Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Skon Skincare Repair Microbiome Night Creme Versus The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer

Skon Skincare Repair Microbiome Night Creme Versus The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Acetyl Heptapeptide-4 and Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil to strengthen the skin b

Skon Skincare Repair Microbiome Night Creme Versus The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer

This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Acetyl Heptapeptide-4 and Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate

Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables

Glyceryl Oleate

Glycerin

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Oryza Sativa Starch

Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate

Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables

Magnesium Sulfate

Sodium Levulinate

Potassium Sorbate

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Acetyl Heptapeptide-4

Caprylyl Glycol

Tocopherol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Citric Acid

Water, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Oryza Sativa Starch, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citric Acid

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Propanediol

Polysilicone-11

C10-18 Triglycerides

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetyl Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Ceramide NP

Polyacrylate-13

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Ethylhexylglycerin

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Laureth-12

Sorbitan Isostearate

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Polysilicone-11, C10-18 Triglycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceramide NP, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Laureth-12, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

Reviews

Be the first to review

Alternatives

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.

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 Side-by-side

  1. 01Water
  2. 02Dimethicone
  3. 03Butylene Glycol
  4. 04Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone
  5. 05Glycerin
  6. 06Polymethylsilsesquioxane
  7. 07Polysilicone-11
  8. 08Phenoxyethanol
  9. 09Polyglutamic Acid
  10. 10Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
  11. 11Isohexadecane
  12. 12Propanediol
  13. 13Coco-Glucoside
  14. 14Sodium Benzoate
  15. 15Hydroxyethylcellulose
  16. 16Polysorbate 80
  17. 17Ethylhexylglycerin
  18. 18Potassium Sorbate
  19. 19Decyl Glucoside
  20. 20Dimethylacrylamide/Acrylic Acid/Polystyrene Ethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List Brighten-i Eye Cream

The Inkey List Brighten-i Eye Cream The Inkey List Brighten-i Eye Cream ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Dimethicone, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride,…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side