Skin science article
The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer Versus innisfree Green Tea Moisture-Balancing Cream
The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer Versus innisfree Green Tea Moisture-Balancing Cream This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. What's i
The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer Versus innisfree Green Tea Moisture-Balancing Cream
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Glycerin
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Betaine
Butylene Glycol
Phenoxyethanol
Benzyl Alcohol
Carbomer
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Sodium Hydroxide
Ethylhexylglycerin
Sodium Gluconate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Dehydroacetic Acid
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Phenethyl Alcohol
Acetyl Hexapeptide-37
Maltodextrin
Pentapeptide-48
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, Maltodextrin, Pentapeptide-48
Methyl Trimethicone
Propanediol
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
1,2-Hexanediol
C14-22 Alcohols
Arachidyl Alcohol
Stearic Acid
Glyceryl Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Palmitic Acid
Behenyl Alcohol
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
Arachidyl Glucoside
Parfum
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Glyceryl Caprylate
Tromethamine
Disodium EDTA
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Sorbitan Isostearate
Myristic Acid
Lauric Acid
Water, Methyl Trimethicone, Propanediol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), 1,2-Hexanediol, C14-22 Alcohols, Arachidyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Palmitic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Glucoside, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast 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.
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!