Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Mixsoon Bean Essence Versus Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant

Mixsoon Bean Essence Versus Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant This hydrating essence is formulated around Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract to hydrate skin. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Camellia Sinen

Mixsoon Bean Essence Versus Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant

This hydrating essence is formulated around Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract to hydrate skin.

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Glycerin

Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract

Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate

Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Cetyl Alcohol

Salicylic Acid

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Cyclopentasiloxane

Sorbitan Stearate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Lauric Acid

Allantoin

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

Dimethicone

Xanthan Gum

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Sodium Hydroxide

Hexylene Glycol

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Water, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Sorbitan Stearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lauric Acid, Allantoin, Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol

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.

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. 03Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  4. 04Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  5. 05Though 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.
  6. 06Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  7. 07Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  8. 08Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  9. 09Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
  10. 10What it does:
  11. 11Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
  12. 12Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
  13. 13Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
  14. 14This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
  15. 15Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
  16. 16Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
  17. 17It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
  18. 18This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
  19. 19Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
  20. 20Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side