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Skin science article

Avant Skincare Blue Volcanic Stone Purifying & Antioxidising Cleansing Gel Versus IMAGE skincare Clear Cell Clarifying Repair Crème

Avant Skincare Blue Volcanic Stone Purifying & Antioxidising Cleansing Gel Versus IMAGE skincare Clear Cell Clarifying Repair Crème This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin feeling tight or stripped. This acne treatment is formulat

Avant Skincare Blue Volcanic Stone Purifying & Antioxidising Cleansing Gel Versus IMAGE skincare Clear Cell Clarifying Repair Crème

This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin feeling tight or stripped.

This acne treatment is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Bakuchiol to clear breakouts and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Coco-Glucoside

Decyl Glucoside

Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract

Hydrolyzed Walnut Extract

Panthenol

Glycerin

Tocopherol

Zinc PCA

Calcium Chloride

Ferric Chloride

Magnesium Chloride

Cupric Chloride

Manganese Chloride

Zinc Chloride

Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate

Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

Disodium EDTA

Laureth-2

PEG-90 Glyceryl Isostearate

Glyceryl Oleate

Propylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Citric Acid

Parfum

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

CI 42090

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Walnut Extract, Panthenol, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Zinc PCA, Calcium Chloride, Ferric Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Cupric Chloride, Manganese Chloride, Zinc Chloride, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-2, PEG-90 Glyceryl Isostearate, Glyceryl Oleate, Propylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 42090

Squalane

Salicylic Acid

Dimethicone

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Bakuchiol

Niacinamide

Sclerotium Gum

Stearic Acid

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Ceteth-10 Phosphate

Dicetyl Phosphate

Sodium Hydroxide

Ethylhexylglycerin

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Xanthan Gum

Carbomer

Limonene

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Salix Nigra Bark Extract

Symphytum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract

Sodium Metabisulfite

Ceramide EOP

Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Bakuchiol, Niacinamide, Sclerotium Gum, Stearic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Limonene, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Symphytum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Ceramide EOP

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

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

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
  4. 04In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
  5. 05The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has su…
  6. 06This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
  7. 07Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induce…
  8. 08Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
  9. 09Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
  10. 10The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
  11. 11Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  12. 12Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  13. 13Though 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.
  14. 14Caprylic/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.
  15. 15Though 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.
  16. 16In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
  17. 17While 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.
  18. 18Fractionated 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.
  19. 19This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
  20. 20This 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…
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side