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Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm Versus Peach & Lily Collagen Cushion Peptide Lip Balm

Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm Versus Peach & Lily Collagen Cushion Peptide Lip Balm This barrier-repair lip moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to strengthen the lip barrier and hydrate lips. This anti-aging lip moisturizer is

Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm Versus Peach & Lily Collagen Cushion Peptide Lip Balm

This barrier-repair lip moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to strengthen the lip barrier and hydrate lips.

This anti-aging lip moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Collagen Extract to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate lips.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Diisostearyl Malate

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2

Glycerin

Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides

Myristic/Palmitic/Stearic/Ricinoleic/Eicosanedioic Glycerides

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Squalane

Water

Rosa Damascena Flower Wax

Ceramide NP

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Undaria Pinnatifida Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Jojoba Esters

Tocopherol

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Glyceryl Caprylate

Glyceryl Undecylenate

Dextrin Palmitate

Diisostearyl Malate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Glycerin, Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Myristic/Palmitic/Stearic/Ricinoleic/Eicosanedioic Glycerides, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Squalane, Water, Rosa Damascena Flower Wax, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Dextrin Palmitate

Polyisobutene

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate

Microcrystalline Wax

Octyldodecanol

Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Tribehenin

Synthetic Wax

Collagen Extract

Polyglutamic Acid

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Camellia Japonica Seed Oil

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide AP

Ceramide As

Ceramide EOP

Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide

Chlorella Ferment

Bisabolol

Butylene Glycol

Prunus Persica Fruit Extract

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Copper Tripeptide-1

Hexapeptide-9

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Dipeptide-2

Nonapeptide-1

Tripeptide-1

Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil

Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil

Stevioside

Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract

1,2-Hexanediol

Allantoin

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Caprylyl Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Polyisobutene, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Octyldodecanol, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Tribehenin, Synthetic Wax, Squalane, Collagen Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Water, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Chlorella Ferment, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Dipeptide-2, Nonapeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Stevioside, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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%.

Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.

Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.

This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.

A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.

Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.

Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.

Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.

Diisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.

As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.

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.

Glyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.

Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.

As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.

Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.

Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.

Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).

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.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil comes from the grape vine. Grape seeds are a byproduct of creating grape juice or wine.

The components of grape seeds have many skin benefits. Research has found it to be antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. It also contains many potent antioxidants such as Vitamin E , Vitamin C, proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Proanthocyanidin has been shown to help even out skin tone.

Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radicals by donating extra electrons. Grape seed extract may help reduce the signs of aging.

The antimicrobial properties of grape seed may help treat acne. However, more research is needed to support this claim.

Grape seed has also been found to help absorb UV rays. Grape seed extract should not replace your sunscreen.

The fatty acids of grape seed oil give it emollient properties. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin by creating a film. This film traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydrated.

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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