Skin science article
Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 Versus rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid
Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 Versus rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid This oil-control exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to balance excess oil and refine skin texture. This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Niacin
Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 Versus rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid
This oil-control exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to balance excess oil and refine skin texture.
This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Alcohol Denat.
Salicylic Acid
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Trehalose
Sodium Hyaluronate
Citric Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Phenoxyethanol
Benzophenone-4
Extracts
CI 60730
CI 15850
CI 15510
Water, Alcohol Denat., Salicylic Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Benzophenone-4, Extracts, CI 60730, CI 15850, CI 15510
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Niacinamide
Tetradecane
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Diheptyl Succinate
Benzyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Oleate
Sucrose Palmitate
Hydroxyacetophenone
Carbomer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Disodium Phosphate
Sodium Phosphate
Dilauryl Thiodipropionate
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Tetradecane, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
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!