Skin Script Pomegranate Antioxidant Cleanser Versus IMAGE skincare Ormedic Balancing Facial Cleanser

Skin Script Pomegranate Antioxidant Cleanser Versus IMAGE skincare Ormedic Balancing Facial Cleanser

This cream cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some.

This gel cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Cyclopentasiloxane

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Glycerin

Propylene Glycol

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone

Carbomer

Xanthan Gum

Benzyl Alcohol

Sodium Hydroxide

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

PEG-8

Sodium Gluconate

Allantoin

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Cetearyl Alcohol

Punica Granatum Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Stearic Acid

Cetyl Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Dicaprylyl Ether

Squalane

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Polysorbate 60

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil

PEG-150 Stearate

Polysorbate 80

Ethylhexylglycerin

O-Cymen-5-Ol

Ceteareth-20

PEG-20 Hydrogenated Lanolin

PEG-40 Stearate

Fructooligosaccharides

Glucosamine Hcl

Citric Acid

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-8, Sodium Gluconate, Allantoin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Punica Granatum Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Polysorbate 60, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil, PEG-150 Stearate, Polysorbate 80, Ethylhexylglycerin, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Ceteareth-20, PEG-20 Hydrogenated Lanolin, PEG-40 Stearate, Fructooligosaccharides, Glucosamine Hcl, Citric Acid

Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate

PEG-18 Glyceryl Oleate/Cocoate

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate

Sorbitol

Decyl Glucoside

Oryza Sativa Extract

Panthenol

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Sodium Benzoate

Amyl Cinnamal

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Extract

Juniperus Virginiana Wood Extract

Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract

Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Limonene

Arnica Montana Flower Extract

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Symphytum Officinale Root Extract

Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate

Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract

Butter Extract

Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract

Coffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract

Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract

Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract

Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Soybean Peroxidase

Superoxide Dismutase

Tocopherol

Potassium Sorbate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycerin, PEG-18 Glyceryl Oleate/Cocoate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sorbitol, Decyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oryza Sativa Extract, Panthenol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Amyl Cinnamal, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Juniperus Virginiana Wood Extract, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Limonene, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Symphytum Officinale Root Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Butter Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Soybean Peroxidase, Superoxide Dismutase, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate

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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.

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.

In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.

The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.

This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.

Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.

Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.

Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).

The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.

Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.

This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.

As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.

The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.

This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.

It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.

Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.

At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.

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%.

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.

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.

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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