Skin science article
boscia Luminizing Charcoal Mask Versus Paula's Choice Pore Clarifying Charcoal Gel Mask
boscia Luminizing Charcoal Mask Versus Paula's Choice Pore Clarifying Charcoal Gel Mask This wash off mask is made with Bentonite and Charcoal Powder for a rinse-off oil-control boost. This wash off mask is made with Bentonite and Kaolin for a rinse-off pore-c
boscia Luminizing Charcoal Mask Versus Paula's Choice Pore Clarifying Charcoal Gel Mask
This wash off mask is made with Bentonite and Charcoal Powder for a rinse-off oil-control boost.
This wash off mask is made with Bentonite and Kaolin for a rinse-off pore-care boost.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Glycereth-26
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
CI 77499
Pentylene Glycol
Bentonite
Polysorbate 20
Charcoal Powder
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Simmondsia Chinensis Leaf Extract
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Acrylates Copolymer
Acrylates/Palmeth-25 Acrylate Copolymer
Citrus Grandis Seed Extract
Diglycerin
Xanthan Gum
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Ceteth-25
Oleth-10
Alcohol
Sodium Hydroxide
Water, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glycereth-26, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, CI 77499, Pentylene Glycol, Bentonite, Polysorbate 20, Charcoal Powder, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Simmondsia Chinensis Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/Palmeth-25 Acrylate Copolymer, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Diglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Ceteth-25, Oleth-10, Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide
Tapioca Starch
Decyl Glucoside
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Kaolin
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Bisabolol
Lactic Acid
Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Phenoxyethanol
Caprylyl Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hexylene Glycol
Water, Tapioca Starch, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Butylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Bentonite, Kaolin, Charcoal Powder, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Bisabolol, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lactic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, CI 77499, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bentonite is an aluminium phyllosilicate clay with great absorbent properties. The name 'bentonite' comes from the area where the largest source is found: Fort Benton, Wyoming.
As a clay, bentonite is often used to absorb excess oil and provide exfoliation. It has also been shown to have some antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show bentonite was effective at calming dermatitis from poison ivy and in diaper dermatitis of infants. Bentonite has also been shown to act as a barrier against toxic compounds on your skin.
Sunscreens containing bentonite display higher water resistance and stay on the skin for much longer. The sunscreens containing bentonite also show higher potency and UV light absorbtion.
Bentonite is naturally created from volcanic ash and several natural weathering/hydrothermal processes.
A common usage of bentonite is removing excess protein from white wines. Bentonite contains a property of being able to absorb large amounts of protein from aqueous solutions.
Phyllosilicate clay has a structure formed by sheets.
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.
Charcoal powder comes from grounded charcoal. Charcoal can originate from peat, bamboo, coal, wood, coconut shell, or petroleum.
This ingredient has absorbent properties, making it great at absorbing oil.
Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
We don't have a description for Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract yet.
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.
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.