Biologique Recherche Gel ADN Silkgen Refreshing Moisturizing Face Fluid Versus Biologique Recherche Emulsion Gel Biosensible S.R. Soothing and Sebo-Regulating Gel for the Face

Biologique Recherche Gel ADN Silkgen Refreshing Moisturizing Face Fluid Versus Biologique Recherche Emulsion Gel Biosensible S.R. Soothing and Sebo-Regulating Gel for the Face

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract and Hydrolyzed Silk to calm redness and hydrate skin.

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to calm redness and balance excess oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Propylene Glycol

Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract

DNA

Hydrolyzed Silk

Diaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33

Butylene Glycol

Carbomer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

Triethanolamine

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, DNA, Hydrolyzed Silk, Diaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol

Squalane

Isocetyl Stearate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil

Sodium Polyacrylate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract

Pentylene Glycol

Biosaccharide Gum-2

Pvp

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Tannic Acid

Rhizobian Gum

Sodium Hyaluronate

Alteromonas Ferment Extract

Citric Acid

Xanthan Gum

Chlorphenesin

Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract

Terminalia Catappa Leaf Extract

Maltodextrin

Orthosiphon Stamineus Extract

Tocopherol

Oleanolic Acid

Acetyl Hexapeptide-49

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Isocetyl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propylene Glycol, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pvp, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Tannic Acid, Rhizobian Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Terminalia Catappa Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Orthosiphon Stamineus Extract, Tocopherol, Oleanolic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-49

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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.

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.

Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.

As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

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!

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