Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm Versus Kosé Speedy Cleansing Oil

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm Versus Kosé Speedy Cleansing Oil This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup. What's inside Key Ingredients No key ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Prunus Amygda

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm Versus Kosé Speedy Cleansing Oil

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No 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

Paraffinum Liquidum

PEG-8 Glyceryl Isostearate

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Cyclomethicone

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Isostearic Acid

Glycerin

Paraffinum Liquidum, PEG-8 Glyceryl Isostearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cyclomethicone, Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Isostearic Acid, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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.

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. 03Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  4. 04Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  5. 05Your 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.
  6. 06Aquaporin-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.
  7. 07This 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.
  8. 08Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  9. 09Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  10. 10Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
  11. 11There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
  12. 12D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
  13. 13Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
  14. 14Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
  15. 15This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
  16. 16Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
  17. 17This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
  18. 18Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
  19. 19As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
  20. 20In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List Madecassoside Mask

The Inkey List Madecassoside Mask The Inkey List Madecassoside Mask ingredients explained: Aqua (Water/Eau), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, …

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

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