MediCube Age-R Glutathione Glow Serum Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum

MediCube Age-R Glutathione Glow Serum Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Glutathione to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

PEG-8

Niacinamide

Butylene Glycol

Methylpropanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Methyl Gluceth-20

Glycereth-26

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Betaine

Carbomer

Diphenyl Dimethicone

Tromethamine

Triethylhexanoin

Ethylhexylglycerin

C12-14 Alketh-12

Parfum

Glutathione

Xanthan Gum

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Adenosine

Coptis Japonica Extract

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Disodium EDTA

Saccharide Hydrolysate

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Panthenol

Collagen

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract

Dextrin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Stellaria Media Extract

Sorbitan Laurate

Prunella Vulgaris Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment

Fucus Vesiculosus Extract

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Lycopodium Clavatum Extract

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Caprylyl Glycol

Hyaluronic Acid

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Keratin

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Hydrolyzed Silk

Water, Glycerin, PEG-8, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycereth-26, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Betaine, Carbomer, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Triethylhexanoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-14 Alketh-12, Parfum, Glutathione, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Adenosine, Coptis Japonica Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Disodium EDTA, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Panthenol, Collagen, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Dextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stellaria Media Extract, Sorbitan Laurate, Prunella Vulgaris Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Lycopodium Clavatum Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Silk

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Propanediol

PEG-75

Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract

Tripeptide-32

Faex Extract

Cola Acuminata Seed Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Hydrolyzed Algin

Pantethine

Caffeine

Lecithin

Sodium Rna

Bisabolol

Squalane

Oleth-3 Phosphate

Oleth-3

Oleth-5

Choleth-24

Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters

Ceteth-24

Tocopheryl Acetate

Triethanolamine

Tetrasodium EDTA

BHT

Potassium Sorbate

Phenoxyethanol

CI 14700

CI 19140

Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, PEG-8, Propanediol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycereth-26, PEG-75, Butylene Glycol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Tripeptide-32, Sodium Hyaluronate, Faex Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Cola Acuminata Seed Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Algin, Pantethine, Caffeine, Lecithin, Sodium Rna, Bisabolol, Squalane, Glycerin, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleth-3, Oleth-5, Choleth-24, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Ceteth-24, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Tetrasodium EDTA, BHT, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700, CI 19140

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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.

Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane belongs to the siloxanes and silicones classes. It is synthetically created and has a waxy composition.

This ingredient is a humectant and emollient, meaning it helps hydrate the skin. Humectants draw moisture to your skin, while emollients prevent moisture from escaping.

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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

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.

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%.

Glycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.

It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.

As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay hydrated.

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.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

This ingredient is made when the Lactobacillus bacteria (the same kind that makes yogurt and kimchi) are allowed to ferment a nutrient medium.

As it ferments, it collects lactic acid, peptides, enzymes, and other bioactive metabolites to provide:

A 2023 review noted that probiotic fermentation ingredients like this one can enhance antioxidant capacity, reduce UV-induced oxidative damage, and support barrier function.

One clinical study from the same year showed a Lactobacillus ferment lysate significantly reduced transepidermal water loss and improved skin hydration.

Another review highlighted that topical Lactobacillus-based preparations can improve ceramide levels in the stratum corneum, support barrier integrity, and even help reduce S. aureus colonization in atopic dermatitis.

Why is this so cool?

Basically, your skin's outer layer works as a brick wall; skin cells are bricks and ceramides are the mortar holding it together. Moisture escapes, irritants get in, and your skin gets dry and reactive when ceramide levels drop. On top of that, "bad" skin bacteria S. aureus loves to move in when your barrier is weak to make inflammation and irritation worse.

So Lactobacillus ferment is basically patching the wall and evicting the troublemaker when it boosts ceramide production and help keep S. aureus in check.

On top of all this, it also acts as a mild antimicrobial preservative booster.

Just so you know, most studies focus on specific strains or the lysate form rather than this generic "Lactobacillus Ferment", so results can vary.

Though it's a promising ingredient, it doesn't have decades of robust clinical data behind it just yet.

Lactobacillus Ferment is generally considered safe for fungal-acne prone skin. The key thing to understand is that it comes from bacteria, not yeast or fungus.

Yeast-derived ferments (like galactomyces) have been shown to activate a protein that's linked to Malassezia-related skin issues whereas lactobacillus doesn't have that problem.

Its byproducts also don't contain the types of fatty acids (C11-24 chain lengths) that Malassezia feeds on.

Methyl Gluceth-20 is a humectant. Humectants help draw moisture from the air to your skin.

It is created by combining polyethylene glycol with glucose.

PEG-8 is a synthetic polymer used as a humectant and solvent.

This ingredient is able to help dissolve active ingredients, including water. This gives it humectant properties.

It is soluble in water. The number '8' stands for the molecular weight of the ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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.

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