Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser Versus Olehenriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser Versus Olehenriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser This gel cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some. This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leavi

The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser Versus Olehenriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser

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

This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin feeling tight or stripped.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Coco-Glucoside

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Benzyl Alcohol

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Peat

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Disodium EDTA

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Dehydroacetic Acid

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Peat, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Sodium Cocoamphoacetate

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Sodium Chloride

Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil

Glycol Distearate

Gluconolactone

Propanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Sodium Benzoate

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water

CI 77891

Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract

Triethyl Citrate

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Hippophae Rhamnoides Kernel Extract

Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract

Rosa Canina Fruit Extract

Calcium Gluconate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Sodium Hydroxide

CI 15985

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

Limonene

Linalool

Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Glycol Distearate, Gluconolactone, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, CI 77891, Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract, Triethyl Citrate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Kernel Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Calcium Gluconate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 15985, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Limonene, Linalool

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.

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.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.

It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.

The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.

The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.

Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.

One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).

This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.

On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.

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.

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.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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 Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
  4. 04Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
  5. 05It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
  6. 06Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
  7. 07A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
  8. 08Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  9. 09Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  10. 10Your 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.
  11. 11Aquaporin-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.
  12. 12This 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.
  13. 13Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  14. 14Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  15. 15Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
  16. 16Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
  17. 17It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
  18. 18One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
  19. 19Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
  20. 20Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side