IMAGE skincare The MAX Contour Gel-Crème Versus SkinBetter Science Trio Rebalancing Moisture Treatment

IMAGE skincare The MAX Contour Gel-Crème Versus SkinBetter Science Trio Rebalancing Moisture Treatment

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Propanediol

Undecane

Isononyl Isononanoate

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Octyldodecyl Myristate

Pentylene Glycol

Tridecane

Cetearyl Alcohol

Lauroyl Lysine

Jojoba Esters

1,2-Hexanediol

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil

Calanthe Discolor Extract

Carbomer

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil Expressed

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Limonene

Iris Pallida Leaf Cell Extract

Sodium Hydroxide

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Amodimethicone

T-Butyl Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Xanthan Gum

Gluconolactone

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Carrageenan

Sodium Benzoate

Tocopherol

Linalool

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Maris Sal

Calcium Gluconate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Undecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Pentylene Glycol, Tridecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lauroyl Lysine, Jojoba Esters, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Calanthe Discolor Extract, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil Expressed, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Limonene, Iris Pallida Leaf Cell Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Amodimethicone, T-Butyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Carrageenan, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Linalool, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Maris Sal, Calcium Gluconate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glyceryl Stearate

Cholesterol

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Butylene Glycol

Sodium Lactate

Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate

Sodium PCA

Squalane

Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate

Ethyl Macadamiate

N-Capryloyl Lysine

Carnitine

Dimethicone

Sodium Hyaluronate

Urea

Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate

Salicornia Herbacea Extract

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide NP

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Carnosine

Caffeine

Salicylic Acid

Pullulan

Caprylyl Methicone

Sclerotium Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Triethyl Citrate

Silica

Lecithin

Phytic Acid

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Triacetin

Lactic Acid

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Cholesterol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate, Sodium PCA, Squalane, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Ethyl Macadamiate, N-Capryloyl Lysine, Jojoba Esters, Carnitine, Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Urea, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Carnosine, Caffeine, Salicylic Acid, Tocopherol, Pullulan, Caprylyl Methicone, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethyl Citrate, Silica, Lecithin, Phytic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Triacetin, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Lactic Acid

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

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.

Jojoba Esters is a wax created from Jojoba oil. It is an emollient and film-forming ingredient. In bead form, it is an exfoliator.

This ingredient has high oxidative stability, meaning it doesn't break down when exposed to oxygen.

Its similarity to our skin's natural oils makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe our skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, keeping skin hydrated.

It is created using either the hydrogenation or transesterification processes on jojoba oil.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

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.

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!

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.

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