Verified Beauty Data

Dupe report Nº 015 / Peptide moisturizers · multi-peptide face creams

Drunk Elephant Protini dupes, ranked by formula match

Nine peptides. Zero fragrance. A brand in freefall. The formula was never the problem.

Some links earn us a commission. It never changes the verdict — the methodology is public.

02 / The scoreboard

4 formulas, one number that matter

Read the actives column first — it is the apples-to-apples comparison. $ per gram of active is what the working ingredients cost you; the base-formula score is supporting evidence, not the verdict.

Product Actives vs original $ / g of active Price Base formula Verdict
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream Ingredient disclosed; concentration undisclosed $0.00 $68.00 50 mL 100% the reference The original
Partial overlap missing actives — different formula wearing the keywords
Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer Ingredient disclosed; concentration undisclosed — not disclosed $19.00 50 mL 62% highest measured The winner Amazon →
Naturium Multi-Peptide Rich Cream Ingredient disclosed; concentration undisclosed — not disclosed $22.00 50 mL 55% Skip price on Amazon
The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer Ingredient disclosed; concentration undisclosed — not disclosed $15.99 50 mL 44% Best budget Amazon →

✓ same % as original ≠ different % ? in formula, % undisclosed — not in formula

03 / The original

Why the original is the original

Protini earned its reputation honestly. The INCI lists nine distinct peptide species — growth-factor-derived signal peptides (sh-Oligopeptide-1 mimics EGF; sh-Oligopeptide-2 mimics IGF-1), copper peptide complexes (Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate), the Matrixyl 3000 pair (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7), plus sh-Polypeptide-1, -9, and -11. That is more peptide classes in one formula than most competitors offer across their entire range. The supporting cast adds ten free amino acids — Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine — components of the skin's own Natural Moisturizing Factor. Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, and Sclerocarya Birrea (marula) Seed Oil complete a well-constructed base.

The formula is fragrance-free, silicone-free, and essential oil-free. In a category where prestige moisturizers routinely add botanical fragrance to justify their price points — see Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream's five-botanical scent layer or La Mer's Miracle Broth mystique — Protini strips those choices out and lets the peptide stack speak. That is a real and meaningful formulation decision, not a marketing claim. Concentrations are undisclosed, which is standard for the category. The central open question for all cosmetic peptides applies here too: most peptide molecules substantially exceed the 500 Dalton passive-penetration threshold (PMID:10839713), and whether enough peptide crosses the stratum corneum at cosmetic concentrations to reach dermal fibroblasts is genuinely unresolved (PMID:25143811). The growth-factor-derived sequences are particularly interesting — and particularly under-studied — for topical cosmetic application.

Then the brand collapsed. Drunk Elephant's 65% revenue decline in Q1 2025 followed a social-media implosion that alienated its loyal core community. Shiseido, which had acquired the brand in 2019 for $845 million, wrote down over half that value in FY2025, posting an operating loss of ¥28.8 billion ($165 million). The formula was not changed, reformulated, or implicated — the collapse was reputational and strategic, not chemical. What this means for buyers: Protini is still a legitimate, well-formulated peptide moisturizer. The brand distress may affect future availability and pricing continuity, but the bottle you buy today has the same INCI it always had.

04 / The candidates

Every candidate, examined

01 / Naturium

The winner
— per g of active
$19.00 retail · 50 mL
62% base formula · highest of 6

Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer

Shared formula DNA 9 of 56 original ingredients present
Water Dicaprylyl Carbonate Glycerin Cetearyl Alcohol Cetearyl Olivate Sorbitan Olivate Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Bacillus Nymphaea Alba Root Extract sh-Oligopeptide-1 sh-Oligopeptide-2 sh-Polypeptide-1 sh-Polypeptide-9 sh-Polypeptide-11 Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14 Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Alanine Arginine Glycine Histidine Isoleucine Phenylalanine Proline Serine Threonine Valine Acetyl Glutamine Coconut Alkanes Coco-Caprylate Sodium Hyaluronate Aspartic Acid Linoleic Acid Linolenic Acid Lecithin Butylene Glycol Polyvinyl Alcohol Sodium Lactate Sodium PCA PCA Sorbitan Isostearate Carbomer Polysorbate 20 Polysorbate 60 Lactic Acid Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Xanthan Gum Isomalt 1 2-Hexanediol Caprylyl Glycol Chlorphenesin Phenoxyethanol Tocopherol Sodium Benzoate

