Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask Versus The INKEY List PCA Bond Repair Hair Treatment

Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask Versus The INKEY List PCA Bond Repair Hair Treatment

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Cetyl Alcohol

Persea Gratissima Oil

Glycerin

Stearyl Alcohol

Ethylhexyl Olivate

Behentrimonium Chloride

Cetrimonium Bromide

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Quaternium-80

Squalane

Rosa Canina Seed Extract

Ceramide AP

Ceramide NP

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium PCA

Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate

Arginine

Jojoba Esters

Panthenol

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil

Glycine

Alanine

Serine

Valine

Isoleucine

Proline

Threonine

Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

Histidine

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Phenylalanine

Aspartic Acid

PCA

Phosphatidylcholine

Citric Acid

Sodium Lactate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Benzoate

Phenoxyethanol

Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone

Propylene Glycol

Isopropyl Alcohol

Sodium Nitrate

Tocopherol

Parfum

Citral

Hexyl Cinnamal

Limonene

Water, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Bromide, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Quaternium-80, Squalane, Rosa Canina Seed Extract, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Arginine, Jojoba Esters, Panthenol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Histidine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenylalanine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Phosphatidylcholine, Citric Acid, Sodium Lactate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Nitrate, Tocopherol, Parfum, Citral, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene

Amodimethicone

Butylene Glycol

Betaine

Bis-PCA Dimethicone

Sorbitan Laurate

Cetrimonium Chloride

Trideceth-12

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Hydrolyzed Pea Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol

Aminomethyl Propanol

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate

Potassium Sorbate

Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate

Alcohol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract

Dilauryl Citrate

Avena Strigosa Seed Extract

Lecithin

Water, Amodimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Bis-PCA Dimethicone, Sorbitan Laurate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Trideceth-12, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Dilauryl Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract, Lecithin

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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!

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