Mary & May Collagen Peptide Vital Mask Versus Skinfood Daily Mask

Mary & May Collagen Peptide Vital Mask Versus Skinfood Daily Mask

This anti-aging sheet mask is formulated around Adenosine and Copper Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles.

This calming sheet mask is formulated around Niacinamide and Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract to calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Hydroxyacetophenone

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Arginine

Carbomer

Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate

Allantoin

Adenosine

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Butylene Glycol

Parfum

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Caprylyl Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Collagen Extract

Soluble Collagen

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Copper Tripeptide-1

Hexapeptide-11

Hexapeptide-9

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Tripeptide-1

Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Arginine, Carbomer, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Allantoin, Adenosine, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Collagen Extract, Soluble Collagen, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Copper Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-11, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1

Glycereth-26

Niacinamide

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Betaine

Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate

Cellulose Gum

Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract

Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Polyquaternium-51

Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil

Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract

Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil

Lavandula Hybrida Oil

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Salvia Officinalis Oil

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed

Abies Sibirica Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Asiaticoside

Asiatic Acid

Madecassic Acid

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Cellulose Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract, Arginine, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Polyquaternium-51, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Abies Sibirica Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Disodium EDTA

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

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.

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.

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).

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.

This ingredient helps:

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

Hydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.

As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.

Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.

This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.

You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.

Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.

An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.

So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.

Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.

This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.

This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.

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.

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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