All scans / Moisturizers / The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer
The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer ingredients: is it worth it?
A solid moisturizer, but the “peptide” story does more marketing than heavy lifting.
A solid moisturizer, but the “peptide” story does more marketing than heavy lifting.
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The efficacy score is driven mainly by a well-built hydrating base—glycerin, betaine, butylene glycol, emollients, and shea butter—plus a supportive barrier-friendly lipid system; the peptides are present at the end of the list, so they are likely low-dose support ingredients rather than the main functional engine. There is no evidence here of a strong treatment-level anti-aging active, and the formula looks better for hydration and comfort than for meaningful wrinkle correction.
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DemythSkin rates The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer 3.7/5 for efficacy and 4.5/5 for safety.
CONTAINS COMMON SENSITISERS⌄
Fragrance components and essential oils that more often cause reactions in sensitive skin: Benzyl Alcohol. Most people tolerate them; patch test if your skin reacts easily.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS BY TIER
Gold Standards
High clinical proof | Skin-transformativeReliable
Proven resultsPotent
Developing evidenceOverhyped | Marketing
Hype | Limited dataDocumented Irritants
Evidence-backed flagFORMULATION BASE (15)⌄
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄
Aqua (Water/Eau), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, Maltodextrin, Pentapeptide-48.
WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (23)⌄
- Aqua (Water/Eau)
- solvent, formula base
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- light emollient, skin feel
- Glycerin
- humectant, water binder
- C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
- emollient, slip enhancer
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- fatty alcohol, texture builder
- Glyceryl Stearate SE
- emulsifier, consistency agent
- Betaine
- humectant, osmolyte
- Butylene Glycol
- humectant, solvent
- Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
- Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative, solvent
- Carbomer
- gel thickener
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- rich emollient, occlusive
- Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
- emulsifier, stabilizer
- Sodium Hydroxide
- pH adjuster
- Ethylhexylglycerin
- preservative booster
- Sodium Gluconate
- chelator, stabilizer
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant, skin conditioning
- Dehydroacetic Acid
- preservative
- Hydrogenated Lecithin
- lipid emulsifier
- Phenethyl Alcohol
- preservative, solvent
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-37
- peptide active
- Maltodextrin
- carrier, stabilizer
- Pentapeptide-48
- peptide active
EXTERNAL CITATIONS
Glycerin: Well-established humectant that increases stratum corneum water content.
Betaine: Humectant/osmolyte with evidence for improved hydration and reduced irritation in topical formulas.
Hydrogenated Lecithin: Barrier-supportive lipid commonly used to improve emulsion structure and skin feel.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-37: Peptide marketed for moisture-barrier support; topical evidence is much weaker than classic treatment actives.
Pentapeptide-48: Peptide marketed for anti-aging support; likely a secondary contributor in this formula.
DISCLAIMER: THIS ANALYSIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. AI-GENERATED DATA BASED ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INGREDIENT LISTS. VERIFY WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer: common questions
Is The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer worth it?
The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer scores 3.7 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Modest) and 4.5 out of 5.0 for safety (Very Gentle) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. A solid moisturizer, but the “peptide” story does more marketing than heavy lifting.
What are the key active ingredients in The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer?
The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer contains no gold-standard actives. Its formula is built on supporting and base ingredients rather than clinically transformative actives.
Does The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer contain fragrance or known irritants?
DemythSkin's analysis found no flagged irritants in The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer. It scores 4.5 out of 5.0 for safety.
How is The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer scored?
DemythSkin grades every product on two independent scores: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are graded S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. Brand and price are not part of the score, and no brand pays for one.
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