Estée Lauder Perfectionist CP+R Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Estée Lauder Perfectionist CP+R Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Palmitoyl Oligopeptide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Dimethicone

Water

Polysilicone-11

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Silica

Butylene Glycol

Caprylyl Methicone

Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract

Salvia Sclarea Extract

Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Palmaria Palmata Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Silybum Marianum Extract

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Artemia Extract

Pantethine

Algae Extract

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Cholesterol

Squalane

Boswellia Serrata Extract

Zea Mays Kernel Extract

Glycine Soja Protein

Caffeine

Whey Protein

Linoleic Acid

Lecithin

Collagen

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Glycerin

Faex Extract

Polyquaternium-51

Phytosphingosine

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl

Polysorbate 40

Pentylene Glycol

Propanediol

Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Ethylhexylglycerin

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Sodium PCA

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Zinc PCA

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Isohexadecane

PEG-8

Tocopheryl Acetate

Polysorbate 80

Disodium Distyrylbiphenyl Disulfonate

Laureth-12

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Beta-Sitosteryl Sulfate

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Hydroxide

Parfum

Disodium EDTA

BHT

Phenoxyethanol

Mica

CI 77891

Dimethicone, Water, Polysilicone-11, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Silica, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Methicone, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Artemia Extract, Pantethine, Algae Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Cholesterol, Squalane, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Glycine Soja Protein, Caffeine, Whey Protein, Linoleic Acid, Lecithin, Collagen, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Glycerin, Faex Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Phytosphingosine, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Polysorbate 40, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium PCA, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Zinc PCA, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isohexadecane, PEG-8, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Disodium Distyrylbiphenyl Disulfonate, Laureth-12, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Beta-Sitosteryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891

Niacinamide 10%

Zinc PCA 1%

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum

Isoceteth-20

Ethoxydiglycol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Niacinamide 10%, Pentylene Glycol, Zinc PCA 1%, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

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!

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.

Zinc PCA is a clever two-in-one molecule: the zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA).

Think of it as two useful things bonded together; the PCA half is one of your skin's own natural moisturizing factors (NMF) so it helps hold water in the upper layers. On the other hand, the zinc half does the heavy lifting on oil and bacteria.

The zinc part slows down an enzyme that turns testosterone into DHT, the hormone that tells your oil glands to pump out more sebum. Less of that signal means less oil. It also gently fights acne-causing bacteria and soothes redness/irritation.

This is why Zinc PCA often shows up in products for oily, breakout-prone skin and greasy scalps.

One lab study also hinted it might have a small anti-aging perk because it seemed to protect collagen from UVA damage and even helped the skin make a bit more of it. That last bit is still early research done in a dish and not real skin, so take it as a nice bonus rather than a promise for now.

As for scar healing, the picture is more "maybe" than a firm yes. Zinc itself plays a real role in wound repair because it is a cofactor for the enzymes involved in collagen building, calming inflammation, and helping new skin cells cover a wound. Lower zinc levels are also linked to slower healing.

Most of the scar healing research is on zinc oxide or oral zinc rather than zinc PCA specifically, with a focus on healing fresh wounds instead of scars that are already there.

Direct evidence that zinc PCA improves the look of established scars is still limited at this time. Though it would be fair to say zinc PCA supports the general skin-repair environment thanks to its zinc content .

This ingredient is water-soluble and plays nicely with other actives like niacinamide and salicylic acid. It works best at mildly acidic formulas (~4-6 pH) and is effective at low levels. Around 0.1% is enough to be active and finished products commonly use it anywhere up to 4%.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-drama multitasker that suits oily and acne-prone skin.

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