iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Next Level No BS Moisturizer Versus Face Reality Skincare Cran-Peptide Cream

iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Next Level No BS Moisturizer Versus Face Reality Skincare Cran-Peptide Cream

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Propanediol

Glycerin

Cetearyl Alcohol

1,2-Hexanediol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Niacinamide

Sorbitan Stearate

Glyceryl Stearate

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Saccharide Isomerate

Ribose

Sodium PCA

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Sophora Japonica Flower Extract

Allantoin

Adenosine

Betaine

Citric Acid

Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract

Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract

Citrus Paradisi Peel Extract

Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract

Impatiens Balsamina Flower Extract

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Xanthan Gum

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Olivate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Docosahexaenoic Acid

Eicosapentaenoic Acid

Glyceryl Olivate

Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Tocopherol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Tromethamine

Phosphatidylcholine

Phytosphingosine

Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate

Sorbitan Isostearate

Sorbitan Olivate

Mica

Sorbitol

Stearic Acid

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Behenyl Alcohol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Hydroxyacetophenone

CI 77491

CI 77891

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Niacinamide, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Ribose, Sodium PCA, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract, Allantoin, Adenosine, Betaine, Citric Acid, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Paradisi Peel Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Impatiens Balsamina Flower Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Glyceryl Olivate, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tromethamine, Phosphatidylcholine, Phytosphingosine, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Mica, Sorbitol, Stearic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, CI 77491, CI 77891, Ethylhexylglycerin

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Cetyl Alcohol

Stearyl Alcohol

Alcohol Denat.

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Totarol

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Methylglucoside Phosphate

Copper Lysinate/Prolinate

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract

Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Maltodextrin

Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract

Hamamelis Virginiana Extract

Butylene Glycol

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Alcohol Denat., Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Totarol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Maltodextrin, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Butylene Glycol

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.

You'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.

These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.

This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.

Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.

This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.

This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.

Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.

Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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