Skin science article
Peach Slices Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer Versus First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer
Peach Slices Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer Versus First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores. This oil-control moistur
Peach Slices Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer Versus First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer
This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.
This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Avena Sativa Kernel Extract to balance excess oil and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Cetearyl Alcohol
1,2-Hexanediol
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Sea Water
Propolis Extract
Zinc PCA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Bambusa Vulgaris Extract
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Pinus Densiflora Bark Extract
Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract
Glyceryl Stearate
Lactobacillus Ferment
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Glucose
Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Pueraria Lobata Root Extract
Polylysine
Gellan Gum
Ceramide NP
Phytosphingosine
Cholesterol
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Cetearyl Glucoside
Butylene Glycol
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Fomes Officinalis Extract
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Stearic Acid
Persea Gratissima Oil
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Caprylyl Glycol
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Sea Water, Propolis Extract, Zinc PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Bark Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glucose, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Polylysine, Gellan Gum, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Stearic Acid, Persea Gratissima Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol
Dimethicone
Propanediol
Nylon-12
Acrylates Crosspolymer
Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Oleanolic Acid
Sorbitan Isostearate
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Hydrogenated Polydecene
2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate
Lecithin
Polysilicone-11
Polysorbate 60
Sodium Caprylate
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Laureth-8
Citric Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate
Water, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Nylon-12, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Glycerin, Oleanolic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lecithin, Polysilicone-11, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Caprylate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Laureth-8, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
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.
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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!