Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Allies of Skin CE15 Bakuchiol Firming Oil Versus rhode Barrier Restore Cream

Allies of Skin CE15 Bakuchiol Firming Oil Versus rhode Barrier Restore Cream This anti-aging oil is formulated around Rosa Canina Fruit Oil and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin. This barrier-repair moistur

Allies of Skin CE15 Bakuchiol Firming Oil Versus rhode Barrier Restore Cream

This anti-aging oil is formulated around Rosa Canina Fruit Oil and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil

Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil

Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Punica Granatum Seed Oil

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Tocopheryl Acetate

Nigella Sativa Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Squalane

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil

Bakuchiol

Ubiquinone

Teprenone

Physalis Angulata Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Squalane, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Bakuchiol, Ubiquinone, Teprenone, Physalis Angulata Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Water

Glycerin

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Behenyl Alcohol

Xylitylglucoside

Niacinamide

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-27

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide-78

Palmitoyl Octapeptide-24

Anhydroxylitol

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Xylitol

Lecithin

Glucose

Bisabolol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Potassium Sorbate

Citric Acid

Sorbic Acid

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Tocopherol

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Behenyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Niacinamide, Squalane, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-27, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide-78, Palmitoyl Octapeptide-24, Phenoxyethanol, Anhydroxylitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xylitol, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Teprenone, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Tocopherol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide

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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.

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%.

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).

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.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

We don't have a description for Teprenone yet.

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

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Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Allies of Skin Azelaic & Kojic Advanced Clarifying SerumIngredients explained

  1. 01Good old water, aka H2O. The most common skincare ingredient of all. You can usually find it right in the very first spot of the ingredient list, meaning it’s the biggest thing out of all the stuff that makes up the product.
  2. 02It’s mainly a solvent for ingredients that do not like to dissolve in oils but rather in water.
  3. 03Expand to read more
  4. 04Once inside the skin, it hydrates, but not from the outside - putting pure water on the skin (hello long baths!) is drying.
  5. 05One more thing: the water used in cosmetics is purified and deionized (it means that almost all of the mineral ions inside it is removed). Like this, the products can stay more stable over time.
  6. 06Superstar ingredient with antibacterial, skin cell regulating, anti-inflammatory and skin-lightening magic properties
  7. 07It is especially useful for acne-prone or rosacea-prone skin types (in concentration 10% and up)
  8. 08It is a prescription drug in the US but can be freely purchased in the EU in an up to 10% concentration
  9. 09Butylene glycol, or let’s just call it BG, is a multi-tasking colorless, syrupy liquid. It’s a great pick for creating a nice feeling product.
  10. 10BG’s main job is usually to be a solvent for the other ingredients. Other tasks include helping the product to absorb faster and deeper into the skin (penetration enhancer), making the product spread nicely over the skin (slip agent), and attracting…
  11. 11It’s an ingredient whose safety hasn’t been questioned so far by anyone (at least not that we know about). BG is approved by Ecocert and is also used enthusiastically in natural products. BTW, it’s also a food additive.
  12. 12Aloe Vera is one of today’s magic plants. It does have some very nice properties indeed, though famous dermatologist Leslie Baumann warns us in her book that most of the evidence is anecdotal and the plant might be a bit overhyped.
  13. 13What research does confirm about Aloe is that it’s a great moisturizer and has several anti-inflammatory (among others contains salicylates, polysaccharides, magnesium lactate and C-glucosyl chromone) as well as some antibacterial components. It als…
  14. 14Propanediol is a natural alternative for the often used and often bad-mouthed propylene glycol. It's produced sustainably from corn sugar and it's Ecocert approved.
  15. 15It's quite a multi-tasker: can be used to improve skin moisturization, as a solvent, to boost preservative efficacy or to influence the sensory properties of the end formula.
  16. 16A super common emollient that makes your skin feel nice and smooth. It comes from coconut oil and glycerin, it’s light-textured, clear, odorless and non-greasy. It’s a nice ingredient that just feels good on the skin, is super well tolerated by ever…
  17. 17We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
  18. 18It's a common little helper ingredient that helps water and oil to mix together. Also, it can help to increase the solubility of some other ingredients in the formula.
  19. 19A natural moisturizer that’s also in our skin
  20. 20A super common, safe, effective and cheap molecule used for more than 50 years
Source · incidecoder.com
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Product index

Related product references

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Comparison edit

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