The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser Versus Q + A Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleanser

The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser Versus Q + A Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleanser Detailed comparison of The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser versus Q + A Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Cleanser. This cream cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some. This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry. Water Glycerin Coco-Glucoside Betaine Cetearyl Alcohol Stearic Acid Phenoxyethanol Benzyl Alcohol Xanthan Gum Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Inulin Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Hydroxide Dehydroacetic Acid Polyquaternium-10 Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate Sodium Hyaluronate Lecithin Water, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Inulin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin Coco-Betaine Propanediol Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside Sodium Gluconate Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder Caprylyl Glycol Cocamidopropyl Betaine Water, Coco-Betaine, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Gluconate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Cocamidopropyl Betaine These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products. As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied. It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin. A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record. 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. 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 uncomm