The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser Versus Biossance Squalane + Amino Aloe Gentle Cleanser

The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser Versus Biossance Squalane + Amino Aloe Gentle Cleanser

This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup.

This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Squalane

Water

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Glycerin

Sucrose Stearate

Ethyl Macadamiate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sucrose Laurate

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate

Sucrose Dilaurate

Sucrose Trilaurate

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Isoceteth-20

Sodium Polyacrylate

Tocopherol

Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Malic Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Chlorphenesin

Squalane, Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Sucrose Stearate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Laurate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Isoceteth-20, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Malic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Disodium Coco-Glucoside Citrate

Cocoyl Proline

Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Oil

Salvia Sclarea Oil

Hydrolyzed Pea Protein

Medicago Sativa Extract

Sodium Levulinate

Caramel

Magnesium Chloride

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Gluconate

Citric Acid

Citral

Citronellol

Linalool

Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Disodium Coco-Glucoside Citrate, Squalane, Cocoyl Proline, Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Medicago Sativa Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Caramel, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Citral, Citronellol, Linalool

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.

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.

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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