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Skin science article

Allies of Skin Multi Nutrient & Dioic Renewing Cream Versus Augustinus Bader The Light Cream

Allies of Skin Multi Nutrient & Dioic Renewing Cream Versus Augustinus Bader The Light Cream This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Lactobacillus Ferment and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and strengthen the skin barrier. This oil-contro

Allies of Skin Multi Nutrient & Dioic Renewing Cream Versus Augustinus Bader The Light Cream

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Lactobacillus Ferment and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and strengthen the skin barrier.

This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Cellulose and Squalane to balance excess oil and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Lactobacillus Ferment

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil

Niacinamide

Octadecenedioic Acid

Rosa Canina Seed Oil

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Squalane

Ribose

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment

Mel

Zinc PCA

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Caffeine

Allantoin

Superoxide Dismutase

Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract

Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract

Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture

Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Phospholipids

Sodium Hyaluronate

Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole

Bisabolol

Ceramide NP

Hyaluronic Acid

Sphingolipids

Tocopherol

Rosmarinyl Glucoside

Caffeyl Glucoside

Gallyl Glucoside

Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Maltodextrin

Dextran

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Xanthan Gum

Isosorbide Dicaprylate

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactobacillus Ferment, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Octadecenedioic Acid, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Ribose, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Mel, Zinc PCA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Allantoin, Superoxide Dismutase, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Bisabolol, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Sphingolipids, Tocopherol, Rosmarinyl Glucoside, Caffeyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Maltodextrin, Dextran, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Xanthan Gum, Isosorbide Dicaprylate

Maris Aqua

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

1,2-Hexanediol

Cellulose

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Propanediol

Glyceryl Glucoside

Ethylhexyl Polyhydroxystearate

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Lecithin

Sodium Phytate

Citric Acid

O-Cymen-5-Ol

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Hydroxide

Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Extract

Porphyridium Cruentum Extract

Phragmites Communis Extract

Poria Cocos Extract

Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Extract

Sodium Benzoate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Alanyl Glutamine

Arginine

Oligopeptide-177

Phenylalanine

Potassium Sorbate

Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil

Sodium Chloride

Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside

Water, Glycerin, Maris Aqua, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cellulose, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Propanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Ethylhexyl Polyhydroxystearate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Squalane, Lecithin, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Maltodextrin, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Extract, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Phragmites Communis Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Oligopeptide-177, Phenylalanine, Potassium Sorbate, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil, Sodium Chloride, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside

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.

Maltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.

This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).

Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.

Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.

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.

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.

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.

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 Promise Keeper™ Blemish Sleeping FacialIngredients 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. 06A natural moisturizer that’s also in our skin
  7. 07A super common, safe, effective and cheap molecule used for more than 50 years
  8. 08Not only a simple moisturizer but knows much more: keeps the skin lipids between our skin cells in a healthy (liquid crystal) state, protects against irritation, helps to restore barrier
  9. 09Effective from as low as 3% with even more benefits for dry skin at higher concentrations up to 20-40%
  10. 10High-glycerin moisturizers are awesome for treating severely dry skin
  11. 11Butylene 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.
  12. 12BG’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…
  13. 13It’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.
  14. 14An often used emollient with a light and silky feel. It's very mild to both skin and eyes and spreads nicely and easily. It's often used in sunscreens as it's also an excellent solvent for sunscreen agents.
  15. 15A multi-functional skincare superstar with several proven benefits for the skin
  16. 16Great anti-aging, wrinkle smoothing ingredient used at 4-5% concentration
  17. 17Fades brown spots alone or in combination with amino sugar, acetyl glucosamine
  18. 18Increases ceramide synthesis that results in a stronger, healthier skin barrier and better skin hydration
  19. 19Can help to improve several skin conditions including acne, rosacea, and atopic dermatitis
  20. 20It's the fancy name for pomegranate enzyme that's obtained by fermenting the pomegranate fruit with Lactobacil­lus lactis. The fermentation process makes the desired phytochemicals readily available and selective filtration techniques are used to is…
Source · incidecoder.com
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