Skin science article
Allies of Skin Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser Versus Is Clinical Cleansing Complex
Allies of Skin Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser Versus Is Clinical Cleansing Complex This lactic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Lactic Acid to exfoliate and smooth skin. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Wa
Allies of Skin Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser Versus Is Clinical Cleansing Complex
This lactic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Lactic Acid to exfoliate and smooth skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Polyacrylate-1 Crosspolymer
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Glycerin
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Propanediol
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Lactic Acid
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Silk Amino Acids
Hydrolyzed Silk
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Lecithin
Astaxanthin
Xanthan Gum
Citric Acid
Lauryl Glucoside
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
Caprylyl Glycol
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Polysorbate 20
Tetrasodium EDTA
Phenethyl Alcohol
Potassium Sorbate
Water, Polyacrylate-1 Crosspolymer, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Propanediol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Lactic Acid, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Silk Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Silk, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Astaxanthin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Caprylyl Glycol, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Polysorbate 20, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenethyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate
Propylene Glycol
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Asiaticoside
Asiatic Acid
Madecassic Acid
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Phospholipids
Tocopheryl Acetate
Retinyl Palmitate
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phospholipids, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Phenoxyethanol
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.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
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.
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!