Total Package Serum is one of the most popular skincare products on Amazon. It's sold by a brand called Sun Coast Sciences, and is described as an "anti-aging facial super serum."
But does Total Package Serum contain research-backed ingredients for anti-aging? Does it contain any questionable additives? How does it compare to other top Amazon cosmetics? And which retailer sells the product for the best price?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Total Package Serum to give our take on whether or not it's likely to be effective for anti-aging, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also compare Total Package Serum to other popular skincare products on Amazon, and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells this product for the best price.
Key takeaways:
- Contains research-backed active ingredients for anti-aging
- Contains a preservative combination we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend Total Package Serum
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Total Package Serum are shown below:
Some of the active ingredients in this formulation have been shown in research studies to be effective against aging, and to improve skin quality.
Acetyl hexapeptide-8 was shown to be effective for reducing the appearance of wrinkles in a 2020 clinical trial.
Chamomile flower extract was described as having the potential to "relieve skin irritation, and reduce redness and swelling of the skin" in a medical review published in the Frontiers in Pharmacology journal.
Green tea leaf extract was shown in a review published in the Molecules journal to delay visible signs of skin aging like wrinkles.
We consider the two synthetic preservatives in this formulation to be unhealthy when used in combination.
Phenoxyethanol is a common synthetic preservative that was shown in a clinical trial to be toxic to human cells.
Ethylhexylglycerin is a synthetic preservative shown to potentiate the toxic effects of phenoxyethanol in a 2016 medical review.
Overall, we consider Total Package Serum likely to have anti-aging effects.
We don't currently recommend this product due to the preservative combination highlighted above.
Total Package Serum vs. Popular Anti-Aging Brands
Here's how Total Package Serum compares to other popular anti-aging skincare brands in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
Green Mask Stick
Significantly cheaper and also contains green tea extract, but we have serious concerns about the lack of an official manufacturer, and the resultant product safety and quality issues.
Winner: Total Package Serum
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Provides highly effective active ingredients (such as hyaluronic acid) at a low price. However, contains three synthetic preservatives that we consider unhealthy (one more than Total Package Serum), as we documented in our The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum reviews article.
Winner: Total Package Serum
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Contains many research-backed active ingredients. Contains the same preservative combination that we called out in Total Package Serum. Much lower price.
Winner: CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum
Our Clean Anti-Aging Pick
MindBodyGreen Best Skin+ is our top anti-aging skin supplement.
It contains orange extract which is clinically shown to increase skin moisturization, skin elasticity and skin radiance.
This supplement also contains astaxanthin which is clinically shown to cause "wrinkle formation reduction."
This supplement is free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Total Package Serum Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Contains active ingredients for wrinkle reduction
- Contains at least one anti-inflammatory active ingredient
- Fragrance-free
- Free shipping from brand's website
Cons:
- Contains phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin
- Amazon review rating isn't particularly impressive
