Beautycounter Countercontrol Matte Effect Gel Cream Versus Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer

Beautycounter Countercontrol Matte Effect Gel Cream Versus Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer Detailed comparison of Beautycounter Countercontrol Matte Effect Gel Cream versus Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer. This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Zea Mays Starch and Zinc Gluconate to balance excess oil and clear breakouts. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. Water Methylpropanediol Coconut Alkanes Alcohol Denat. Sd Alcohol 40 Glycerin Cetearyl Alcohol Zea Mays Starch Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Lauroyl Lysine Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract Malic Acid Behenyl Alcohol Coco-Caprylate/Caprate Xanthan Gum Sodium Hydroxide Allantoin Phenoxyethanol Zinc Gluconate Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Water, Methylpropanediol, Coconut Alkanes, Alcohol Denat. Sd Alcohol 40, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Starch, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lauroyl Lysine, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Malic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Zinc Gluconate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Squalane Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract Sodium Acrylates Copolymer Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer Lecithin Caprylyl Glycol Diheptyl Succinate Isoeicosane 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 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 These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics. Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity. Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation. It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh. Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated. This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%. Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating. Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism. 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 concent