Q + A Collagen Booster Serum Versus Mizon Collagen 100

Q + A Collagen Booster Serum Versus Mizon Collagen 100

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propylene Glycol

Betaine

Pentylene Glycol

Pullulan

Collagen

Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Glycerin

Carbomer

Sodium Gluconate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Glyceryl Caprate

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Hydroxide

Citric Acid

Water, Propylene Glycol, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Pullulan, Collagen, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Glycerin, Carbomer, Sodium Gluconate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glyceryl Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Methylpropanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Trehalose

Ethylhexylglycerin

Allantoin

Tromethamine

Panthenol

Propanediol

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Centella Asiatica Extract

Houttuynia Cordata Extract

Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract

Butylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Hydrolyzed Collagen, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Propanediol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Phenoxyethanol

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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.

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.

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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