Allies of Skin Multi Acids & Retinoid Brightening Sleeping Facial Versus Fig.1 Beauty Pro-Retinol Eye Cream

Allies of Skin Multi Acids & Retinoid Brightening Sleeping Facial Versus Fig.1 Beauty Pro-Retinol Eye Cream

This smoothing overnight mask is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Niacinamide to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Retinyl Palmitate to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Glycolic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Propanediol

Niacinamide

Butylene Glycol

Hydrolyzed Silk

Sodium Hydroxide

Yogurt

Lactic Acid

Salicylic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment

Mel

Honey Extract

Panthenol

Allantoin

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-3

Physalis Angulata Extract

Galactoarabinan

Globularia Alypum Leaf Extract

Dimethyl Sulfone

Zymomonas Ferment Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract

Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract

Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract

Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Diglucosyl Gallic Acid

Bisabolol

Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate

Rosmarinyl Glucoside

Caffeyl Glucoside

Gallyl Glucoside

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sodium Lactate

Sodium Gluconate

Maltodextrin

Sclerotium Gum

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Tetrasodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium Hydroxide, Yogurt, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Mel, Honey Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-3, Physalis Angulata Extract, Galactoarabinan, Globularia Alypum Leaf Extract, Dimethyl Sulfone, Zymomonas Ferment Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Bisabolol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Rosmarinyl Glucoside, Caffeyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Maltodextrin, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol

Triolein

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Squalane

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Ceramide NP

Glyceryl Dioleate

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Cetearyl Olivate

Pentylene Glycol

Retinyl Palmitate

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetyl Alcohol

Phenethyl Alcohol

Sodium Benzoate

Disodium EDTA

Carbomer

Linoleic Acid

Phospholipids

Phytosterols

T-Butyl Alcohol

Tocopherol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Water, Glycerin, Triolein, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Squalane, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Glyceryl Dioleate, Propanediol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Retinyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Lactate, Carbomer, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Phytosterols, Polysorbate 20, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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%.

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.

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.

It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.

One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.

This ingredient is also known as Sepimax Zen.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.

This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.

High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.

Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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