Somethinc Salmon DNA + Marine Collagen Elixir Versus Somethinc Holygrail Multipeptide Youth Elixir

Somethinc Salmon DNA + Marine Collagen Elixir Versus Somethinc Holygrail Multipeptide Youth Elixir

This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.

This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Rosa Damascena Flower Water and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Sea Water 62%

Glycerin

Water

Methylpropanediol

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Butylene Glycol

Betaine

DNA

Adenosine

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

Carbomer

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Potassium Sorbate

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Amino Esters-1

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Allantoin

Caffeine

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Sodium Metabisulfite

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Pearl Powder

Lawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Biotin

Tocopherol

1,2-Hexanediol

Sea Water 62%, Glycerin, Water, Methylpropanediol, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, DNA, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Amino Esters-1, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Caffeine, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Pearl Powder, Lawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Biotin, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol

Rosa Damascena Flower Water 65%

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Pentylene Glycol

Octanediol

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Sh-Octapeptide-4

Sh-Decapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Rh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Rh-Polypeptide-3

Rh-Polypeptide-22

Rosa Damascena Flower Water 65%, Glycerin, Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Octanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Polysorbate 20, Caffeine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sh-Octapeptide-4, Sh-Decapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tocopherol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Rh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Rh-Polypeptide-3, Rh-Polypeptide-22, 1,2-Hexanediol

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.

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.

Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:

Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract is from the Roman Chamomile flower. It helps soothe the skin and contains antioxidants.

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

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.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.

As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.

Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.

You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.

Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.

Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.

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.

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract is also known as Ivy Gourd Fruit Extract. It has skin conditioning properties.

The fruit is rich in flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, and sterols that show antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect in vitro. This is because the fruit contains a thick mucilage that forms a protective and soothing layer on the skin's surface.

The extract itself has demonstrated antioxidant, soothing, and potential anti-allergy properties.

Most of this research is done in vitro and dedicated clinical studies on topical application are still limited.

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.

Methylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.

As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.

Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic 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.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Similar Comparisons