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 — the Matrixyl 3000 pair that appears in Protini's peptide stack — are confirmed in the INCI alongside a third signal peptide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5. Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Jojoba Oil, Squalane, and Tocopherol are all present. 9 base ingredients shared with the original. At $19 vs $68, a $49 saving for a formula that shares Protini's two Matrixyl 3000 signal peptides.
What differs
The full growth-factor-derived peptide layer (sh-Oligopeptide-1, -2, sh-Polypeptide-1, -9, -11) is absent — these are rare and expensive actives unique to Protini's upper tier. The copper peptide complexes (Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate) are absent. The free amino acid complex (ten amino acids) is absent. Naturium's formula includes Dimethicone (Protini is silicone-free) and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (a vitamin C derivative) as additions not in the original. The texture is lighter.
Who it's for
The winner. You get Protini's Matrixyl 3000 signal peptide pair at $19 for a formula that also adds niacinamide and a stable vitamin C derivative. The growth-factor and copper peptide layers in Protini are not replicated here — but those are the hardest actives to source cheaply. 4.3 stars across 2,800 Amazon ratings. If the Matrixyl peptides and hyaluronic acid are your goal, this is the pick.
Ships in
Tube light protection unconfirmed
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Ingredient disclosed; concentration undisclosed Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer INCI from INCIDecoder (incidecoder.com/products/naturium-multi-peptide-moisturizer). Amazon ASIN B09BG477N1 — 'Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer, Hydrating & Smoothing Skin Care, Moisturizes with Ethylated Vitamin C & Panthenol, 1.7 oz'. Price approximately $19 for 1.7 oz / 50g at retail. Peptides: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 confirmed in INCI — Matrixyl-family signal peptides, two of which (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7) are the same Matrixyl 3000 pair present in Protini. Also confirmed: Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (ethylated vitamin C), Panthenol, Glycerin.

$19.00 for 50 mL → — not disclosed: the brand doesn't state active percentages, so this number cannot honestly exist.

Buy on Amazon $19.00

02 / Naturium

Skip
— per g of active
$22.00 retail · 50 mL
55% base formula · 2nd of 6

Naturium Multi-Peptide Rich Cream

Shared formula DNA 6 of 56 original ingredients present
Water Dicaprylyl Carbonate Glycerin Cetearyl Alcohol Cetearyl Olivate Sorbitan Olivate Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Bacillus Nymphaea Alba Root Extract sh-Oligopeptide-1 sh-Oligopeptide-2 sh-Polypeptide-1 sh-Polypeptide-9 sh-Polypeptide-11 Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14 Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Alanine Arginine Glycine Histidine Isoleucine Phenylalanine Proline Serine Threonine Valine Acetyl Glutamine Coconut Alkanes Coco-Caprylate Sodium Hyaluronate Aspartic Acid Linoleic Acid Linolenic Acid Lecithin Butylene Glycol Polyvinyl Alcohol Sodium Lactate Sodium PCA PCA Sorbitan Isostearate Carbomer Polysorbate 20 Polysorbate 60 Lactic Acid Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Xanthan Gum Isomalt 1 2-Hexanediol Caprylyl Glycol Chlorphenesin Phenoxyethanol Tocopherol Sodium Benzoate

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 (Matrixyl / pal-KTTKS — the most clinically evidenced cosmetic signal peptide, with a genuine split-face RCT at 3 ppm; PMID:18492182) and Copper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu, the most-characterised carrier peptide; PMID:3169264) both confirmed in INCI. Ferulic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, and Phosphatidylcholine also present. 6 base ingredients shared with the original.
What differs
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 is a different Matrixyl peptide than Protini's Matrixyl 3000 pair (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 / Tetrapeptide-7) — related family, different molecule. The growth-factor-derived peptides, the amino acid complex, and the second copper peptide layer in Protini are absent. Richer, denser texture than Protini. At $22 it costs slightly more than the Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer above.
Who it's for
Skip as a Protini dupe — the Multi-Peptide Moisturizer above contains the closer peptide pair at a lower price. Worth considering in its own right if you want Matrixyl (pal-KTTKS, the best-studied cosmetic signal peptide) plus GHK-Cu (the most-characterised carrier peptide) in a richer cream texture. The peptide credentials are genuinely strong; it just diverges further from Protini's specific formula than the option above.
Ships in
Jar light protection unconfirmed
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Ingredient disclosed; concentration undisclosed Naturium Multi-Peptide Rich Cream INCI from INCIDecoder (incidecoder.com/products/naturium-multi-peptide-rich-cream). Amazon ASIN B0DLLBQZTP — 'Naturium Multi-Peptide Rich Cream, Hydrating & Nourishing to Help Appearance of Fine Lines & Wrinkles, Vegan & Cruelty-Free, 1.7 oz'. Price approximately $22 for 1.7 oz at retail. Peptides: Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 (Matrixyl / pal-KTTKS — the most-studied signal peptide with a genuine split-face RCT; PMID:18492182) and Copper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu, the most-characterised carrier peptide; PMID:3169264) both confirmed in INCI. Also confirmed: Ferulic Acid, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Asiaticoside (from centella asiatica).

