K18 Hair PEPTIDE PREP™ pH Maintenance Shampoo Versus Cosmica Volumising Shampoo

K18 Hair PEPTIDE PREP™ pH Maintenance Shampoo Versus Cosmica Volumising Shampoo Detailed comparison of K18 Hair PEPTIDE PREP™ pH Maintenance Shampoo versus Cosmica Volumising Shampoo. Water Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate Cocamidopropyl Betaine Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate Sh-Oligopeptide-78 Panthenol Glycerin Sodium Phytate Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate Caprylyl Glycol Caprylhydroxamic Acid Benzoic Acid Citric Acid Sodium Hydroxide Parfum Limonene Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sh-Oligopeptide-78, Panthenol, Glycerin, Sodium Phytate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Limonene Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate Decyl Glucoside Sodium Chloride Hydrolyzed Rice Protein Oryza Sativa Seed Protein Oryza Sativa Extract Allantoin Niacinamide Pyridoxine Hcl Calcium Pantothenate Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Tocopheryl Acetate Potassium Laureth-4 Carboxylate Polyquaternium-22 C12-13 Pareth-9 PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate Arginine Coconut Acid PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides Dicaprylyl Ether Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Glyceryl Oleate Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate Propanediol Maltodextrin Phytic Acid Sodium Citrate Gluconolactone Silica Calcium Gluconate Sodium Gluconate Sodium Benzoate Phenoxyethanol Potassium Sorbate Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Oryza Sativa Seed Protein, Oryza Sativa Extract, Allantoin, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hcl, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Laureth-4 Carboxylate, Polyquaternium-22, C12-13 Pareth-9, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Arginine, Coconut Acid, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Dicaprylyl Ether, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Propanediol, Maltodextrin, Phytic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Gluconolactone, Silica, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Benzoic Acid, Parfum These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Benzoic Acid is an organic acid that shows up in cosmetics as a preservative. It helps keep a product from spoiling by holding back the growth of yeast, mold, and some bacteria. This ingredient also functions as a fragrance ingredient that helps mask the unpleasant scent of other ingredients. The way it works is worth understanding; benzoic acid works when the formula is acidic. It is able to sneak into a microbe's cell and mess up how it functions to stop it from growing in an acidic product. However, the acid switches to an inactive form and stops working if a product isn't acidic enough (above ~5 pH). This is why you'll often see it in low pH products or teamed up with other preservatives to cover the gap. Safety wise, it's one of the better studied preservatives out there. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%. A large international review found this ingredient had no effects on the human body and had low irritation potential. Just so you know, real world use is usually much lower than the 5% ceiling (usually 1% of less). The EU caps it at 2.5% in rinse-off products, 1.7% in oral care, and 0.5% in leave-on products. One thing worth mentioning (it's nothing to worry about): some people get a little stinging or flushing where they apply it. This isn't a true allergy; it's a temporary and harmless reaction. This is the same kind of mild tingle you might notice from sorbic acid. Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes. Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath. However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products. Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH. In skincare formulas, citric acid can: While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants. Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations. Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger. However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at e