Youth To The People Adaptogen Soothe + Hydrate Activated Mist with Peptides Versus SkinBetter Science Mystro Active Balance Serum

Youth To The People Adaptogen Soothe + Hydrate Activated Mist with Peptides Versus SkinBetter Science Mystro Active Balance Serum

This hydrating treatment is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Ganoderma Lucidum Extract to hydrate skin and calm redness.

This calming serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Astaxanthin to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Pentapeptide-59

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Phenethyl Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Maltodextrin

Ganoderma Lucidum Extract

Xanthan Gum

Betaine

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Potassium Sorbate

Glycerin

Withania Somnifera Extract

Ocimum Tenuiflorum Extract

Rhodiola Rosea Extract

Lactic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Pentapeptide-59, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Maltodextrin, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Xanthan Gum, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Glycerin, Withania Somnifera Extract, Ocimum Tenuiflorum Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Extract, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate

Copaifera Officinalis Resin

Butylene Glycol

Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate

Isosorbide Dicaprylate

Cetearyl Glucoside

Ethoxydiglycol

Diheptyl Succinate

Squalane

Niacinamide

Panax Notoginseng Root Extract

Theobroma Cacao Leaf Cell Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract

Echinacea Purpurea Extract

Sophora Japonica Bud Extract

Humulus Lupulus Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract

Astaxanthin

Ergothioneine

Thioctic Acid

Sorbitan Olivate

Tocopherol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Tribehenin

Cetearyl Alcohol

Acacia Senegal Gum

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Citric Acid

Phytic Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Copaifera Officinalis Resin, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Ethoxydiglycol, Diheptyl Succinate, Squalane, Niacinamide, Panax Notoginseng Root Extract, Theobroma Cacao Leaf Cell Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Sophora Japonica Bud Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Astaxanthin, Ergothioneine, Thioctic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Tribehenin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Phytic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

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.

Phenethyl Alcohol is a colorless and aromatic alohol. It is naturally occuring in essential oils.

The scent of this ingredient is floral and often compared to rose.

Like other alcohols, this ingredient helps prevent the growth of bacteria. However, its main purpose is to impact a fragrance.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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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