$22.00 for 50 mL → — not disclosed: the brand doesn't state active percentages, so this number cannot honestly exist.

price on Amazon ($22.00) — not recommended as a dupe

03 / The INKEY List

Best budget
— per g of active
$15.99 retail · 50 mL
44% base formula · 3rd of 6

The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer

Shared formula DNA 4 of 56 original ingredients present
Water Dicaprylyl Carbonate Glycerin Cetearyl Alcohol Cetearyl Olivate Sorbitan Olivate Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Bacillus Nymphaea Alba Root Extract sh-Oligopeptide-1 sh-Oligopeptide-2 sh-Polypeptide-1 sh-Polypeptide-9 sh-Polypeptide-11 Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14 Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Alanine Arginine Glycine Histidine Isoleucine Phenylalanine Proline Serine Threonine Valine Acetyl Glutamine Coconut Alkanes Coco-Caprylate Sodium Hyaluronate Aspartic Acid Linoleic Acid Linolenic Acid Lecithin Butylene Glycol Polyvinyl Alcohol Sodium Lactate Sodium PCA PCA Sorbitan Isostearate Carbomer Polysorbate 20 Polysorbate 60 Lactic Acid Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Xanthan Gum Isomalt 1 2-Hexanediol Caprylyl Glycol Chlorphenesin Phenoxyethanol Tocopherol Sodium Benzoate

shared with original not shared rare marker — weighs more in the score

What matches
Fragrance-free, silicone-free, and essential-oil-free — the same clean-formula positioning as Protini. Two peptides confirmed in INCI: Acetyl Hexapeptide-37 and Pentapeptide-48. 4 base ingredients shared. 23 ingredients versus Protini's 55 — the most legible formula on this page. At $15.99 it is the most affordable option.
What differs
The peptide classes differ substantially from Protini: Acetyl Hexapeptide-37 targets aquaporin-3 water channels; Pentapeptide-48 is a firming peptide. None of Protini's growth-factor-derived sequences, Matrixyl 3000 pair, copper peptide complexes, or free amino acid layer are present. Lighter texture — Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride base with Shea Butter, not Protini's marula-oil-rich emollient system. At $15.99 vs $19, it is only $3.01 cheaper than the Naturium winner.
Who it's for
The sensitive-skin pick for anyone who wants a genuinely clean, fragrance-free, silicone-free peptide moisturizer in the spirit of Protini's clean-formula philosophy — at the lowest price on this page. Walk in knowing the peptide class is completely different. 1,450 Amazon ratings at $15.99.
Ships in
Tube light protection unconfirmed
pH
pH not published L-ascorbic acid needs pH below 3.5 to absorb
Data source
Ingredient disclosed; concentration undisclosed The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer INCI from INCIDecoder (incidecoder.com/products/the-inkey-list-peptide-moisturiser). Amazon ASIN B09MRGXSHL. Price $15.99 from The INKEY List DTC. Peptides: Acetyl Hexapeptide-37 and Pentapeptide-48 confirmed in INCI. Both are different peptide classes than Protini's stack. Formula is fragrance-free and essential oil-free — the same clean-formula positioning as Protini, but simpler at 23 ingredients vs 55.

$15.99 for 50 mL → — not disclosed: the brand doesn't state active percentages, so this number cannot honestly exist.

Buy on Amazon $15.99

05 / Methodology

How we verified this

Verified 2026-06-13

Every formula on this page was tokenized — split into its individual INCI ingredients — and matched against the EU CosIng ingredient database, so "Aqua," "Water," and "Eau" all resolve to the same ingredient.

The base-formula match score works like this: sharing a rare ingredient counts far more than sharing a common one. Almost every serum contains water and glycerin — that proves nothing. Almost nothing contains Ethoxydiglycol or Laureth-23, so when a candidate shares those with the original, it says something real about how the formula was built. (For the statisticians: it is an IDF-weighted Jaccard similarity over the normalized ingredient lists.)

Scores are computed, not opinions. The verdict tags are our editorial read of the actives, the scores, and the prices — and the methodology stays public so you can disagree with us precisely.

