Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask Enzymatic Dermal Resurfacer Versus Biossance Squalane + Glycolic Renewal Mask

Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask Enzymatic Dermal Resurfacer Versus Biossance Squalane + Glycolic Renewal Mask

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Cucurbita Pepo

Alumina

Glycerin

Triethanolamine

Carbomer

Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate

Sodium Lactate

Ascorbic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Retinyl Palmitate

BHT

Sodium Hyaluronate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Citric Acid

Disodium EDTA

Benzoic Acid

Sorbic Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Chlorphenesin

Phenoxyethanol

Benzyl Alcohol

Cinnamal

Parfum

Water, Cucurbita Pepo, Alumina, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Lactate, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, BHT, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Cinnamal, Parfum

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

Xanthan Gum

Diheptyl Succinate

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Tartaric Acid

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Montmorillonite

Illite

Acacia Senegal Gum

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Arachidyl Glucoside

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

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

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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.

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 exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

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.

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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