Biossance Squalane + Glycolic Renewal Mask Versus Too Cool For School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack

Biossance Squalane + Glycolic Renewal Mask Versus Too Cool For School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack

This wash off mask is formulated around Glycolic Acid to exfoliate and smooth skin.

This hydrating overnight mask is formulated around Squalane and Centella Asiatica Extract to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Glycolic Acid

Squalane

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Stearyl Alcohol

Arachidyl Alcohol

Clay Mineral Oxides

Behenyl Alcohol

Sodium Hydroxide

Lactic Acid

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract

Saccharum Officinarum Extract

Acer Saccharum Extract

Kaolin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Xanthan Gum

Diheptyl Succinate

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Citric Acid

Tartaric Acid

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Montmorillonite

Illite

Acacia Senegal Gum

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Arachidyl Glucoside

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Phytate

Limonene

Water, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Clay Mineral Oxides, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Kaolin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Diheptyl Succinate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Tartaric Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Montmorillonite, Illite, Acacia Senegal Gum, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Arachidyl Glucoside, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Limonene

Cyclopentasiloxane

Cyclomethicone

Dimethicone

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

PEG-10 Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

1,2-Hexanediol

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Triethanolamine

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Polysorbate 60

Cucurbita Pepo Fruit Extract

Parfum

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Pueraria Thunbergiana Root Extract

Cnidium Officinale Root Extract

Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract

Soluble Collagen

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Mannitol

Bromelain

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Papain

Betaine

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Ceramide NP

CI 15985

CI 17200

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Triethanolamine, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 60, Cucurbita Pepo Fruit Extract, Parfum, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Pueraria Thunbergiana Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Soluble Collagen, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Mannitol, Bromelain, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Papain, Betaine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, CI 15985, CI 17200

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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.

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.

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

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.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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