Educational guide
Peach & Lily Power Cocktail Lactic Acid Repair Serum Versus Biossance Squalane + 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum
Peach & Lily Power Cocktail Lactic Acid Repair Serum Versus Biossance Squalane + 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum This smoothing serum is formulated around Lactic Acid and Panax Ginseng Root Extract to refine skin texture and strengthen the skin barrier
This guide cannot diagnose a condition or recommend a personal treatment plan. Discuss medical questions with a qualified professional.
Peach & Lily Power Cocktail Lactic Acid Repair Serum Versus Biossance Squalane + 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum
This smoothing serum is formulated around Lactic Acid and Panax Ginseng Root Extract to refine skin texture and strengthen the skin barrier.
This smoothing serum is formulated around Lactic Acid and Squalane to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Lactic Acid
Tromethamine
1,2-Hexanediol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Glycerin
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Jania Rubens Extract
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Ceramide NP
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract
Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Butylene Glycol
Xylitol
Polyglutamic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Phellinus Linteus Extract
Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Morus Alba Root Extract
Propanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Copper Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Oligopeptide-1
Oligopeptide-2
Adenosine
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Pentylene Glycol
Ethyl Hexanediol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Lactic Acid, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Jania Rubens Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Xylitol, Polyglutamic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2, Adenosine, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethyl Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Squalane
Sodium Hydroxide
Cetearyl Alcohol
Lespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Acacia Senegal Gum
Sodium Gluconate
Xanthan Gum
Phenoxyethanol
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Linalool
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactic Acid, Squalane, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Cetearyl Olivate, Propanediol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Linalool
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
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.
Lactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
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!