SCINIC Collagen Ampoule Stick Versus MediCube Deep Collagen Vita Multi Serum Stick
SCINIC Collagen Ampoule Stick Versus MediCube Deep Collagen Vita Multi Serum Stick This hydrating ampoule is formulated around Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter to hydrate skin. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid
SCINIC Collagen Ampoule Stick Versus MediCube Deep Collagen Vita Multi Serum Stick
This hydrating ampoule is formulated around Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter to hydrate skin.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Copper Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Polyethylene
Octyldodecanol
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Microcrystalline Wax
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Tocopheryl Acetate
Diisostearyl Malate
Bisabolol
Tocopherol
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Dehydroacetic Acid
Lupinus Albus Seed Extract
Monascus Extract
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Panthenol
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Water
Butylene Glycol
1,2-Hexanediol
Astaxanthin
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Hydroxyacetophenone
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hydrolyzed Collagen Extract
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyethylene, Octyldodecanol, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Diisostearyl Malate, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Monascus Extract, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Panthenol, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Astaxanthin, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Collagen Extract
Vegetable Oil
Ascorbic Acid
Ceresin
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Hexyldecyl Ethylhexanoate
Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate
Beeswax
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Shorea Robusta Seed Butter
Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate
Dipropylene Glycol
Caprylyl Glycol
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Ferulic Acid
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Adenosine
Propanediol
Glycerin
Glycine Soja Peptide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sorbitan Laurate
Soluble Collagen
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Copper Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Atelocollagen
Oligopeptide-1
Oligopeptide-2
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Vegetable Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Ceresin, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Diisostearyl Malate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hexyldecyl Ethylhexanoate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Shorea Robusta Seed Butter, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Dipropylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Ferulic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Adenosine, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Peptide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Laurate, Soluble Collagen, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Atelocollagen, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2
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
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.
Diisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.
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.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Hydrolyzed Collagen is Collagen (usually sourced from fish, bovine, or porcine byproducts) that's been broken down into smaller peptides. This makes it water-soluble and easy to blend into formulations.
In a formula, it works mainly as a skin-conditioning and moisturizing agent.
The small peptides and amino acids (including Natural Moisturizing Factor components like Hydroxyproline, Serine, and Aspartic Acid) help the surface of the skin hold onto water, feel softer, and look temporarily plumper.
This ingredient also has mild film-forming and antioxidant properties with research showing the antioxidant effect is stronger the lower the molecular weight of the peptides.
It's worth being realistic here:
Topically applied Hydrolyzed Collagen conditions the upper layers of skin rather than rebuilding the structural collagen deep in your dermis (the wrinkle-and-firmness benefits people associate with Collagen mostly come from oral supplements in studies, not topicals).
However, recent lab and skin-model work on Hydrolyzed Fish Collagen has shown promising effects on cell viability and wound healing when used as an active.
Typical concentrations range from 0.2-2%, but the percentage can go much higher in rinse-off or hair products (sometimes even above 50%).
Clinical studies on this ingredient showed no irritation, sensitization, or phototoxicity.
If you are looking for vegan collagen, it usually goes by a different INCI name like hydrolyzed soy protein. Vegan collagen is derived from yeast, bacteria, or plant sources.
The results are varied.
A study from 2021 found hydrolyzed collagen increased elasticity and improved wrinkles in 1,125 participants between age 20 and 70. Another study found increased skin thickness in participants between the ages of 45 to 59.
However, It is difficult to prove that oral collagen will end up working on your skin. Many of the studies using hydrolyzed collagen also add several vitamins and nutrients into the test mixture as well.
Further studies are needed at this time.
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil is a lightweight oil from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. In cosmetics, it's an emollient that forms a light film to slow water loss and soften skin.
Its fatty acid composition is dominated by oleic acid (70-78%), with smaller amounts of behenic, palmitic, and stearic acids (this profile is actually pretty similar to olive oil).
Notably, this ingredient is oxidatively stable for an oil and resists going rancid as fast as other oils.
A small, in vivo study on 32 participants found a cream with this ingredient increased skin hydration with no reported skin irritation. It also found the tocopherol content gave it some antioxidant activity as well.
One thing to flag for fungal acne: Because this oil is so high in oleic acid, Malassezia can use it as a food source and this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
For everyone else, this ingredient is well-tolerated and nourishing with a good safety track record.
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate is a plant-derived emulsifier and pigment-dispersing agent with a non-sticky skin feel.
It helps products glide on smoothly and prevents oil and water from separating in a formula, making it suitable for sunscreen and makeup formulations.
The EU inventory of cosmetics has no use restrictions on this ingredient and it is considered well-tolerated.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is derived from isostearic acid.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
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!