IMAGE skincare Vital C Hydrating Enzyme Masque Versus Face Reality Skincare Vitamin A Corrective Serum

IMAGE skincare Vital C Hydrating Enzyme Masque Versus Face Reality Skincare Vitamin A Corrective Serum

This wash off mask is made with Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate for a rinse-off brightening boost.

This acne serum is formulated around Retinal and Glycolic Acid to clear breakouts and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Diethylhexyl Maleate

Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract

Cetyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Ceteareth-20

Cetearyl Alcohol

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil

Limonene

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Phenoxyethanol

Zea Mays Starch

Glucosamine Hcl

Citric Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Pisum Sativum Extract

Xanthan Gum

Pullulan

Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Carica Papaya Fruit Extract

Butylene Glycol

Disodium EDTA

Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil

Yeast Polysaccharides

Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract

Retinyl Palmitate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Potassium Sorbate

Propylene Glycol

Sodium Benzoate

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Tocopherol

Water, Glycerin, Diethylhexyl Maleate, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Limonene, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Zea Mays Starch, Glucosamine Hcl, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Pisum Sativum Extract, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Yeast Polysaccharides, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Tocopherol

Cyclodextrin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Niacinamide

Glycolic Acid

Sclerotium Gum

Propanediol

Sodium Hydroxide

Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil

Retinal

Pentylene Glycol

Tetrasodium EDTA

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Rosmarinyl Glucoside

Caffeyl Glucoside

Gallyl Glucoside

Saccharide Isomerate

Water, Glycerin, Cyclodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Retinal, Pentylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Rosmarinyl Glucoside, Caffeyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Saccharide Isomerate

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.

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.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

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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