Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm Versus heimish All Clean Balm

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm Versus heimish All Clean Balm This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil Ceteary

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm Versus heimish All Clean Balm

This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Cetearyl Alcohol

PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides

Avena Sativa Kernel Oil

Candelilla Cera

Silica

Sorbitan Stearate

Tribehenin

PEG-60 Almond Glycerides

Avena Sativa Kernel Flour

Water

Benzyl Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Lecithin

1,2-Hexanediol

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Tocopherol

Biosaccharide Gum-4

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Candelilla Cera, Silica, Sorbitan Stearate, Tribehenin, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Water, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate

Polyethylene

PEG-8 Isostearate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Tocopheryl Acetate

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil

Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Boswellia Carterii Oil

Juniperus Mexicana Oil

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract

Butylene Glycol

Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract

Citric Acid

Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract

Freesia Refracta Extract

Rose Extract

Leontopodium Alpinum Extract

Jasminum Officinale Extract

Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus Flower Extract

Lilium Tigrinum Extract

Iris Versicolor Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Limonene

Citral

Linalool

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polyethylene, PEG-8 Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Water, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Freesia Refracta Extract, Rose Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Jasminum Officinale Extract, Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus Flower Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Iris Versicolor Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Citral, Linalool

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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

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!

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. 03Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
  4. 04Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
  5. 05The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
  6. 06Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
  7. 07Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  8. 08Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  9. 09Your 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.
  10. 10Aquaporin-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.
  11. 11This 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.
  12. 12Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  13. 13Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  14. 14Water. 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.
  15. 15So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
  16. 16You'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!
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List Fulvic Acid Cleanser

The Inkey List Fulvic Acid Cleanser The Inkey List Fulvic Acid Cleanser ingredients explained: Aqua (Water), Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl A…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side