Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

First Aid Beauty Hydrating Dewy Gel Cream Versus Peach & Lily Glass Skin Water-Gel Moisturizer

First Aid Beauty Hydrating Dewy Gel Cream Versus Peach & Lily Glass Skin Water-Gel Moisturizer This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This calming moisturizer is formulated

First Aid Beauty Hydrating Dewy Gel Cream Versus Peach & Lily Glass Skin Water-Gel Moisturizer

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Beta-Glucan to calm redness and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Squalane

Dimethicone

Phenyl Trimethicone

Betaine

Niacinamide

Pentylene Glycol

Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Propanediol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Ceramide NP

Colloidal Oatmeal

Tocopherol

Sorbitan Isostearate

Decyl Glucoside

Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Butylene Glycol

Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer

Glyceryl Glucoside

Dimethiconol

Polysilicone-11

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Hexylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Polysorbate 60

Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Betaine, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Colloidal Oatmeal, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Glucoside, Dimethiconol, Polysilicone-11, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 60

Calendula Officinalis Flower Water

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract

Prunus Persica Fruit Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water

Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract

Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Morus Alba Leaf Extract

Morus Alba Fruit Extract

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Apium Graveolens Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment

Beta-Glucan

Fructooligosaccharides

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract

Ganoderma Lucidum Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Adenosine

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Carbomer

Morus Alba Twig Extract

Morus Alba Bark Extract

Tromethamine

Xylose

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Calendula Officinalis Flower Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Apium Graveolens Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Beta-Glucan, Fructooligosaccharides, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Butylene Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Adenosine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Morus Alba Twig Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Tromethamine, Xylose, Tocopherol

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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

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.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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.

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.

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

First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Conditioning Eye Makeup RemoverIngredients explained

  1. 01Good old water, aka H2O. The most common skincare ingredient of all. You can usually find it right in the very first spot of the ingredient list, meaning it’s the biggest thing out of all the stuff that makes up the product.
  2. 02It’s mainly a solvent for ingredients that do not like to dissolve in oils but rather in water.
  3. 03Expand to read more
  4. 04Once inside the skin, it hydrates, but not from the outside - putting pure water on the skin (hello long baths!) is drying.
  5. 05One more thing: the water used in cosmetics is purified and deionized (it means that almost all of the mineral ions inside it is removed). Like this, the products can stay more stable over time.
  6. 06A clear, colorless and odorless, highly volatile (meaning it does not absorb into the skin but evaporates from it) liquid that's used as an emollient. It gives a nice non-oily light skin feel and it can improve the slip of the formula without leavin…
  7. 07It's also popular in make-up products as its volatility makes mascaras and foundations last longer. If that would not be enough, it's also an excellent solvent, and it's a regular not only on the ingredients lists of make-ups but also on makeup removers.
  8. 08We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
  9. 09A clear, colorless, very easily spreadable and very volatile (evaporates from the skin easily) silicone fluid. It leaves a non-greasy, dry-smooth feel on the skin.
  10. 10An often used emollient with a light and silky feel. It's very mild to both skin and eyes and spreads nicely and easily. It's often used in sunscreens as it's also an excellent solvent for sunscreen agents.
  11. 11A natural moisturizer that’s also in our skin
  12. 12A super common, safe, effective and cheap molecule used for more than 50 years
  13. 13Not only a simple moisturizer but knows much more: keeps the skin lipids between our skin cells in a healthy (liquid crystal) state, protects against irritation, helps to restore barrier
  14. 14Effective from as low as 3% with even more benefits for dry skin at higher concentrations up to 20-40%
  15. 15High-glycerin moisturizers are awesome for treating severely dry skin
  16. 16A really multi-functional helper ingredient that can do several things in a skincare product: it can bring a soft and pleasant feel to the formula, it can act as a humectant and emollient, it can be a solvent for some other ingredients (for example …
  17. 17Green tea is one of the most researched natural ingredients
  18. 18The active parts are called polyphenols, or more precisely catechins (EGCG being the most abundant and most active catechin)
  19. 19There can be huge quality differences between green tea extracts. The good ones contain 50-90% catechins (and often make the product brown and give it a distinctive smell)
  20. 20Green tea is proven to be a great antioxidant, UV protectant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial
Source · incidecoder.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

First Aid Beauty 5-In-1 Bouncy Mask

First Aid Beauty 5-In-1 Bouncy Mask First Aid Beauty 5-In-1 Bouncy Mask ingredients explained: Aqua (Water, Eau), Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, PEG-240/Hdi Cop…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side