Where the ingredient lists come from

  1. Ingredient disclosed; concentration undisclosed

Sources for this report

  • INCIDecoder product pages (live crawl 2026-06)
  • Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream INCIDecoder: incidecoder.com/products/drunk-elephant-protini-tm-polypeptide-cream
  • Naturium Multi-Peptide Rich Cream INCIDecoder: incidecoder.com/products/naturium-multi-peptide-rich-cream
  • Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer INCIDecoder: incidecoder.com/products/naturium-multi-peptide-moisturizer
  • The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer INCIDecoder: incidecoder.com/products/the-inkey-list-peptide-moisturiser
  • Drunk Elephant DTC (drunkelephant.com) / Ulta — price for 50ml verified at $68 for the 1.69 fl oz size
  • Amazon ASIN B07934S6WK (Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream 50ml/1.69 fl oz) — verified via Amazon product listing 2026-06-13
  • Amazon ASIN B09BG477N1 (Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer 1.7 oz) — title verified via Amazon listing 2026-06-13
  • Amazon ASIN B0DLLBQZTP (Naturium Multi-Peptide Rich Cream 1.7 oz) — title verified via Amazon listing 2026-06-13
  • Amazon ASIN B09MRGXSHL (The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer 50ml) — title verified via Amazon Creators API 2026-06-14 (N°014 data)
  • Shiseido Q1 2025 earnings: Drunk Elephant sales slide 65% YoY — Business of Fashion, BeautyMatter (2025-05)
  • Shiseido writedown of Drunk Elephant brand: operating loss ¥28.8B ($165M) for FY2025 — Business of Fashion (2026)
  • Peptide evidence: data sourced from data/research/ingredients/peptides.json

06 / Questions

Frequently asked

Is Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer as good as Drunk Elephant Protini?
For the Matrixyl 3000 signal peptide pair (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7), yes — Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer ($19) includes the same two signal peptides alongside a third (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5), Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, and a stable vitamin C derivative. What it does not replicate is Protini's full stack: the growth-factor-derived peptides (sh-Oligopeptide-1 and -2 are synthetic EGF and IGF-1 analogs), the copper peptide complexes, and the free amino acid layer. Protini is also silicone-free; Naturium's formula uses Dimethicone. At $19 vs $68, the Matrixyl 3000 overlap is real and the saving is $49.
Do Protini's peptides actually work?
The mechanism is plausible but penetration is genuinely uncertain. Protini's peptide stack includes multiple classes — the best-studied of which in independent clinical research is the Matrixyl-family signal peptides. The pivotal palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 RCT (PMID:18492182) is the most rigorous published human study for this class, showing modest improvement at 3 ppm over 12 weeks — though it was conducted by the ingredient's manufacturer. The honest problem: most cosmetic peptides substantially exceed the 500 Dalton passive-penetration threshold for skin (PMID:10839713), and the growth-factor-derived sequences (sh-Oligopeptides) face the additional challenge that EGF and IGF-1 analogs at topical cosmetic concentrations and molecular weights have not been independently shown to reach dermal fibroblasts. Protini's formula is legitimate; the evidence that it does exactly what the mechanism implies — at the concentrations present and after crossing intact stratum corneum — is incompletely established.
Why is Drunk Elephant Protini $68?
Three drivers. First, ingredient cost: the growth-factor-derived peptide sequences (sh-Oligopeptide-1, -2, sh-Polypeptide-1, -9, -11) and copper peptide complexes are more expensive raw materials than standard signal peptides. Second, formulation philosophy: fragrance-free, silicone-free, and essential-oil-free requires substituting more expensive clean-chemistry emollients (Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil) for cheaper alternatives. Third, brand positioning: Drunk Elephant built a premium prestige channel with Sephora and matching price anchoring. The formula has always been genuinely well-constructed — but at $68 versus the Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer at $19, a significant portion of the gap is brand, channel, and clean-beauty premium, not raw material cost alone.
Is Drunk Elephant still worth buying in 2026?
The formula is unchanged and still legitimate. The brand context: Drunk Elephant experienced a 65% revenue decline in Q1 2025 after its social-media implosion alienated its core community. Shiseido, which acquired the brand in 2019 for $845 million, wrote down over half that value in FY2025, posting a ¥28.8 billion ($165M) operating loss. There are no reports of formula changes, recalls, or quality issues — the brand disruption is reputational and strategic, not chemical. What this means in practice: the Protini jar you buy today has the same INCI it always had. Longer term, continued brand distress could affect formulation investment or availability. If Protini's specific peptide stack is what matters, buy it now. If you want to hedge against brand continuity risk, Naturium's Multi-Peptide Moisturizer offers the Matrixyl 3000 overlap at $19.

→ / Related

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