Skin science article
REVOX B77 Multi Peptides For Hair Versus The INKEY List Peptide Volumizing Hair Treatment
REVOX B77 Multi Peptides For Hair Versus The INKEY List Peptide Volumizing Hair Treatment What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns No concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Glycerin Panthenol Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 Trehalose Caprylyl Glycol Ethylhexylg
REVOX B77 Multi Peptides For Hair Versus The INKEY List Peptide Volumizing Hair Treatment
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Panthenol
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Trehalose
Caprylyl Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract
Zea Mays Starch
Sodium Benzoate
Potassium Sorbate
Polyquaternium-7
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Zinc Gluconate
Caffeine
Phenoxyethanol
PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Panthenol, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Trehalose, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract, Zea Mays Starch, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Polyquaternium-7, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Zinc Gluconate, Caffeine, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Disodium EDTA
Pisum Sativum Peptide
Betaine
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Polyquaternium-37
Citronellyl Methylcrotonate
Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Polyquaternium-16
Water, Pisum Sativum Peptide, Betaine, Glycerin, Panthenol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-37, Citronellyl Methylcrotonate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Zea Mays Starch, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Polyquaternium-16, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-7
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
This ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
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.
Polyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
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.
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!
Zea Mays Starch is starch made from corn. You might know this as cornstarch . It is used to thicken a product. It can replace talc as an absorbent.
The pH of cornstarch is 5.92.
Cornstarch is a common food ingredient used to thicken soups or to make corn syrup.