Biossance Squalane + Hyaluronic Toning Mist Versus Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel

Biossance Squalane + Hyaluronic Toning Mist Versus Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel

This hydrating toner is formulated around Squalane and Panthenol to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate

Squalane

Glycerin

Panthenol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Enteromorpha Compressa Extract

Lysine

Magnesium Chloride

Sodium Chloride

Potassium Chloride

Zinc Chloride

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Polyglyceryl-4 Cocoate

Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Citric Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Hexylene Glycol

Limonene

Citronellol

Geraniol

Linalool

Water, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Squalane, Glycerin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Lysine, Magnesium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Chloride, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyglyceryl-4 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Niacinamide

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Tocopherol

Pentylene Glycol

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract

Lycopene

Vitis Vinifera Skin Extract

Caffeine

Acacia Senegal Gum

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Xanthan Gum

Carbomer

Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl

Lecithin

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Silica

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Squalane, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Panthenol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tocopherol, Pentylene Glycol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Lycopene, Vitis Vinifera Skin Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Acacia Senegal Gum, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol

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.

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).

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

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.

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!

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