Skin science article
BrioGeo Don't Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Shampoo Versus BrioGeo Destined For Density Peptide Shampoo for Thicker, Fuller Hair
BrioGeo Don't Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Shampoo Versus BrioGeo Destined For Density Peptide Shampoo for Thicker, Fuller Hair What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate Lauramidopropyl Betaine
BrioGeo Don't Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Shampoo Versus BrioGeo Destined For Density Peptide Shampoo for Thicker, Fuller Hair
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
Glyceryl Stearate
Glycol Distearate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Biotin
Panthenol
Glycerin
Glycine Soja Oil
Tilia Tomentosa Extract
Sargassum Filipendula Extract
Phospholipids
Glycolipids
Glycine Soja Sterols
Santalum Album Oil
Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Citric Acid
Parfum
Dehydroacetic Acid
Benzyl Alcohol
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Biotin, Panthenol, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Oil, Tilia Tomentosa Extract, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Phospholipids, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Santalum Album Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Parfum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Coffea Arabica Seed Oil
Copper Tripeptide-34
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Coconut Acid
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Sodium Isethionate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Caffeine
Propanediol
Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract
Ubiquinone
Glycine
Larix Europaea Wood Extract
Sodium Metabisulfite
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Zinc Chloride
Sodium Hydroxide
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Copper Tripeptide-34, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Biotin, Coconut Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Isethionate, Citric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caffeine, Propanediol, Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ubiquinone, Glycine, Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Zinc Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Biotin is a B vitamin that is naturally produced by our bodies. It is also called Vitamin H.
Our bodies use biotin in the metabolism process. It also helps our bodies use enzymes and move nutrients around. A biotin deficiency can lead to brittle hair and nails.
More research is needed on applying biotin topically. However, taking biotin orally has been shown to help nourish the skin, hair, and nails. They play a role in forming skin-hydrating fatty acids.
Biotin is water-soluble. It can be found in foods such as fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and meat. Vitamin H stands for "haar" and "haut". These are the German words for hair and skin.
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.
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
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.
We don't have a description for Lauramidopropyl Betaine yet.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Sodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
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.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
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!