5 Polyricinoleate

Bisabolol

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Glycerin

Magnesium Sulfate

Panthenol

Glyceryl Behenate

1,2-Hexanediol

Butylene Glycol

Heptapeptide-7

Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate

Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide NP

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Allantoin

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Arginine

Glycosphingolipids

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Tetraacetylphytosphingosine

Polyglyceryl-6 Octastearate

Stearic Acid

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Glucoside

Glyceryl Stearate

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Lecithin

Xanthan Gum

Tocopherol

Carnosine

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Phenoxyethanol

Citric Acid

Quaternium-90 Bentonite

Mica

Triethyl Citrate

Zinc Stearate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Gluconolactone

Calcium Gluconate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Water, C13-15 Alkane, Squalane, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-5 Polyricinoleate, Bisabolol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Magnesium Sulfate, Panthenol, Glyceryl Behenate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Heptapeptide-7, Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Allantoin, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Arginine, Glycosphingolipids, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Polyglyceryl-6 Octastearate, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Carnosine, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, Mica, Triethyl Citrate, Zinc Stearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Gluconolactone, Calcium Gluconate, Hydroxyacetophenone

Niacinamide

Methylpropanediol

Dipropylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycereth-26

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Carbomer

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Simethicone

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Adenosine

Polyacrylate-13

Sodium DNA

Disodium EDTA

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Polyisobutene

Hydrolyzed Sclerotium Gum

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Polysorbate 20

Sorbitan Isostearate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Glutathione

Octyldodecanol

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Salmon Egg Extract

Cyanocobalamin

Thioctic Acid

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Collagen Extract

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Copper Tripeptide-1

Hyaluronic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Potassium Hyaluronate

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycereth-26, Arginine, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Simethicone, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Polyacrylate-13, Sodium DNA, Disodium EDTA, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Polyisobutene, Hydrolyzed Sclerotium Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glutathione, Octyldodecanol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Salmon Egg Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Cyanocobalamin, Thioctic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Collagen Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate

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.

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

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.

It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.

A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.

Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.

One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.

Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.

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.

Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.

Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.

This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.

A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.

Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.

Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.

Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

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.

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!

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