Keys Soulcare Skin Transformation Cream Versus Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer

Keys Soulcare Skin Transformation Cream Versus Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Bakuchiol to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Isohexadecane

Stearyl Heptanoate

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Isopropyl Isostearate

Niacinamide

Cetearyl Olivate

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Dimethicone

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Silica

Squalane

Stearic Acid

Trehalose

Bakuchiol

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Honey

Sodium Hyaluronate

Malachite Extract

Phytosphingosine

Panthenol

Cholesterol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sorbitan Olivate

Polyacrylate-13

Caprylyl Glycol

Polyisobutene

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Polysorbate 20

Ethylhexylglycerin

Xanthan Gum

Carbomer

Parfum

Water, Isohexadecane, Stearyl Heptanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isopropyl Isostearate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Squalane, Stearic Acid, Trehalose, Bakuchiol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Honey, Sodium Hyaluronate, Malachite Extract, Phytosphingosine, Panthenol, Cholesterol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyacrylate-13, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyisobutene, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Parfum

Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Phenoxyethanol

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Lecithin

Diheptyl Succinate

Isoeicosane

Allantoin

Bisabolol

Sodium Phytate

Glycine Soja Sterols

Linoleic Acid

Phospholipids

Hansenula/Kloeckera/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Pediococcus/Saccharomyces/Fig/Lemon Ferment

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Sorbitan Oleate

Cellulose Gum

Chitosan

1,2-Hexanediol

Citric Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Diheptyl Succinate, Isoeicosane, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Sodium Phytate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Hansenula/Kloeckera/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Pediococcus/Saccharomyces/Fig/Lemon Ferment, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sorbitan Oleate, Cellulose Gum, Chitosan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

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.

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!

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