Mizon Black Snail All In One Cream Versus Mizon Collagen Power Lifting Cream
Mizon Black Snail All In One Cream Versus Mizon Collagen Power Lifting Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging moisturiz
Mizon Black Snail All In One Cream Versus Mizon Collagen Power Lifting Cream
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Houttuynia Cordata Extract and Copper Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Niacinamide
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Butylene Glycol
Synthetic Wax
Phenoxyethanol
Water
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Carbomer
Triethanolamine
Caprylyl Glycol
Sodium Polyacrylate
Adenosine
Tropolone
Coptis Chinensis Root Extract
Sorbitan Isostearate
Polysorbate 60
Disodium EDTA
Allantoin
Panthenol
Glycerin
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Dextrin
Tocopherol
1,2-Hexanediol
Centella Asiatica Extract
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Beta-Glucan
Copper Tripeptide-1
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract
Porphyra Tenera Extract
Fagus Sylvatica Seed Extract
Dictyopteris Membranacea Extract
Allium Sativum Bulb Extract
Prunus Mume Fruit Extract
Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract
Rubus Coreanus Fruit Extract
Mirabilis Jalapa Seed Extract
Sepiolite
Charcoal Powder
Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
Morus Alba Fruit Extract
Rhus Semialata Gall Extract
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Inonotus Obliquus Extract
Annona Cherimola Fruit Extract
Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Corthellus Shiitake Extract
Piper Nigrum Seed Extract
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
Rose Extract
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Snail Secretion Filtrate, Niacinamide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Synthetic Wax, Phenoxyethanol, Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Tropolone, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Panthenol, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Beta-Glucan, Copper Tripeptide-1, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Porphyra Tenera Extract, Fagus Sylvatica Seed Extract, Dictyopteris Membranacea Extract, Allium Sativum Bulb Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract, Rubus Coreanus Fruit Extract, Mirabilis Jalapa Seed Extract, Sepiolite, Charcoal Powder, Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Rhus Semialata Gall Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Annona Cherimola Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Corthellus Shiitake Extract, Piper Nigrum Seed Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Rose Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Trehalose
Royal Jelly
Polyisobutene
BHT
Polyacrylate-13
Polysorbate 20
Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Cyclopentasiloxane
Propanediol
Iris Florentina Root Extract
Dimethicone
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
Xanthan Gum
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Propolis Extract
Hydrolyzed Royal Jelly Protein
Cyclohexasiloxane
Sodium Hyaluronate
Tromethamine
Water, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Trehalose, Sorbitan Isostearate, Royal Jelly, Dextrin, Copper Tripeptide-1, Polyisobutene, Theobroma Cacao Extract, BHT, Glycerin, Beta-Glucan, Polyacrylate-13, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propanediol, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Dimethicone, Adenosine, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Centella Asiatica Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Propolis Extract, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Royal Jelly Protein, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tromethamine
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.
Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
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.
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.
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.
Copper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a skin repairing ingredient known for its ability to boost collagen, improve firmness, and support skin regeneration.
It is a complex made up of a naturally occurring peptide (glycine-histidine-lysine) and copper, an essential trace element.
While studying wound healing, researchers noticed GHK-Cu stimulated hair follicle enlargement and growth by keeping hair in its active growth phase longer. This has made it a promising ingredient for hair regrowth treatments.
Some people have reported increased facial hair. While GHK-Cu can make your hair follicles bigger, it usually doesn’t turn soft, barely-visible facial hairs into thick, dark ones.
Anecdotal reports suggest that overusing copper peptides might lead to premature aging due to excess free copper or enzyme imbalances. This claim isn’t backed by large-scale studies.
Unfortunately, there are limited human studies for this ingredient. While early results are promising, many studies are either small, in-vitro, or not rigorously controlled.
For example, there is a 1998 study that explored the effects of copper tripeptide, vitamin C, tretinoin, and melatonin on skin repair and collagen synthesis.
After one month, increased procollagen production was seen in 7 out of 10 participants using copper tripeptide (more than those using vitamin C, melatonin, or tretinoin.
While the study was exploratory, it offers early evidence that copper tripeptide may support collagen production. Larger, well-designed trials are still needed to confirm its potential and understand individual responses.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Coptis Chinensis Root Extract is also known as huanglian or Chinese goldthread. It is a plant extract with soothing and antioxidant properties.
This plant naturally contains berberine, a compound that lab studies suggest can help "turn down" inflammation signals and oxidative stress, and make it harder for certain microbes to thrive. While topical berberine research does support anti-inflammatory potential in dermatitis-like models, most of the stronger evidence is preclinical.
That's why you'll frequently see this ingredient in formulations aimed at redness, blemish-prone skin, or sensitive skin.
A small human photopatch study reported that "coptis" at 5% did not trigger photoallergic/photosensitive reactions in the tested group. Like other botanical extracts, it may cause allergies in some. Be sure to patch test if you're weary.
Dextrin is a starch-derived polysaccharide. It's made by partially breaking down corn, potato, or other plant starches.
Think of it as "half-processed" starch; it's less complex than the original but not fully broken down into sugar like maltodextrin.
In cosmetics, it mainly functions as a bulking agent, viscosity controller, binder, and absorbent. It helps thicken products, stabilize powders, and get certain textures a less "wet" feel.
This ingredient has a pretty solid safety profile; it's recognized as a safe food additive and its large molecular size means it doesn't meaningfully penetrate skin.
Human repeat insult patch tests using a rinse-off facial product containing 42.69% dextrin found no skin irritation or sensitization in 54 subjects.
Typical real-world usage is much lower: usually under 1% as a texture modifier and up to 40% in masks (rinse off products use less).
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.
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.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
This ingredient is extracted from the seeds of the cocoa tree.
Cacao seeds contain antioxidants known as polyphenols. These include flavonoids, procyanidins, and epicatechins.
Studies show these polyphenols help improve skin health.
The more famous ingredient from cocoa tree is cocoa butter.
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!