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Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel Versus The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel Versus The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser This cream cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side W

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel Versus The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser

This cream cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Butylene Glycol

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Cymbopogon Nardus Oil

Glycerin

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Sodium Cocoamphoacetate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Propanediol

Citric Acid

O-Cymen-5-Ol

Disodium EDTA

PPG-5-Ceteth-20

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Cymbopogon Nardus Oil, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Citric Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Disodium EDTA, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate

Coco-Glucoside

Betaine

Cetearyl Alcohol

Stearic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Benzyl Alcohol

Xanthan Gum

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Inulin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Dehydroacetic Acid

Polyquaternium-10

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Lecithin

Water, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Inulin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin

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.

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 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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
  4. 04As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
  5. 05It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
  6. 06A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
  7. 07Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  8. 08Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  9. 09Though 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.
  10. 10Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
  11. 11You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
  12. 12These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
  13. 13This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
  14. 14Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
  15. 15Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  16. 16Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  17. 17Your 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.
  18. 18Aquaporin-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.
  19. 19This 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.
  20. 20Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List Q10 Serum

The Inkey List Q10 Serum The Inkey List Q10 Serum ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyc…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

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