Skin science article
The INKEY List Hydrating Cream-To-Milk Cleanser Versus BYOMA Milky Moisture Cleanser
The INKEY List Hydrating Cream-To-Milk Cleanser Versus BYOMA Milky Moisture Cleanser This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Glycerin Eth
The INKEY List Hydrating Cream-To-Milk Cleanser Versus BYOMA Milky Moisture Cleanser
This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
Betaine
Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Isohexadecane
Pentylene Glycol
Propanediol
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Hydroxyacetophenone
Oryza Sativa
Caprylyl Glycol
Cetearyl Olivate
Polysorbate 80
Sorbitan Olivate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Sodium Hydroxide
Sorbitan Oleate
Xanthan Gum
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Inulin
Polyquaternium-10
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Phenoxyethanol
Lecithin
Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxyacetophenone, Oryza Sativa, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Inulin, Polyquaternium-10, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin
Decyl Glucoside
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Diisostearyl Malate
Arachidyl Alcohol
Cetearyl Alcohol
Panthenol
Glucose
Glyceryl Stearate
Behenyl Alcohol
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
Dipropylene Glycol
Arachidyl Glucoside
Ceramide NP
Cholesterol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Tocopherol
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Oryza Sativa Germ Extract
Phytosphingosine
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Citric Acid
Disodium EDTA
Stearic Acid
Oleic Acid
Maltodextrin
Cetyl Alcohol
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Astaxanthin
1,2-Hexanediol
Butylene Glycol
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Lactic Acid
Cyanocobalamin
Sodium Citrate
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Diisostearyl Malate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Glucose, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phytosphingosine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Maltodextrin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Astaxanthin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Sodium Citrate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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).
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
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.
Hydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
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.